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4 Ways to Improve Education in Psychology

From Psychology’s Response to the TRC Report

Written by Emilie Longtin, Posted September 1, 2023

Acknowledgements

The material presented is from Psychology’s Response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Report prepared by the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) and the Psychology Foundation of Canada.

Before talking about Psychology’s Response as a profession, our team would like to acknowledge that we work and play on the historical lands of the Songhees, Esquimalt and WSÁNEĆ peoples whose relationships with the land continue to this day. We would also like to acknowledge and respect the Lekwungen peoples on whose traditional territory the university stands.

For clarity, we will refer to Canada to describe a specific geographical region and country. However, we acknowledge that Indigenous peoples were present on this land for time immemorial before the acquisition of stolen land and drawing of settler land borders that make up present-day Canada. 

The CPA report addressed four broad topics related to education in psychology and Indigenous peoples in Canada:

Barriers for Indigenous Students

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Training Elements for Undergrad Students

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Training Elements for Graduate Students

Cultural Literacy Training

1. Barriers for Indigenous Students

Lack of representation of Indigenous people in the field of psychology

- At the time of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s 2018 Report, the task force believes there were fewer than 12 practicing or teaching Indigenous psychologists in Canada.
- The Task Force recommends increasing funding/incentives for Indigenous students interested in studying psychology.

A general distrust of western school systems

- Indigenous students may risk losing traditional ways of knowing if they are enrolled in programs that only teach/validate western epistemologies.
- The Task Force recommends that academic programs incorporate divergent ways of teaching and learning that reflect Indigenous ways of knowing and sharing wisdom.

Lack of government support for rural psychology programs

- Rural communities need government support for rural psychology programs that include Indigenous languages and knowledge. 
- Universities should work towards establishing programs that include instruction by traditional knowledge holders.

2. Training Elements for Undergrad Students

Access to undergraduate courses on Indigenous cultural literacy

- Offer courses that have a distinct focus on the impacts of colonial history, the residential school system, and intergenerational trauma.

Acknowledgment that non-Indigenous students are guests on Indigenous territories

- It is the responsibility of non-Indigenous students and faculty to understand the history of the land and its people.

3. Training Elements for Graduate Students

Graduate level education in the helping professions can have a direct impact on the empowerment of communities

- Need for doctoral programs that integrate Indigenous mental health and knowledge into clinical and counselling training (e.g., two-eyed seeing).
- Training programs should recognize their obligation to train graduate students who are able to work safely and effectively with Indigenous Peoples.

Indigenous knowledge and cultural literacy should be a core competency for all psychologists.

- Psychologists-in-training should engage in discussions about the value of Indigenous traditional knowledge and how psychologists can balance it with western or popular current practice.
- At present, it is possible for students to graduate from psychology programs without any knowledge of the residential school system or the intergenerational trauma experienced by Indigenous Peoples in Canada.
- Training programs should strive to create opportunities to teach principles of social justice and Indigenous cultural literacy to psychology students.

Instructors teaching cultural literacy should be trained in Indigenous ways of sharing knowledge.

- Programs can partner culturally competent instructors with Indigenous leaders, Elders, and respected members of the community.
- Elders and community members should also be included in advisory committees for graduate programs addressing Indigenous psychology.

4. Cultural Literacy Training

Psychologists should pursue available continuing education activities and resources that strengthen their understanding and adaptation of Indigenous cultural literacy.

- Indigenous cultural literacy training is necessary for practicing and training psychologists. However, it is just a starting point.
- Consider Indigenous-led experiential on-land experiences, whether it is participating in a sweat lodge and/or meeting with community members, Elders, and knowledge keepers.