As the mother of an Indigenous daughter, I am constantly advocating for the rights of Native students. For example, I had a Native student who had witnessed some very traumatic events and was requesting help. I knew it wouldn't be appropriate for me to refer her to any therapist because not everyone has the background to incorporate the culturally appropriate practices this student needed. So I made phone calls for hours and finally located a Native therapist who connected with her. This therapist was able to give her services that would include cultural and spiritual practices that she wouldn't have otherwise had if I would have just referred her to anyone.
Native students have unique needs, and as counselors, it is our responsibility to make sure that we advocate for them to get exactly what they need. We also need to look at our school and see what
resources are readily available to them. Do we have a club that they can join? Is there an adult in the
building they can go to that has a similar cultural background? With Natives having the highest suicide
and substance abuse rates in the country, it requires us to take a closer look at how we are advocating
and protecting our Indigenous students and make sure we are providing culturally responsive services
for them. For a list of resources, click here!