title: "I'm stronger than I thought": Native women reconnecting to body, health, and place.
abstract: This community-based research applied principles of wilderness experience programming and Indigenous knowledges in an exploratory intervention designed to address health disparities in a tribal community. Drawing on historical trauma frameworks, tribal members rewalked the Trail of Tears to consider its effect on contemporary tribal health. Qualitative data from tribal members suggest that engagement with place and experiential learning, particularly the physical and emotional challenge of the Trail, facilitated changes in health beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. Deep engagement outside of traditional health service settings should be considered in interventions and may be particularly effective in promoting positive health behaviors in Native communities.
authors.affiliation: Indigenous Wellness Research Institute, School of Social Work, University of Washington, Box 354900, 4101 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105, USA. Electronic address: kans@uw.edu.
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schultz
authors.affiliation: Indigenous Wellness Research Institute, School of Social Work, University of Washington, Box 354900, 4101 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105, USA. Electronic address: kw5@uw.edu.
authors.forename: Karina L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Walters
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Social Work, University of Denver, 2148 S High St, Denver, CO 80208, USA. Electronic address: ramona.beltran@du.edu.
authors.forename: Ramona
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Beltran
authors.affiliation: Choctaw Nation Behavioral Health, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, One Choctaw Way, Talihina, OK 74571, USA. Electronic address: slstroud@cnhsa.com.
authors.forename: Sandy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stroud
authors.affiliation: Research for Indigenous Community Health, Department of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, 232 Life Science, 1110 Kirby Drive, Duluth, MN 55812-3003, USA. Electronic address: mjj@d.umn.edu.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Johnson-Jennings
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Q000208:ethnology; D006293:Health Promotion; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000523:psychology*; D036301:Qualitative Research
keywords: American Indian; Experiential; Historical trauma; Indigenous; Wilderness