Allying with the medicine wheel: Social work practice with Aboriginal peoples.

This article uses a Medicine Wheel model, a structural social work framework and an anti-oppression stance, to practice culturally sensitive social work with Aboriginal peoples. The Medicine Wheel model is appropriate when working with many Aboriginal peoples because it considers spirituality important to healing. Using the Medicine Wheel guides the social worker to holistic, balanced practice. The recommendation of respectful social work practice tailored to the treatment of the clientÕs belief systems encourages healthy identity development. The Medicine Wheel model is used as an analytic tool used to illustrate the clientÕs states of being, location, and analyze various roles of, and form action plans for, social work practice.

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