scholarly journals Mothering, Substance Use Disorders and Intergenerational Trauma Transmission: An Attachment-Based Perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florien Meulewaeter ◽  
Sarah S. W. De Pauw ◽  
Wouter Vanderplasschen
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Substance Use Disorders ◽  
Intergenerational Trauma ◽  
Trauma Transmission ◽  
Intergenerational Trauma Transmission

scholarly journals The Impact of Training Indigenous Facilitators for a Two-Eyed Seeing Research Treatment Intervention for Intergenerational Trauma and Addiction

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Teresa Naseba Marsh ◽  
David C. Marsh ◽  
Lisa M. Najavits
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Substance Use Disorders ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Traditional Healers ◽  
Traditional Healing ◽  
Intergenerational Trauma ◽  
Seeking Safety ◽  
Traditional Healing Practices ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Sharing Circles

Intergenerational trauma in Indigenous Peoples was not the result of a targeted event, but rather political and governmental policies inflicted upon entire generations. The resultant effects of these traumas and multiple losses include addiction, depression, anxiety, violence, self-destructive behaviors, and suicide, to name but a few. Traditional healers, Elders, and Indigenous facilitators agree that the reclamation of traditional healing practices combined with conventional interventions could be effective in addressing intergenerational trauma and substance use disorders. Recent research has shown that the blending of Indigenous traditional healing practices and the Western treatment model Seeking Safety resulted in a reduction of intergenerational trauma (IGT) symptoms and substance use disorders (SUD). This article focuses on the Indigenous facilitators who were recruited and trained to conduct the sharing circles as part of the research effort. We describe the six-day training, which focused on the implementation of the Indigenous Healing and Seeking Safety model, as well as the impact the training had on the facilitators. Through the viewpoints and voices of the facilitators, we explore the growth and changes the training brought about for them, as well as their perception of how their changes impacted their clients.

scholarly journals The Sweat Lodge Ceremony: A Healing Intervention for Intergenerational Trauma and Substance Use

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa Naseba Marsh ◽  
David C Marsh ◽  
Julie Ozawagosh ◽  
Frank Ozawagosh
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Substance Use Disorders ◽  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
Community Integration ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Traditional Healing ◽  
Intergenerational Trauma ◽  
Seeking Safety ◽  
Sweat Lodge ◽  
Traditional Healing Practices

Many traditional healers and Elders agree that strengthening cultural identity, incorporating traditional healing practices, and encouraging community integration can enhance and improve mental health and reduce substance use disorders (SUD) in Indigenous populations. Despite the fact that traditional healing practices have always been valued by Indigenous Peoples, there is very little research on efficacy. Recent research by one of the authors in this group (T. Marsh) has shown that the blending of Indigenous traditional healing practices and a Western treatment model, Seeking Safety, resulted in a reduction in intergenerational trauma (IGT) symptoms and substance use disorders (SUD). This article focuses on the qualitative evidence concerning the impact of the traditional healing practices, specifically the sweat lodge ceremony. Participants reported an increase in spiritual and emotional well-being that they said was directly attributable to the ceremony. This study demonstrates that it would be beneficial to incorporate Indigenous traditional healing practices, including the sweat lodge ceremony, into Seeking Safety to enhance the health and well-being of Indigenous Peoples with IGT and SUD.

scholarly journals Intergenerational trauma transmission is associated with brain metabotranscriptome remodeling and mitochondrial dysfunction

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sammy Alhassen ◽  
Siwei Chen ◽  
Lamees Alhassen ◽  
Alvin Phan ◽  
Mohammad Khoudari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mitochondrial Dysfunction ◽  
Early Life ◽  
In Utero ◽  
Intergenerational Trauma ◽  
Pharmacological Interventions ◽  
Behavioral Deficits ◽  
Mitochondrial Energy Metabolism ◽  
Trauma Transmission ◽  
Hypoxia Marker ◽  
Intergenerational Trauma Transmission

AbstractIntergenerational trauma increases lifetime susceptibility to depression and other psychiatric disorders. Whether intergenerational trauma transmission is a consequence of in-utero neurodevelopmental disruptions versus early-life mother–infant interaction is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that trauma exposure during pregnancy induces in mouse offspring social deficits and depressive-like behavior. Normal pups raised by traumatized mothers exhibited similar behavioral deficits to those induced in pups raised by their biological traumatized mothers. Good caregiving by normal mothers did not reverse prenatal trauma-induced behaviors, indicating a two-hit stress mechanism comprising both in-utero abnormalities and early-life poor parenting. The behavioral deficits were associated with profound changes in the brain metabotranscriptome. Striking increases in the mitochondrial hypoxia marker and epigenetic modifier 2-hydroxyglutaric acid in the brains of neonates and adults exposed prenatally to trauma indicated mitochondrial dysfunction and epigenetic mechanisms. Bioinformatic analyses revealed stress- and hypoxia-response metabolic pathways in the neonates, which produced long-lasting alterations in mitochondrial energy metabolism and epigenetic processes (DNA and chromatin modifications). Most strikingly, early pharmacological interventions with acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR) supplementation produced long-lasting protection against intergenerational trauma-induced depression.

scholarly journals A study protocol for a quasi-experimental community trial evaluating the integration of indigenous healing practices and a harm reduction approach with principles of seeking safety in an indigenous residential treatment program in Northern Ontario

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
T. N. Marsh ◽  
C. Eshakakogan ◽  
J. K. Eibl ◽  
M. Spence ◽  
K. A. Morin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Residential Treatment ◽  
Substance Use Disorders ◽  
Addiction Treatment ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Intergenerational Trauma ◽  
Indigenous Healing ◽  
Seeking Safety ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Safety Intervention

Abstract Background Indigenous communities in Canada face significant challenges with intergenerational trauma, which manifests in substance use disorders. There is consensus that connecting treatment approaches to culture, land, community, and spiritual practices is a pathway to healing trauma and substance use disorders for Indigenous peoples. Indigenous residential addiction treatment programs have been established as the primary intervention to provide healing for Indigenous peoples with substance use disorders and intergenerational trauma. However, there is limited evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of these programs. In collaboration with the Benbowopka Treatment Centre, this paper describes a study protocol which aims to evaluate the effectiveness of blending Indigenous Healing Practices and Seeking Safety for the treatment of Indigenous patients with intergenerational trauma and substance use disorders. Methods We will conduct a pre/post Quasi Experimental Community trial, to compare historical treatment outcomes for patients following the implementation of Indigenous Healing and Seeking Safety. We will conduct quantitative and qualitative analyses to understand the differences before and after the intervention is implemented. The pre- Indigenous Healing and Seeking Safety intervention study window will span from 2013 to 2016; n = 343, and the post-Indigenous Healing and Seeking Safety intervention study window from 2018 to 2020; n > 300. All participants will be enrolled in the Benbowopka residential treatment for the first time during the study periods. All data will be anonymized at the time of data entry. Propensity matching will be undertaken for patient characteristics, including sex/gender, age, and substance use type. Results and conclusions The study findings could be used to inform intergenerational trauma and substance use disorders residential treatment programming for Indigenous communities across Canada. Our work will contribute to the field of community-based intergenerational trauma and substance use disorders programming by addressing objectives that consider: (a) the patient perspective, (b) the program perspective, and (c) the community perspective. The study findings may validate an innovative approach for evaluating the effectiveness of residential addiction treatment and particularly the effective and appropriate care for Indigenous patients with intergenerational trauma and substance use disorders.

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