This Black History Month we’re focusing on Healing Through Culture and recognizing the ways our ancestors used traditional healing practices to promote mental wellness and cultivate joy, even in the face of adversity.
In Healing Through Culture: Increasing Access to Native American Practices to Treat Mental Health 1, Laura Bargeld explores how the Navajo community uses herbs, songs, and ceremonies not only to address physical ailments but also to support mental and emotional well-being. The article centers on Wayne Wilson, whose personal journey of coping with trauma illustrates how reconnecting with cultural Navajo roots, traditions passed down from his grandfather, became key in his healing process.
Research from SAMHSA’s Tribal Training and Technical Assistance Center highlights the importance of culturally relevant practices in mental health care, demonstrating that integrating traditional wisdom, stories, songs, prayer, and rituals can significantly enhance wellness in Indigenous communities. 2
Similarly, in the Black community, ancestral practices have long supported resilience, healing, and joy. Across the African diaspora, music, drumming, and dance have been central to emotional and spiritual restoration. 3 Familygatherings, such as summer cookouts and storytelling shared by elders, create spaces where collective support and cultural identity foster emotional resilience. Many African diasporic traditions intentionally incorporate ritual, movement, and music to help individuals and communities process stress and trauma together.⁴
Playing gospel songs while cleaning your on an early Sunday morning, or dancing with your friends in your living room aren’t just cultural traditions, they are forms of care. Emerging research shows that music-based and embodied practices can reduce anxiety, increase mindfulness, and strengthen social and emotional support networks, particularly among Black Americans experiencing race based stress. 4
This piece truly underscores the power of centering culture in mental health care while also reminding us that healing is holistic, communal, and rooted in the wisdom of our ancestors.
1.Bargfeld, L., & Bargfeld, L. (2022, November 4). Healing through culture: Increasing access to Native American practices to treat mental health. Cronkite News. https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2022/11/04/healing-culture-increasing-access-native-american-practices-treat-mental-health/
2American Indian & Alaska Native Cultural Wisdom Declaration. (n.d.). SAMHSA. https://www.samhsa.gov/communities/tribal-affairs/national-tribal-behavioral-health-agenda/cultural-wisdom-declaration?utm_source=chatgpt.com
3. Fletcher, D., & Fletcher, D. (2024, February 16). Healing Practices and Traditions from across the African Diaspora – The SAFE Alliance. The SAFE Alliance – A merger of Austin Children’s Shelter and SafePlace. https://www.safeaustin.org/healing-practices-and-traditions-from-across-the-african-diaspora/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
4. Jones, G., Herrmann, F., & Nock, M. K. (2023). A Digital Music-Based Mindfulness Intervention for Black Americans with Elevated Race-Based Anxiety: A Multiple-Baseline Pilot Study. JMIR Formative Research, 7, e49284. https://doi.org/10.2196/49284
