Approximate reading time: 5 minutes

“The violence my grandmother experienced in the residential school, she never spoke of it. She didn’t have to. I saw it in her eyes. I felt it in her touch. She carried it every day.” Eden Robinson, Haisla/Heiltsuk author (Robinson, E., 2017. In: Son of a Trickster. Knopf Canada)

The catastrophic legacy of Indian Residential Schools (IRS) in Canada has left profound and lasting impacts on Indigenous communities, affecting both psychological and physiological health across generations. Eden Robinson’s poignant reflection on her grandmother’s unspoken trauma (Robinson, E., 2017) encapsulates the deep, silent suffering endured by many. The IRS system, operational from 1876 to 1996, forcibly removed Indigenous children from their families, subjecting them to cultural genocide, abuse, and neglect (Truth and Reconciliation Commission [TRC], 2015; Bombay et al., 2014ab; Smith, n.d.). The effects of the IRS-based violence and neglect have reverberated through generations, contributing to a complex web of psychological and physiological challenges among Indigenous peoples.

Cumulative Risk

Cumulative risk can be understood as the number and severity of adversities (e.g., low SES, addict parent or caregiver) experienced in childhood, wherein a greater number and severity of adversities often “adds up” to a greater risk of an individual to experience later physical and mental health issues (Boles, 2021; Kwong & Hayes, 2017; Felitti & Anda, 2009; Felitti et al., 1998). Putting this research into context, IRS Survivors who underwent separation from parents, and experienced abuse, racism, and forced immersion in a hostile non-Indigenous culture, were all factors that had a cumulative impact and amplified adverse effects of their adverse experiences at IRS (McQuaid et al., 2017; Richmond et al., 2009). As many Indigenous peoples were directly or indirectly affected by IRSs and colonization, in combination with deficient health resources/geographical isolation, and other ongoing inequities, it is not surprising that many health inequities faced by Indigenous peoples documented 20 years ago are still faced today (Gracey & King, 2009; RCAP, 1996; TRC, 2015).

The work of Maria Yellow Horse Brave Heart

Maria Yellow Horse Brave Heart (photo above), a Hunkpapa Oglala Lakota social worker, psychiatrist, and academic, has been instrumental in developing the concept of Historical Trauma Response (HTR). Her work sheds light on the cumulative emotional and psychological wounding that occurs across an individual’s lifespan and generations, resulting from massive, cataclysmic events experienced by specific groups, such as Indigenous peoples. This concept is pivotal in understanding the enduring impact of events like the Indian Residential Schools. Historical Trauma Response encapsulates symptoms akin to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but it extends beyond individual experiences to encompass the collective trauma of entire communities over generations.

Additionally, Brave Heart introduced the idea of historical unresolved grief, which refers to the enduring grief stemming from historical trauma. This grief, passed down through generations, has not been fully expressed, acknowledged, or addressed, and continues to affect individuals and communities. It manifests in various social and health problems, rooted in the numerous traumatic events that Indigenous peoples have faced over centuries, including forced relocation, assimilation policies, and boarding school abuses.

Brave Heart’s work emphasizes the importance of culturally sensitive interventions to address these challenges. She advocates for psycho-educational group interventions that incorporate traditional Native American healing practices. These interventions aim to create safe spaces for individuals to process historical traumas and unresolved grief, understand the sources of their distress, connect with their cultural history, and develop coping strategies to heal and build resilience.

Her contributions offer a profound theoretical framework for understanding the emotional, psychological, and social challenges faced by Native American communities. This framework is crucial for psychologists, therapists, and educators in developing effective, culturally appropriate methods to support healing and resilience in Indigenous communities impacted by historical trauma and unresolved grief.

In response to these profound challenges, culturally sensitive and trauma-informed approaches are essential. These include traditional Indigenous healing practices, culturally adapted Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, and trauma-informed care (Gone, 2013; Gone and Calf Looking, 2011; Walters et al., 2011). The importance of cultural revitalization in healing and resilience is also emphasized, as seen in the work of Chandler & Lalonde (2008). Understanding and addressing these deep-rooted issues is crucial for psychologists and health professionals working with Indigenous communities, as they navigate the complex legacy of IRS and strive towards healing and resilience