Developing spiritual competency with native Americans: Promoting wellness through balance and harmony

Native Americans tend to hold culturally unique beliefs about the origin of problems and the ways in which those problems can be ameliorated. For most Native American tribal communities, spirituality is interconnected with health and well-being. Accordingly, developing some degree of spiritual competency is essential for work with Native American clients. Consequently, this paper discusses the relationship between spirituality and health, highlighting the roles that balance and harmony play in fostering health and well-being in many tribal cultures. Also discussed are common spiritual beliefs and practices, the American Indian Religious Freedom Act, areas of potential value conflict, and practice suggestions to enhance spiritual competency when working with Native Americans.