Bridging Jungian Psychology With Indigenous American Healing Traditions

Abstract

The focus of this study explores bridging analytical (Jungian) psychology with Indigenous American healing traditions in terms of their respective understandings of soul, spirit, health, wellness, dreams, visions, hallucinations, harmony, and balance. The research methodology utilized a hermeneutic and imaginal approach in which a dialog was generated between the relevant literature in the field of Jungian psychology and Indigenous American healing traditions. This dialog was then deepened by the contribution of two research participants, also known as traditional healer practitioners or traditional advisors, who were interviewed as professionals with expertise in their respective American Indian healing traditions. The participants chose to self-identify in the study. The two participants included Ben Hale, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation and Glen Pinkham, an enrolled member of the Yakama Nation. The participants shared their wisdom and approaches to health, wellness, and traditional healing. The results of the interviews were critically examined in the service of articulating themes relevant to serving American Indians and Alaska Natives and as contributions to the field of psychology. The research bridges Jungian psychology with Indigenous American healing traditions in hopes that the field of modern natural scientific psychology embraces, in praxis, an ethical understanding of soul as part of one’s whole being, and holistic health approaches, as understood by Indigenous American healing traditions.