Cultural Safety and Humility

Cultural safety and humility have been a common topic throughout the certification pathway to underscore the extent to which Numinus seeks to uphold cultural safety and humility and to underscore the importance of this practice when working with both Indigenous and non-indigenous clients.

As we learned in Molecular Foundations and Fundamentals, many sacred plant medicines, such as psilocybin, ayahuasca, and peyote, have been appropriated by non-indigenous peoples for the purposes of therapy and recreational use. This appropriation has caused irreparable damage to Indigenous communities. You might recall the example of Maria Sabina whose life was destroyed not long after she introduced psilocybin-producing mushrooms to Westerners.

Note

Due to the nature of this topic, some may find this module activating. We encourage you to take breaks as much as you need as you work through this content. Please reach out to if you need support.

Health Professional Tip

What is the need to practice cultural safety and humility if I’m going to be working with synthetic substances like MDMA, ketamine, or synthetic psilocybin?

Even though MDMA, ketamine, and others are synthetic, the approach to psychedelic-assisted therapy is heavily informed by Indigenous cultural or ceremonial practices where sacred plant medicines have been and continue to be used for healing.

Cultural Safety

Historically and still today, Indigenous peoples face discrimination and oppression in many facets of their lives. Healthcare is one of many domains where Indigenous Peoples are not safe. In Fundamentals of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy, we learned about two Indigenous Peoples who lost their lives because of the discrimination they faced in healthcare. Please watch the following videos to learn more about systemic racism in Canada as it relates to Indigenous Peoples.

Video: New Report Sheds Light on Forced Sterilization in Indigenous Women

2:00

A study in Québec has documented the cases of 22 Indigenous women who underwent imposed sterilization between 1980 and 2019, adding to the group of voices in Canada calling for systemic change. In this video, we will listen to a first-hand account of an Indigenous woman who was forcibly sterilized.

Video: Racism against aboriginal people in health-care system 'pervasive': study

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A study has found widespread racism in Canada's healthcare system, causing worse outcomes for Indigenous patients. In this video, we’ll learn more about the study and some first-hand accounts.

Health Professional Tip

If I’m not Indigenous, how can I uphold cultural safety and humility within the context of psychedelic-assisted therapy?

Some ways that you can uphold cultural safety and practice cultural humility include:

  • Look for ongoing opportunities to learn about Indigenous culture and the struggles Indigenous peoples have faced and continue to face
  • Connect with local Indigenous communities (where appropriate) to further learn first-hand from Indigenous Peoples
  • Encourage Indigenous clients to bring aspects of their culture with them to the therapy room
  • Ensure that you are not appropriating any Indigenous or other culture’s practices, symbols, or ceremonies
  • Learn about the transdiagnostic risk factors specifically for Indigenous peoples, including the impacts of intergenerational trauma