The United States has a long history of advocating policies of both extermination and assimilation of Native peoples. This historical context provides an important backdrop for understanding issues of trust/mistrust and the impact of acculturation on Native Americans who often find they have to reconcile 2 cultures. Therefore, counselors must assess a Native American client's level of acculturation rather than making assumptions based on the limited information offered by appearance or other personal characteristics. The Native American Acculturation Scale is presented as an operationalized means of formally or informally assessing a Native American client's cultural identity.One day a long time ago, my father was up in the Smoky Mountains with his grandfather, learning some of the Ways from the old man. They had walked way up into the mountains where they could gather certain herbs and other special things only found in sacred places that are closer to Galunlati (the Sky World). Grandfather was instructing my father to collect certain things as they went and to carry everything that they had found. But this became increasingly more difficult because he only had so many pockets or other places in which to carry things and it became more and more difficult to walk with so much stuff. But the old man was walking along easily and just kept finding more things for them to carry back. Pretty soon, my fathers hands and arms were full and all his pockets too. He was completely loaded down with all of these things and had nowhere else to put anything. But Grandfather just kept on going. Suddenly, the old man spotted a very special stone that was rather large. He asked my father to pick it up, telling him that it was very important, and kept on walking. But my father, who could not pick up the special stone, answered in frustration, But Grandfather, my hands are full . . . The old man spun around and smiled cleverly. Then I guess youll just have to drop something, he said, and kept on going.T he United States consists of one of the most diverse populations in the world. The once popular notion of America as the great melting pot has given way to a growing awareness of the truly diverse and multicultural nature of this pluralistic society (Atkinson, Morten, & Sue, 1993).In the past 20 years, the United States has experienced social, cultural, and demographic changes that continue to shape the nature of American society as a population of many peoples (Herring, 1995). However, historical factors continue to act as a powerful influence on the worldviews and experiences of Native American people. Native American clients represent varying degrees of acculturation that must be assessed by understanding better an individual clients cultural identity. The purpose of this article is to (a) describe the process of acculturation experienced by many Native American people, (b) present a structured format for formally or informally assessing the level of acculturation of Native American clients, and (c) discuss implications for counse...

Humor can reflect the healthy release of feelings during the counseling process, the type of emotional release that leads to significant therapeutic gains. It can also be a disturbing distraction, possibly causing early termination, if used inappropriately. Counselors need to exert particular caution before attempting to apply humor in working with a client from a culture different from the counselor's. This article explores the available literature and offers contributions on the subject from 4 “ethnically diverse” perspectives. Finally, a general approach based on existential theory is presented along with 5 general conditions to ascertain the appropriate use of humor.

The need for cultural characteristics to be addressed in supervision is discussed as a way of dealing with both opportunities and obstacles that may exist. The VISION model of cultural responsiveness is described as a practical means of supervisors exploring multicultural issues in the supervisory relationship.La necesidad de discutir las caracteristicas culturales en la supervision es presentada como una forma de tratar tanto con las oportunidades y 10s obstaculos que puedan existir. El modelo responsivo cultural VISION se describe como una forma practica para que supervisores exploren temas multiculturales en la relacion de supervision.nce, at the outset of supervision with a supervisee (European American) who was culturally different from me (first author, Native American), she 0 jokingly said to me, "If this is supervision, then that means that you are going to have 'super-vision' and point out everything that I do wrong?" We both laughed a little, and I assured her that I had no super powers, nor could I fly. "Actually, my job," I told her, "is to point out what you do right so that you do more of that and less of whatever is not working. So if you will keep yourself open, then I will do the same, and we will work on this together, and make you the most effective counselor possible.'' She agreed. We started talking about our supervisory relationship and how our respective cultures (difference in gender, race, cultural heritage, life experiences) might influence our percep-

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We are a matriarchal society. Even our language honors the women. It is a female language. When we dance, the men dance on the outside of the circle. The inside of the circle is to honor the women. When you dance to the ceremonial sounds of the Earth, you are tickling Mother Earth, and giving herCounseling professionals are taught to rely heavily on theories and interventions steeped in a Western, masculinized worldview. This article explores a paradigm shift by providing a contrasting cultural view of leadership among women. The "crosswalk" between the American Indian perspective of nurturing leadership in women and the theoretical basis of relational-cultural theory is explored as a way of adding critical, ancient knowledge about leadership to the counseling profession. Implications for mentoring female leaders are presented.

A major goal of counseling is to promote the wellness of the client by promoting his or her optimum development through positive human change, and it is important for counselors to be able to informally assess and more fully understand Native American cultural values to promote the wellness of those clients. The cultural values of Native Americans are discussed, an integrative review of value studies conducted on Native Americans is presented, and a traditional Native American view of wellness is described with implications for counseling. You have noticed that everything an Indian does is in a circle, and that is because the Power of the World always works in circles, and everything tries to be round. … The sky is round, and I have heard that earth is round like a ball, and so are all the stars. The wind, in its greatest power, whirls. Birds make their nest in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours. … Even the seasons form a great circle in their changing, and always come back again to where they were. The life of a [person] is a circle from childhood to childhood, and so it is in everything where power moves. (Black Elk, cited in Neihardt, 1959)

This article offers a comprehensive overview and understanding of the needs of Native American Youth for researchers, educators, and practitioners based on current research and practice. Strengths and protective factors are discussed in terms of Native strengths in context, the strengths and resilience of Native ways, Indigenous ways of knowing, the relationship between cultural identity and the tribal nation, the importance of family, the roles of the wisdom keepers, spiritual ways, and communication styles. Contextual influences are explored in terms of the relationship between history and healing from intergenerational grief and trauma, the influence of acculturation, as well as current social, economic, and political issues that affect Native youth. Implications for research and therapeutic intervention are explored in terms of healing from historical trauma and oppression. The authors offer an overview of common presenting issues and recommendations, practical tribally-specific interventions, and reflections on what it means to work from a social justice and client/community advocacy perspective with a focus on providing effective therapeutic, culturally-based interventions with Native children and adolescents that promote resilience and foster positive development with this population.