Lessons from child of water.

This chapter examines the perceptions and treatment of psychological combat reactions by American Indians. My goal is to provide the reader with an introduction to the clinical implications of these perceptions and treatment in order to encourage a closer examination of what American Indian healers have to offer mental health professionals trained in the mainstream (what I will refer to as Anglo) psychological tradition. To do this we shall briefly examine how American Indians regard war and the role of warriors, for this cultural perception influences how combat reactions such as posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms are perceived and treated. Regardless of the value of what we might learn from American Indian culture, it does not matter what they say if we will not hear. It is necessary to consider attitudes typically held toward the concepts and techniques of American Indian healing practices if we wish for this examination to be more than an anthropological exposition, and have clinical value for Anglo mental health professionals.