A Group-Focused Mindfulness Intervention to Examine Psychological Openness Leveraging Indigenous Cultural Strengths and Craft Making in a Northeast Tribal Community: Results from the IndigenousMIND Project

A Group-Focused Mindfulness Intervention to Examine Psychological Openness Leveraging Indigenous Cultural Strengths and Craft Making in a Northeast Tribal Community: Results from the IndigenousMIND Project | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article A Group-Focused Mindfulness Intervention to Examine Psychological Openness Leveraging Indigenous Cultural Strengths and Craft Making in a Northeast Tribal Community: Results from the IndigenousMIND Project Chase Bryer, Marinna Okawa, Sherente Harris, Jennifer Weston, and 4 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7024394/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 9 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract IndigenousMIND-crafts is a culturally grounded, intergenerational mindfulness intervention designed for group clinical social work settings in Native American communities. Piloted with a Northeastern tribal nation, the program paired Elders and youth in weekend workshops that integrated mindfulness practices with traditional crafts such as corn husk dolls and finger weaving. Rooted in the IndigenousMIND framework, IndigenousMIND-crafts emphasized psychological openness, cultural identity, and intergenerational healing. Twenty-four tribal citizens were recruited through community networks and consented via a culturally attuned virtual process. Using Rapid Qualitative Analysis, we identified three key themes: (1) cultural crafts fostered openness and affirmed identity; (2) intergenerational engagement enhanced emotional well-being and community connection; and (3) cultural transmission was viewed as a vital responsibility linked to survival and ancestral ties. Participants described both immediate emotional benefits and a desire for sustained, culturally rooted programming. Findings highlight the potential for IndigenousMIND-crafts to be adapted across tribal contexts, demonstrating how traditional knowledge and mindfulness can be woven together to support therapeutic, culturally affirming care. Figures Figure 1 Introduction Group Clinical Practice and Indigenous Healing Frameworks Group therapy has long served as a core modality within clinical social work, offering individuals a space for shared learning, collective processing, and mutual support. For Indigenous communities, whose worldviews often prioritize relationality, interconnectedness, and communal identity over individualism, group-based approaches are particularly resonant. However, traditional group therapy models rooted in Western clinical paradigms may fall short if they do not align with Indigenous cultural frameworks or values of holistic healing (Gone, 2013 ). There is growing recognition within the social work field that clinical group settings must be adapted not only to be culturally sensitive, but to be culturally anchored —grounded in the specific ceremonial, relational, and spiritual practices of the communities served. This article introduces a mindfulness-based group model that centers Indigenous traditions of craft-making as both therapeutic and culturally restorative. These activities, deeply embedded in Indigenous knowledge systems, foster attunement to the present moment, emotional regulation, and relational presence—elements aligned with both clinical mindfulness and traditional Indigenous healing (Kaimal & Arslanbek, 2020 ; Yellow Bird, 2013 ). The model also creates conditions for intergenerational exchange, enhancing social cohesion and revitalizing cultural continuity. In doing so, it offers a powerful alternative to conventional group therapy by making community, culture, and mindfulness the central agents of change. Shifting to Strength-Based Social Work in Indigenous Contexts Over the past two decades, social work practice has been steadily shifting away from deficit-based models—those that pathologize communities by focusing solely on trauma, dysfunction, and lack—toward strength-based models that emphasize resilience, relationality, and cultural sovereignty (Wehipeihana, 2019 ; Walters et al., 2020 ). This evolution is especially critical in Indigenous contexts, where colonial legacies have long shaped how systems perceive and engage Native peoples. Strength-based social work not only affirms Indigenous identities but positions cultural knowledge, language, and traditions as central to health and healing. This shift is evident in initiatives such as Canada’s Jordan’s Principle , which ensures equitable access to health and social services for First Nations children by addressing systemic barriers with culturally anchored supports (Assembly of First Nations, 2008 ). Similarly, evidence-based interventions like Family Spirit —developed in collaboration with the Navajo, White Mountain Apache, and other tribal nations—demonstrate that culturally grounded parenting and health curricula can lead to significant improvements in maternal and child health outcomes (Barlow et al., 2015 ). Within the field of mindfulness, similar developments have emerged. A growing body of research demonstrates that when MBIs are culturally adapted in collaboration with Indigenous communities, they show increased participant retention, deeper engagement, and improved psychological outcomes such as reduced depression and anxiety and enhanced cultural connectedness (Li et al., 2024 ). These outcomes underscore the importance of not simply incorporating cultural "elements" but grounding entire frameworks in Indigenous epistemologies and worldviews. Neurodecolonization and the Role of Cultural Mindfulness Neurodecolonization offers a promising framework for reconceptualizing trauma, healing, and mental health from an Indigenous standpoint. Yellow Bird ( 2013 ) argues that colonization did not just disrupt Indigenous governance and lifeways—it also altered neural pathways by introducing chronic stress, cultural alienation, and systemic violence. As a countermeasure, neurodecolonization calls for healing the brain through practices that reawaken cultural memory, communal identity, and embodied presence. These practices—such as language revitalization, prayer, ceremony, song, and land-based learning—serve to rebuild neural pathways once suppressed by colonizing forces. In clinical contexts, this means shifting from interventions that ask clients to “fit into” Western models toward those that immerse clients in culturally meaningful experiences that stimulate mindfulness, joy, and connection. This aligns with Indigenous understandings of wellness as balance across mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual domains (Gone, 2013 ; Johnson-Jennings et al., 2020 ). Rather than teaching mindfulness as a standalone technique, cultural mindfulness allows clients to experience it organically—through traditional practices that demand attentional presence and spiritual engagement. These approaches are especially promising for Indigenous clients who may not relate to decontextualized mindfulness curricula but resonate deeply with practices like beadwork, drumming, or storytelling that promote embodied presence while connecting them to their ancestors and communities. Craft-Making as a Mindful, Culturally Embedded Practice Craft-making has long served as both a ceremonial and practical tradition across Indigenous communities. It is a method of transferring cultural knowledge, maintaining kinship systems, and fostering connection to land, materials, and spirit. Moreover, the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 (U.S. Department of the Interior) is a federal truth-in-advertising law designed to combat the long history of non-Natives profiting from and exploiting Native artistry by prohibiting the false marketing of art and craftwork as Native-made unless created by a tribal member or certified Indian artisan. Violations can result in severe civil or criminal penalties, and consumers are encouraged to verify authenticity before purchasing. Recent research affirms that craft-making is also a powerful therapeutic practice—one that aligns closely with the goals of mindfulness and clinical intervention. Sydora et al. ( 2023 ) found that Indigenous craft traditions such as beadwork, weaving, and sewing fostered emotional regulation, self-expression, and cultural identity among Indigenous women, making them ideal for mental health promotion. These activities are inherently mindful: they require slow, intentional movement; focus on the task at hand; and attunement to one's body and breath. Kaimal and Arslanbek ( 2020 ) similarly argue that traditional arts like beading or finger weaving are "practices of embodied ancestral knowledge," offering a tactile way to connect with heritage and practice mindfulness without needing to adopt non-Indigenous language or frameworks. In clinical social work settings, incorporating craft-making into group models supports not only therapeutic goals such as affect regulation and distress tolerance, but also cultural reconnection and affirmation—elements often missing from conventional interventions. Craft-making becomes both the method and the medicine. Intergenerational Transmission and Clinical Implications The transmission of cultural knowledge across generations is more than a pedagogical practice in Indigenous communities—it is a vital strategy for healing, continuity, and survival. This process, often described as Indigenous cultural generativity (Lewis, 2017 ), reflects Elders' desire to pass down wisdom, language, and traditions to younger generations. Research confirms the health benefits of this practice: among Alaska Native Elders, cultural generativity is associated with sobriety maintenance and healthy aging (Lewis, 2023 ). From the perspective of younger participants, engagement with Elders through cultural activity enhances identity development, resilience, and psychological well-being. The 2012 Aboriginal Peoples Survey (Viscogliosi et al., 2022 ) supports this, showing that youth who spend time with Elders experience lower rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidality. These intergenerational exchanges are also consistent with Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), which emphasizes learning that occurs through guided participation from a more experienced “other” (Vygotsky, 1978 ). In many Indigenous contexts, this “other” is an Elder, whose role extends beyond teaching into co-creating identity and relational understanding through cultural transmission. Programs like Nak’Azdli Whut’en’s digital storytelling initiative exemplify how these relationships can be structured into interventions that support both knowledge preservation and emotional development. In clinical group settings, pairing Elders and youth in structured, mindful craft-making sessions provides a culturally congruent and relationally rich modality for healing and learning. IndigenousMIND: A Clinical Model Rooted in Culture and Mindfulness The IndigenousMIND program (Proulx et al., In Press) represents an Indigenous-led response to the need for culturally grounded group interventions in clinical settings. Unlike conventional MBIs that are adapted for Indigenous communities, IndigenousMIND begins with Indigenous values, traditions, and healing practices as the foundation in providing a template for direct engagement with tribal communities to develop their own mindfulness interventions that are culturally tailored to their respectives tribal settings. Developed in partnership with multiple tribal communities, the program positions cultural practices—not just as content—but as the core mechanism of healing. Participants are encouraged to notice sensations, emotions, and thoughts as they arise during the activity, gently bringing attention back when it wanders. The sessions end with a reflection circle, where participants share what they noticed—offering opportunities for insight, connection, and communal affirmation. This approach embodies both relational and cognitive-behavioral goals of clinical social work while honoring the sovereignty and self-determination of tribal communities. By embedding clinical goals within cultural frameworks, IndigenousMIND offers a model for how social work can evolve to include—and be led by—Indigenous knowledge systems Current Study IndigenousMIND-crafts emerged through close collaboration with a Northeastern tribal community and was designed as a mindfulness-based, group intervention rooted in Indigenous values. This study explored how the program—featuring intergenerational craft-making activities such as moccasin making, corn husk dolls, and finger weaving—fostered psychological openness in Elders. Sessions were scaffolded to reflect Indigenous ways of being: beginning with a prayer or blessing, followed by brief guided mindfulness practice, and transitioning into craft-making with present-moment awareness. Rather than imposing a top-down approach, the research team co-developed the program with community members, prioritizing activities that were most likely to elicit an open psychological state—defined in Brewer’s ( 2019 ) model as emotional flexibility, curiosity, and willingness to engage. The long-term goal is to identify culturally grounded practices that may later be studied through neuroimaging (e.g., fMRI) to observe related neural activity. Community discussions highlighted the joy Elders felt when younger generations engaged in cultural practices—such as singing ceremonial songs or reciting poems—during the sessions. One participant shared that a recent craft-making circle felt deeply restorative and brought people together in meaningful ways. Drawing on Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), the team conceptualized the pairing of Elders and youth in collaborative craft-making as a pathway for cultural exchange and mutual learning. Guided by IndigenousMIND principles, mindfulness was seamlessly embedded within the sessions, supporting both cultural transmission and emotional well-being. By integrating mindfulness into culturally relevant, group-based activities, IndigenousMIND-crafts offers a promising clinical social work approach. It promotes immediate psychological benefit while fostering long-term transformation through cultural continuity, intergenerational solidarity, and mindful presence. METHODS Participants Participants in this study included members of a Northeast tribal community, specifically Elders and youth paired in a series of intergenerational mindfulness workshops that featured cultural craft activities. Elders were defined by the community and included individuals aged 55 and older. Youth participants were defined as individuals at least one generation younger than their paired Elder. While these workshops were open to the entire community, formal study participants consisted of 10–12 Elders and 10–12 youth, who were included in structured interviews and focus groups bookending the workshops. Given this participant pool, both adult consent and child assent forms were incorporated into the study protocol. A total of 24 tribal members were consented into the study. Procedures Recruitment occurred through community-based strategies, including word-of-mouth and announcements at local tribal events. Potential participants were identified by community members and referred to the research team only with their consent. A formal invitation was sent via email on a rolling basis until the study team determined sufficient enrollment or reached data saturation. The informed consent process took place virtually via Zoom before participants engaged in research activities. During this session, participants were provided with detailed study information, including objectives, procedures, potential risks and benefits, confidentiality measures, and their rights as research participants. Adult participants provided electronic consent through Brown University’s Qualtrics system. For minors, a separate assent process was conducted using age-appropriate language, and parental or guardian consent was obtained as required by institutional review board guidelines. Researchers prioritized participant comprehension, ensuring all questions were addressed before proceeding. This study was approved by Brown University IRB (STUDY00000386). IndigenousMIND-crafts The intervention was conducted over a series of weekend workshops focused on intergenerational cultural craft activities and discussions related to psychological openness and cultural identity. Each workshop incorporated culturally grounded activities designed to foster intergenerational connection and mindfulness, and each session was led by tribal leaders, educators and artists within the community who emphasized the role of tradition in shaping identity, well-being, and mindfulness within their respective cultural activity. The structured mindfulness exercises at the beginning of each session encouraged participants to engage in deep reflection while engaging in the hands-on cultural crafts practices. Through these culturally adapted approaches, the study promoted the use of traditional knowledge and intergenerational connections through pairing tribal Elders with younger generations to promote spirituality, healing, and psychological openness within the community. The schedule was as follows: Weekend 1: Online consent was obtained, followed by individual interviews assessing psychological openness and cultural perspectives. Participants from the same household could join together. Weekend 2: A group leader provided an introduction to the significance of culture, tradition, mindfulness, and open/closed mindsets. This was followed by a guided mindfulness meditation session and a cultural craft activity (cornhusk dolls). Weekends 3–4: Similar to Weekend 2, but featuring different craft activities–moccasin-making and finger weaving. Final Weekend: Participants reconvened for an in-person focus group discussion over a meal catered by a local Indigenous restaurant. Participants reflected on their experiences throughout the workshops. Predetermined focus group questions guided the discussion. Following each intervention session, participants were invited to provide written reflections on their experiences. The prompts asked participants to reflect on their activities for the day, asking questions such as: Were you aware of the Feeling OPEN while the event was happening? How did your body feel, in detail, during this experience? What moods, feelings, and thoughts accompanied this event? What was it like working with older/younger person? What thoughts are in your mind now as you write about this event? These written responses were collected anonymously to promote openness and were reviewed by the research team shortly after each session. Data Analysis We employed rapid qualitative analysis (RQA) (Hamilton, 2013 ) to assess tribal members’ experiences with the cultural mindfulness intervention workshops. This approach was chosen to quickly generate insights that could more efficiently respond to program impact and future intervention adaptations within the community while maintaining a systematic and rigorous analytic process (Kowalski et al., 2024 ; Ryan et al., 2022 ; Vindrola-Padros & Johnson, 2020 ). RQA has also promoted health equity for their accessibility to involving community members, and for responding to community needs quickly and actionably (St. George et al., 2023; Vindrola-Padros et al. 2020 ). For our RQA, we utilized Ryan and Goulding’s (2024) step-by-step RQA protocol guide, adapted from Hamilton ( 2013 ). As outlined in the RQA guide, two primary analysts (CB, MO) created neutral topical names for each interview question, mapping interview guide questions to a particular “domain”. Subdomains were also included for questions where appropriate. We next used these domain names to develop a summary template for analysis. The primary analysts (CB, MO) each completed the initial summary templates independently and then compared to establish consistency in breadth and depth of information to ensure consistency. Following, the primary analysts generated matrices, and transferred summaries into the matrices to systematically summarize and analyze written responses in a concise and efficient manner. These matrices assisted us in identifying emergent themes, patterns, and insights within the data, enabling the research team to draw meaningful conclusions relying upon inductive coding. At this final stage of rapid qualitative data synthesis, tribal community members were also engaged to provide their input on emergent themes and patterns they noticed within the data. This iterative process supported ongoing dialogue with tribal community partners to ensure findings were interpreted within appropriate cultural and relational contexts. Findings Theme 1: Cultural Craft-Making as a Catalyst for Openness and Identity Affirmation Across post-intervention entries, all participants reported experiencing a sense of psychological openness during the cultural wellness intervention. Participant narratives revealed that cultural craft-making activities fostered emotional receptivity, social connection, and a sense of belonging. For some, openness emerged in the face of initial discomfort. One participant reflected on the anxiety of arriving late to a group session: “I felt a little anxious initially because I was late arriving but didn't want to miss out on the opportunity to learn & connect with others. But as soon as I arrived, folks engaged me, showed me what to do, and had a willingness and openness to guide me.” (Tribal member, Age 49) This experience of being welcomed by others catalyzed a personal shift from tension to openness: “Initially, I was anxious and uptight because of my tardiness but then excited to engage and learn. I felt welcomed by elders and everyone in the community. We were made to feel relaxed and welcomed.” (Tribal member, Age 49) Tensions for others were dissipated by being with others in making crafts and learning from their own mistakes in this experience. “It was very interactive. [I] had a lot of laughs as I learned from my mistakes.” (Tribal member, Age 61). Elders also expressed a strong sense of openness during the intergenerational exchange. One Elder described feeling physically relaxed and emotionally engaged while teaching a younger partner, emphasizing the mutual learning that occurred across generations: “[I felt] openness–very open to teaching class and helping my youth… My body was relaxed most of the time. I love that we all got to learn finger weaving as old and young, even if different styles.” (Tribal member, Age 80) For many, the act of engaging in cultural crafts was not only a moment of openness, but also a meaningful opportunity for identity exploration and affirmation. One participant, who had recently reconnected with their tribal heritage, described the workshops as instrumental in supporting a developing sense of self and community: “I feel very encouraged and a greater sense of cultural connectivity to my tribe – especially since I’ve been newly introduced to them over the last 5 years as an official member. These workshops provide me a sense of identity and encourage me to continue building connections for myself and my son.” (Tribal member, Age 49) Taken together, these narratives underscore the role of cultural craft-making as both a psychological and cultural catalyst—facilitating openness, belonging, and identity affirmation across generations. Theme 2: Intergenerational Engagement Enhanced Emotional Well-being and Community Connectedness Intergenerational engagement emerged as a central mechanism through which participants experienced a strengthened sense of community connectedness and cultural affirmation. Collaborative craft-making created opportunities for reciprocal learning, support, and emotional well-being across age groups. For Elders, guiding younger participants provided a renewed sense of purpose and joy. One Elder reflected positively on the experience of working with a younger partner: "I was in a great mood, thinking about the details of the class and looking forward to completing it. Totally enjoyed working with my younger partner as we were able to help each other." (Tribal member, Age 77) Another Elder noted that the presence and support of younger participants helped ease the challenge of learning something unfamiliar: “It felt out of my realm [but] working with younger person was helpful to relieve my stress.” (Tribal member, Age 75) These intergenerational exchanges were not only beneficial for Elders. Younger participants also reflected on the significance of their relationships with older community members. A youth participant succinctly expressed the meaningful learning that took place: "I learned a lot from my elder partner and more about them." (Tribal member, Age 13) Middle-aged participants similarly described the reciprocal nature of intergenerational learning and the satisfaction they experienced in contributing to a shared cultural activity. One individual reflected: “It was a positive and fun experience. I was glad to be helpful, [and] enjoyed helping both younger & older [generations].” (Tribal member, Age 59) Another participant emphasized the evolving nature of connection over the course of the intervention, describing how support from an Elder encouraged persistence during a challenging activity: “I felt connected to the elders and younger participants especially since the last meeting where relationships were initiated. I felt encouraged by my elder especially when I was slightly frustrated with successfully completing the process of developing the doll.” (Tribal member, Age 49) Feelings of pride, calm, and respect were also associated with working alongside Elders. One participant reflected: "It gave me a feeling of pride and honor working with our elders.” (Tribal member, Age 57) Collectively, these reflections highlight the power of intergenerational relationships to foster emotional well-being and reinforce cultural ties. The mutual guidance and learning that took place across age groups served as a vital source of community cohesion, affirming the role of intergenerationality in sustaining tribal wellness and identity. Theme 3: Cultural transmission was viewed as a vital responsibility linked to survival and ancestral ties Participants described cultural transmission not merely as a meaningful activity, but as a vital survival strategy—an urgent and ongoing responsibility to maintain intergenerational continuity and safeguard ancestral knowledge. The cultural wellness intervention prompted widespread reflection on the importance of preserving traditions, with many participants expressing concern about cultural loss and a desire for more structured opportunities to engage with cultural practices. One participant emphasized the critical absence of cultural programming within the community and the need for intentional efforts to revitalize traditional practices: “More cultural programs need to take place for our youth with Elders. This is a huge hole in the tribe. Losing our cultural practices. We need to come together and create a cultural program. Have a finger weaving project at home that sat for many years. How will I complete it?” (Tribal member, Age 56) Another participant affirmed the importance of such intergenerational programming, articulating how the act of cultural transmission is linked to the very survival of tribal ways of life: “I think these wellness classes are excellent. The next generation can learn from the elders and maintain our tradition. Keeping traditions alive means our survival.” (Tribal member, Age 57) The same participant reflected further on the significance of these events as a conduit for staying connected to community and ancestral lineage: “I'm hoping there are more events like this. How else can I keep this connection with my elders and the tribe going?” (Tribal member, Age 57) This sentiment was echoed by others who highlighted the unifying role of cultural programming and the importance of continuing such initiatives: “We need more of these programs, it brings people together.” (Tribal member, Age 60) “I feel very connected and a greater sense of cultural connectivity to my tribe.” (Tribal member, Age 49). Taken together, these reflections illustrate how cultural transmission is viewed not as a passive inheritance but as an intentional and active practice—rooted in survival, responsibility, and a deep desire to maintain connections with both past and future generations. The urgency expressed by participants underscores the role of cultural programming not only in promoting wellness, but also in safeguarding the spiritual, social, and cultural integrity of the tribal community. Discussion The current study explored how an intergenerational, mindfulness-informed intervention ( IndigenousMIND-crafts ) could promote psychological openness and cultural connectedness in a Northeastern tribal community. Through qualitative inquiry, we found that the intervention not only fostered openness but also served as a mechanism for identity affirmation and cultural continuity. Participants consistently described feelings of being “relaxed,” “joyful,” and experiencing “laughter,” indicating the program created conditions conducive to openness and emotional safety. These findings underscore the potential for culturally responsive MBIs to enhance health and well-being in Indigenous contexts by creating space for cultural transmission and intergenerational relationship-building. Importantly, this work contributes to an emerging literature that links Indigenous cultural identity with improved health outcomes (Massotti et al., 2023; Proulx et al., 2017, 2022), particularly when interventions are grounded in community values and worldviews. By pairing Elders and youth in the co-creation of traditional crafts—such as moccasins, corn husk dolls, and handwoven textiles—our study emphasized hands-on, embodied knowledge-sharing. Drawing on Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), these culturally anchored activities served as scaffolds for psychological openness and healing. Participants described the process of learning and teaching cultural crafts as opportunities to “feel more connected,” “slow down,” and “remember who we are,” suggesting that mindfulness in this setting is not solely an individual cognitive process but also a relational and intergenerational one. For Elders, participation reignited a sense of purpose and cultural pride; for youth, it strengthened cultural identity and provided a sense of ancestral continuity. This resonates with Duran’s ( 2006 ) framework of “healing the soul wound,” which recognizes that therapeutic experiences for Indigenous peoples must involve not just the individual but a connection across seven generations—both past and future. Participants expressed a strong desire to “learn the old ways” and voiced that these intergenerational gatherings are not only restorative but necessary for community survival. In this way, the intervention aligned with Vizenor’s (1999) concept of survivance—a dynamic expression of Indigenous presence, resilience, and cultural vitality that refuses victimization. From a clinical social work perspective, the findings suggest that healing and wellness cannot be separated from cultural context. Interventions that integrate Indigenous cultural generativity —the active passing on of traditional knowledge across generations—not only support emotional wellness but offer a critical corrective to historically extractive and deficit-based models of care (Lewis, 2023 ). Our approach reflects a decolonial, strengths-based orientation that is increasingly recognized in Indigenous social work literature (Hearn et al., 2022 ; Walls et al., 2022 ), where identity, land, language, and community are core to the healing process. In addition to cultural crafting, participants expressed interest in future adaptations that include traditional food preparation and more time for advanced craftwork, such as finger weaving. These suggestions are consistent with findings from Demientieff et al. ( 2023 ), who found that engagement with traditional foodways in Alaska fostered reconnection with the self and community. Ensuring ample time, space, and flexibility for such culturally rich activities is essential not only for participant satisfaction but for honoring the rhythm and depth required for meaningful cultural transmission. Another key takeaway was the sustainability of the intervention. Many community members saw this work not as a one-time event but as a long-term responsibility—essential to keeping traditions alive and strengthening the collective spirit. By involving tribal members as facilitators and research team members, we were able to increase the cultural safety, relevance, and acceptability of the program. This aligns with recommendations from Indigenous research methodologies that emphasize community control and ownership of both process and outcomes (Kjerland et al., 2024 ). Methodologically, our use of RQA proved effective for generating actionable insights while maintaining methodological rigor within a tribal context. As Taylor et al. ( 2018 ) note, RQA yields comparable findings to traditional qualitative methods and may be especially useful in tribal communities where time, cost, and capacity often limit research implementation. Notably, the richness of participant feedback also indicates the importance of integrating more input from younger generations in future iterations to enhance engagement and ensure the intervention remains responsive to the evolving needs of the community. In sum, this study illustrates that mindfulness practices, when grounded in cultural teachings and intergenerational relationships, can promote psychological openness and a renewed sense of community. As Indigenous communities continue to navigate the legacies of colonization and cultural disruption, programs like IndigenousMIND can serve as powerful vehicles for healing, cultural revitalization, and generational resilience. Implications for Clinical Social Work Practice Looking beyond Western models of clinical social work practice are desperately needed for addressing the holistic health and healing of tribal communities. This will require moving beyond individual-level interventions, and imagining robust community-based interventions that may promote the collective healing of tribal communities. Direct involvement of Indigenous Elders as researchers and practitioners is one such strategy to advance decolonial social work practices (Braun et al., 2014 ). Acknowledging the role of the social work profession in perpetuating settler colonialism and propagating historical trauma is also desperately needed to decolonize and indigenize social work research and practice (Blackdeer, 2023). Future clinical social work approaches should continue to leverage the power of intergenerational engagement for promoting openness and community connectedness. Positionality The author team consisted of 8 team members, the majority of whom were tribal members themselves. JP (Mohawk Nation), DD (Narragansett), SH (Narragansett), CB (Chickasaw), MO (Chamorro), KO (Yup’ik), and JW (Lakota) assisted directly with piloting the intervention in the community. The primary analysts, CB and MO, met through their involvement with the Proulx Lab for Multicultural and Indigenous Mindfulness, led by JP at the Mindfulness Center at Brown University School of Public Health. Tribal community facilitators SH and DD played a central role in shaping the intervention through their lived experience and cultural knowledge. JW, KO (Yup'ik), and SS (Chinese-American) contributed as critical reviewers, strengthening the cultural and methodological integrity of the manuscript. All team members played a role in refining themes and finalizing for this written report. As a team, we acknowledge the enduring impacts of colonialism, particularly on Indigenous knowledge systems, and we remain committed to honoring Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and expression throughout this work. Declarations Funding Research reported in this presentation was supported by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. Author Contribution The author team consisted of 8 team members, the majority of whom were tribal members themselves. JP (Mohawk Nation), DD (Narragansett), SH (Narragansett), CB (Chickasaw), MO (Chamorro), KO (Yup’ik), and JW (Lakota) assisted directly with piloting the intervention in the community. The primary analysts, CB and MO, met through their involvement with the Proulx Lab for Multicultural and Indigenous Mindfulness, led by JP at the Mindfulness Center at Brown University School of Public Health. Tribal community facilitators SH and DD played a central role in shaping the intervention through their lived experience and cultural knowledge. JW, KO (Yup'ik), and SS (Chinese-American) contributed as critical reviewers, strengthening the cultural and methodological integrity of the manuscript. All team members played a role in refining themes and finalizing for this written report. As a team, we acknowledge the enduring impacts of colonialism, particularly on Indigenous knowledge systems, and we remain committed to honoring Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and expression throughout this work. Data Availability Data is provided within the manuscript or supplementary information files References Asher BlackDeer, A., (2023). Decolonial Social Work from an Indigenous Perspective. In Majumdar, K., Baikady, R., D'Souza, A.A. (Eds) Indigenization Discourse in Social Work . Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-37712-9_2 Assembly of First Nations, 2008. 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Hearn, F., Biggs, L., Brown, S., Tran, L., Shwe, S., Noe, T. M. P., Toke, S., Alqas Alias, M., Essa, M., Hydari, S., Szwarc, J., & Riggs, E. (2022). Having a Say in Research Directions: The Role of Community Researchers in Participatory Research with Communities of Refugee and Migrant Background. International journal of environmental research and public health , 19 (8), 4844. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19084844 Indigenous people living off reserve. BMC public health , 22(1), 512. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-12887-6 Iseke, Judy. (2013). Indigenous Storytelling as Research. International Review of Qualitative Research. 6. 559-577. 10.1525/irqr.2013.6.4.559. Iseke, J., & Brennus, B. (2011). Learning life lessons from Indigenous storytelling withTom McCallum. In G. J. S. Dei (Ed.), Indigenous philosophies and critical education, (245–261). Peter Lang U.S. Department of the Interior. (n.d.). Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990. Indian Arts and Crafts Board. https://www.doi.gov/iacb/act Johnson-Jennings, M., Billiot, S., & Walters, K. (2020). Returning to Our Roots: Tribal Health and Wellness through Land-Based Healing. Genealogy, 4 (3), 91. https://doi.org/10.3390/genealogy4030091 Kaimal, G., & Arslanbek, A. (2020). Indigenous and Traditional Visual Artistic Practices: Implications for Art Therapy Clinical Practice and Research. Frontiers in psychology , 11, 1320. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01320 Kjerland, TM., Schroeder, S., Tofaeono, V., Walls, M., & Gone JP. (2024). Increased community engagement of Indigenous Peoples in dementia research leads to higher context relevance of results. Dementia . 23(4) 643-668. doi:10.1177/14713012241233651 Kowalski, C. P., Nevedal, A. L., Finley, E. P., Young, J. P., Lewinski, A. A., Midboe, A. M., & Hamilton, A. B. (2024). Planning for and Assessing Rigor in Rapid Qualitative Analysis (PARRQA): a consensus-based framework for designing, conducting, and reporting. Implementation science , 19 (1), 71. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13012-024-01397-1 Lewis J. (2023). Indigenous Cultural Generative Acts to Reduce Generative Mismatch and Improve Health of all Generations. Innovation in Aging , 7(1), 157. https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igad104.0515 Lewis, J. P., & Allen, J. (2017). Alaska Native Elders in Recovery: Linkages between Indigenous Cultural Generativity and Sobriety to Promote Successful Aging. Journal of cross-cultural gerontology, 32(2), 209–222. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10823-017-9314-8 Le, T., & Gobert, J. (2013). Translating and Implementing a Mindfulness-based Youth Suicide Prevention Intervention in a Indigenous American Community. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 24 (1), 12-23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-013-9809-z Li, W.W., McIntyre, R., Reid, C., & Chao, M. (2024( A Systematic Review on the State of the Art of Culturally Adapted Mindfulness-Based Interventions for First Nations Peoples: Cultural Adaptation, Effectiveness, and Feasibility. Mindfulness ,15, 2147–2172. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-024-02440-4 Nak’Azdli Whut’en . Nak’azdli Whut’en. (n.d.). https://www.nakazdliwhuten.ca/ Proulx, J., & Bergen-Cico, D. (2022). Exploring the adaptation of mindfulness interventions to address stress and health in Native American communities. In Fleming, Womack, & Proulx (Eds.). (2022) Beyond White Mindfulness (110-124). Routledge. Proulx, J., Cooley, C., Wagle, S., O’Brien, K., Bergen-Cico, D., Croff , R., Ukpik, A., Turner, C., Yellowowl, M., Warren, M., Cramblit, A., Cousin, J., Feil, K., Koerbel, L., Jones, E., McCage, S., Brooks, J. L., Bryer, C., Yellow Bird, M., Loucks, E,. Oken, B. (In press). The Evolution of an Indigenous Mindfulness Program: Qualitative Findings from the IndigenousMIND Study. Mindfulness . Ryan, G., & Goulding, M. (2024, September). Introduction to Rapid Qualitative Analysis . PRC at UMass Chan Rapid Qualitative Analysis Training . Ryan, G. W., Goulding, M., Borg, A., Minkah, P., Hermann, S., Fisher, L., Rosal, M. C., & Lemon, S. C. (2022). Clinician perspectives on pediatric COVID-19 vaccination: A qualitative study in central and western, Massachusetts. Preventive medicine reports , 29, 101966. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.101966 St George, S. M., Harkness, A. R., Rodriguez-Diaz, C. E., Weinstein, E. R., Pavia, V., & Hamilton, A. B. (2023). Applying Rapid Qualitative Analysis for Health Equity: Lessons Learned Using "EARS" With Latino Communities. International journal of qualitative methods . 22 . https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069231164938 Sydora, B. C., Listener, L., Kung, J. Y., Ross, S., & Voyageur, C. (2023). Traditional crafting as a catalyst for Indigenous women’s intergenerational cohesion and wellness: a Canadian perspective. International Journal of Circumpolar Health, 82(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2023.2175763 Taylor, B., Henshall, C., Kenyon, S., Litchfield, I., & Greenfield, S. (2018). Can rapid approaches to qualitative analysis deliver timely, valid findings to clinical leaders? A mixed methods study comparing rapid and thematic analysis. BMJ open , 8 (10), e019993. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2017-019993 Viscogliosi, C., Asselin, H., Trottier, L., D'Amours, M., & Levasseur, M. (2022). Association between intergenerational solidarity involving elders and mental health of Indigenous people living off reserve. BMC public health , 22(1), 512. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-12887-6 Vindrola-Padros, C., Chisnall, G., Cooper, S., Dowrick, A., Djellouli, N., Symmons, SM., Martin, S., Singleton, G., Vanderslott, S., Vera, N., & Johnson, GA. (2020). Carrying Out Rapid Qualitative Research During a Pandemic: Emerging Lessons From COVID-19. Qual Health Res. (14), 2192-2204. doi: 10.1177/1049732320951526. Vindrola-Padros, C., & Johnson, GA. (2020). Rapid Techniques in Qualitative Research: A Critical Review of the Literature. Qualitative Health Research , 30(10):1596-1604. doi:10.1177/1049732320921835 Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society: Development of Higher Psychological Processes (M. Cole, V. Jolm-Steiner, S. Scribner, & E. Souberman, Eds.). Harvard University Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvjf9vz4 Walls, M., Chambers, R., Begay, M., Masten, K., Aulandez, K., Richards, J., Gonzalez, M., Forsberg, A., Nelson, L., Larzelere, F., McDougall, C., Lhotka, M., Grass, R., Kellar, S., Reid, R., & Barlow, A. (2022). Centering the Strengths of American Indian Culture, Families and Communities to Overcome Type 2 Diabetes. Frontiers in public health , 9 , 788285. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.788285 Walters, K. L., Johnson-Jennings, M., Stroud, S., Rasmus, S., Charles, B., John, S., Allen, J., Kaholokula, J. K., Look, M. A., de Silva, M., Lowe, J., Baldwin, J. A., Lawrence, G., Brooks, J., Noonan, C. W., Belcourt, A., Quintana, E., Semmens, E. O., & Boulafentis, J. (2020). Growing from Our Roots: Strategies for Developing Culturally Grounded Health Promotion Interventions in American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian Communities. Prevention science: the official journal of the Society for Prevention Research, 21 (1), 54–64. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-018-0952-z Wehipeihana, Nan. (2019). Increasing Cultural Competence in Support of Indigenous-Led Evaluation: A Necessary Step toward Indigenous-Led Evaluation. Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation. 34. 10.3138/cjpe.68444. Yellow Bird, M. (2013). Neurodecolonization: Applying Mindfulness Research to Decolonizing Social Work. In Gray, M., Coates, J., Yellow Bird, M., and Hetherington, T. (Eds.). Decolonizing Social Work . Ashgate Publishing. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7024394","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":504340585,"identity":"ed1b2db8-d311-4104-af80-105244f0b24f","order_by":0,"name":"Chase Bryer","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA5klEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDACCTB5AEQwPkYVJEILszHJWtikidLCP7v58YcPDHfyDY73Pqsu3GOTuJ2B+eBtHnyW3DlmJjmD4ZnlhjPHzW7PeJaWuLOBLdkanxYDiQQzZh6GwwYGN9LYbvMcOJy74QCPmTR+LemfP/8Babn/jK0YooX/GwEtOQZAX4NsYWNjhtrChleLxI2cMskehmcGkmfSmKVnHEir33CYzdhyDh4t/DPSN3/4wXDHgO/4McbPBQdsjA2ONz+88QaPFjBg/MfAoHAAxmMmpBwG5BuIVTkKRsEoGAUjDgAAuJtPDStBML0AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"Brown University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Chase","middleName":"","lastName":"Bryer","suffix":""},{"id":504340586,"identity":"03ec57e7-4a4d-45a5-b8a7-d7c7c53cde13","order_by":1,"name":"Marinna Okawa","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Brown University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Marinna","middleName":"","lastName":"Okawa","suffix":""},{"id":504340587,"identity":"61de678e-6b93-4c16-b767-251cf5d74a56","order_by":2,"name":"Sherente Harris","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Brown University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Sherente","middleName":"","lastName":"Harris","suffix":""},{"id":504340589,"identity":"79e7e470-b627-4cef-8dfa-30b1a3c80cc3","order_by":3,"name":"Jennifer Weston","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Rhode Island Department of Health","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Jennifer","middleName":"","lastName":"Weston","suffix":""},{"id":504340591,"identity":"e1e71526-490b-46b8-9fa0-95f7aaf549f1","order_by":4,"name":"Dawn Dove","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Tribal Elder","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Dawn","middleName":"","lastName":"Dove","suffix":""},{"id":504340593,"identity":"88627301-9923-4ac1-ad50-82fe8895d5df","order_by":5,"name":"Kelly O'Brien","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Brown University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Kelly","middleName":"","lastName":"O'Brien","suffix":""},{"id":504340595,"identity":"f9a5d442-413e-465f-864c-8f5f75dfaa2a","order_by":6,"name":"Shufang Sun","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Brown University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Shufang","middleName":"","lastName":"Sun","suffix":""},{"id":504340597,"identity":"b489ccc5-6d91-4c12-8bda-ab8da3efc840","order_by":7,"name":"Jeffrey Proulx","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Brown University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Jeffrey","middleName":"","lastName":"Proulx","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-07-02 02:38:06","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7024394/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7024394/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":90311264,"identity":"b597b8d7-ecd9-4350-88ac-f04f0e4640a2","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-01 09:49:10","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":670263,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCorn Husk Doll Final Deliverable\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7024394/v1/0e49952d6aa0b9cb0f18c834.png"},{"id":90312522,"identity":"91d768a4-27b3-4148-9182-3e9608c517a8","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-01 09:57:10","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1662972,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7024394/v1/d30a9fe7-8d3a-406a-8be4-1d5fd749a15f.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"A Group-Focused Mindfulness Intervention to Examine Psychological Openness Leveraging Indigenous Cultural Strengths and Craft Making in a Northeast Tribal Community: Results from the IndigenousMIND Project","fulltext":[{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGroup Clinical Practice and Indigenous Healing Frameworks\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGroup therapy has long served as a core modality within clinical social work, offering individuals a space for shared learning, collective processing, and mutual support. For Indigenous communities, whose worldviews often prioritize relationality, interconnectedness, and communal identity over individualism, group-based approaches are particularly resonant. However, traditional group therapy models rooted in Western clinical paradigms may fall short if they do not align with Indigenous cultural frameworks or values of holistic healing (Gone, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e). There is growing recognition within the social work field that clinical group settings must be adapted not only to be culturally sensitive, but to be culturally \u003cem\u003eanchored\u003c/em\u003e\u0026mdash;grounded in the specific ceremonial, relational, and spiritual practices of the communities served. This article introduces a mindfulness-based group model that centers Indigenous traditions of craft-making as both therapeutic and culturally restorative. These activities, deeply embedded in Indigenous knowledge systems, foster attunement to the present moment, emotional regulation, and relational presence\u0026mdash;elements aligned with both clinical mindfulness and traditional Indigenous healing (Kaimal \u0026amp; Arslanbek, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e; Yellow Bird, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e). The model also creates conditions for intergenerational exchange, enhancing social cohesion and revitalizing cultural continuity. In doing so, it offers a powerful alternative to conventional group therapy by making community, culture, and mindfulness the central agents of change.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShifting to Strength-Based Social Work in Indigenous Contexts\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOver the past two decades, social work practice has been steadily shifting away from deficit-based models\u0026mdash;those that pathologize communities by focusing solely on trauma, dysfunction, and lack\u0026mdash;toward strength-based models that emphasize resilience, relationality, and cultural sovereignty (Wehipeihana, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e; Walters et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). This evolution is especially critical in Indigenous contexts, where colonial legacies have long shaped how systems perceive and engage Native peoples. Strength-based social work not only affirms Indigenous identities but positions cultural knowledge, language, and traditions as central to health and healing. This shift is evident in initiatives such as Canada\u0026rsquo;s \u003cem\u003eJordan\u0026rsquo;s Principle\u003c/em\u003e, which ensures equitable access to health and social services for First Nations children by addressing systemic barriers with culturally anchored supports (Assembly of First Nations, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2008\u003c/span\u003e). Similarly, evidence-based interventions like \u003cem\u003eFamily Spirit\u003c/em\u003e\u0026mdash;developed in collaboration with the Navajo, White Mountain Apache, and other tribal nations\u0026mdash;demonstrate that culturally grounded parenting and health curricula can lead to significant improvements in maternal and child health outcomes (Barlow et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e). Within the field of mindfulness, similar developments have emerged. A growing body of research demonstrates that when MBIs are culturally adapted in collaboration with Indigenous communities, they show increased participant retention, deeper engagement, and improved psychological outcomes such as reduced depression and anxiety and enhanced cultural connectedness (Li et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). These outcomes underscore the importance of not simply incorporating cultural \u0026quot;elements\u0026quot; but grounding entire frameworks in Indigenous epistemologies and worldviews.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNeurodecolonization and the Role of Cultural Mindfulness\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNeurodecolonization offers a promising framework for reconceptualizing trauma, healing, and mental health from an Indigenous standpoint. Yellow Bird (\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e) argues that colonization did not just disrupt Indigenous governance and lifeways\u0026mdash;it also altered neural pathways by introducing chronic stress, cultural alienation, and systemic violence. As a countermeasure, neurodecolonization calls for healing the brain through practices that reawaken cultural memory, communal identity, and embodied presence. These practices\u0026mdash;such as language revitalization, prayer, ceremony, song, and land-based learning\u0026mdash;serve to rebuild neural pathways once suppressed by colonizing forces. In clinical contexts, this means shifting from interventions that ask clients to \u0026ldquo;fit into\u0026rdquo; Western models toward those that immerse clients in culturally meaningful experiences that stimulate mindfulness, joy, and connection. This aligns with Indigenous understandings of wellness as balance across mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual domains (Gone, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e; Johnson-Jennings et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). Rather than teaching mindfulness as a standalone technique, cultural mindfulness allows clients to experience it organically\u0026mdash;through traditional practices that demand attentional presence and spiritual engagement. These approaches are especially promising for Indigenous clients who may not relate to decontextualized mindfulness curricula but resonate deeply with practices like beadwork, drumming, or storytelling that promote embodied presence while connecting them to their ancestors and communities.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCraft-Making as a Mindful, Culturally Embedded Practice\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCraft-making has long served as both a ceremonial and practical tradition across Indigenous communities. It is a method of transferring cultural knowledge, maintaining kinship systems, and fostering connection to land, materials, and spirit. Moreover, the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 (U.S. Department of the Interior) is a federal truth-in-advertising law designed to combat the long history of non-Natives profiting from and exploiting Native artistry by prohibiting the false marketing of art and craftwork as Native-made unless created by a tribal member or certified Indian artisan. Violations can result in severe civil or criminal penalties, and consumers are encouraged to verify authenticity before purchasing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRecent research affirms that craft-making is also a powerful therapeutic practice\u0026mdash;one that aligns closely with the goals of mindfulness and clinical intervention. Sydora et al. (\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e) found that Indigenous craft traditions such as beadwork, weaving, and sewing fostered emotional regulation, self-expression, and cultural identity among Indigenous women, making them ideal for mental health promotion. These activities are inherently mindful: they require slow, intentional movement; focus on the task at hand; and attunement to one\u0026apos;s body and breath. Kaimal and Arslanbek (\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e) similarly argue that traditional arts like beading or finger weaving are \u0026quot;practices of embodied ancestral knowledge,\u0026quot; offering a tactile way to connect with heritage and practice mindfulness without needing to adopt non-Indigenous language or frameworks. In clinical social work settings, incorporating craft-making into group models supports not only therapeutic goals such as affect regulation and distress tolerance, but also cultural reconnection and affirmation\u0026mdash;elements often missing from conventional interventions. Craft-making becomes both the method and the medicine.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIntergenerational Transmission and Clinical Implications\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe transmission of cultural knowledge across generations is more than a pedagogical practice in Indigenous communities\u0026mdash;it is a vital strategy for healing, continuity, and survival. This process, often described as \u003cem\u003eIndigenous cultural generativity\u003c/em\u003e (Lewis, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e), reflects Elders\u0026apos; desire to pass down wisdom, language, and traditions to younger generations. Research confirms the health benefits of this practice: among Alaska Native Elders, cultural generativity is associated with sobriety maintenance and healthy aging (Lewis, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). From the perspective of younger participants, engagement with Elders through cultural activity enhances identity development, resilience, and psychological well-being. The 2012 Aboriginal Peoples Survey (Viscogliosi et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e) supports this, showing that youth who spend time with Elders experience lower rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidality. These intergenerational exchanges are also consistent with Vygotsky\u0026rsquo;s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), which emphasizes learning that occurs through guided participation from a more experienced \u0026ldquo;other\u0026rdquo; (Vygotsky, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1978\u003c/span\u003e). In many Indigenous contexts, this \u0026ldquo;other\u0026rdquo; is an Elder, whose role extends beyond teaching into co-creating identity and relational understanding through cultural transmission. Programs like Nak\u0026rsquo;Azdli Whut\u0026rsquo;en\u0026rsquo;s digital storytelling initiative exemplify how these relationships can be structured into interventions that support both knowledge preservation and emotional development. In clinical group settings, pairing Elders and youth in structured, mindful craft-making sessions provides a culturally congruent and relationally rich modality for healing and learning.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIndigenousMIND: A Clinical Model Rooted in Culture and Mindfulness\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe IndigenousMIND program (Proulx et al., In Press) represents an Indigenous-led response to the need for culturally grounded group interventions in clinical settings. Unlike conventional MBIs that are adapted for Indigenous communities, IndigenousMIND begins with Indigenous values, traditions, and healing practices as the foundation in providing a template for direct engagement with tribal communities to develop their own mindfulness interventions that are culturally tailored to their respectives tribal settings. Developed in partnership with multiple tribal communities, the program positions cultural practices\u0026mdash;not just as content\u0026mdash;but as the core \u003cem\u003emechanism\u003c/em\u003e of healing. Participants are encouraged to notice sensations, emotions, and thoughts as they arise during the activity, gently bringing attention back when it wanders. The sessions end with a reflection circle, where participants share what they noticed\u0026mdash;offering opportunities for insight, connection, and communal affirmation. This approach embodies both relational and cognitive-behavioral goals of clinical social work while honoring the sovereignty and self-determination of tribal communities. By embedding clinical goals within cultural frameworks, IndigenousMIND offers a model for how social work can evolve to include\u0026mdash;and be led by\u0026mdash;Indigenous knowledge systems\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCurrent Study\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIndigenousMIND-crafts\u003c/em\u003e emerged through close collaboration with a Northeastern tribal community and was designed as a mindfulness-based, group intervention rooted in Indigenous values. This study explored how the program\u0026mdash;featuring intergenerational craft-making activities such as moccasin making, corn husk dolls, and finger weaving\u0026mdash;fostered psychological openness in Elders. Sessions were scaffolded to reflect Indigenous ways of being: beginning with a prayer or blessing, followed by brief guided mindfulness practice, and transitioning into craft-making with present-moment awareness.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRather than imposing a top-down approach, the research team co-developed the program with community members, prioritizing activities that were most likely to elicit an open psychological state\u0026mdash;defined in Brewer\u0026rsquo;s (\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e) model as emotional flexibility, curiosity, and willingness to engage. The long-term goal is to identify culturally grounded practices that may later be studied through neuroimaging (e.g., fMRI) to observe related neural activity. Community discussions highlighted the joy Elders felt when younger generations engaged in cultural practices\u0026mdash;such as singing ceremonial songs or reciting poems\u0026mdash;during the sessions. One participant shared that a recent craft-making circle felt deeply restorative and brought people together in meaningful ways. Drawing on Vygotsky\u0026rsquo;s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), the team conceptualized the pairing of Elders and youth in collaborative craft-making as a pathway for cultural exchange and mutual learning. Guided by IndigenousMIND principles, mindfulness was seamlessly embedded within the sessions, supporting both cultural transmission and emotional well-being.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy integrating mindfulness into culturally relevant, group-based activities, \u003cem\u003eIndigenousMIND-crafts\u003c/em\u003e offers a promising clinical social work approach. It promotes immediate psychological benefit while fostering long-term transformation through cultural continuity, intergenerational solidarity, and mindful presence.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"METHODS","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eParticipants\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eParticipants in this study included members of a Northeast tribal community, specifically Elders and youth paired in a series of intergenerational mindfulness workshops that featured cultural craft activities. Elders were defined by the community and included individuals aged 55 and older. Youth participants were defined as individuals at least one generation younger than their paired Elder. While these workshops were open to the entire community, formal study participants consisted of 10–12 Elders and 10–12 youth, who were included in structured interviews and focus groups bookending the workshops. Given this participant pool, both adult consent and child assent forms were incorporated into the study protocol. A total of 24 tribal members were consented into the study.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eProcedures\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRecruitment occurred through community-based strategies, including word-of-mouth and announcements at local tribal events. Potential participants were identified by community members and referred to the research team only with their consent. A formal invitation was sent via email on a rolling basis until the study team determined sufficient enrollment or reached data saturation.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e The informed consent process took place virtually via Zoom before participants engaged in research activities. During this session, participants were provided with detailed study information, including objectives, procedures, potential risks and benefits, confidentiality measures, and their rights as research participants. Adult participants provided electronic consent through Brown University’s Qualtrics system. For minors, a separate assent process was conducted using age-appropriate language, and parental or guardian consent was obtained as required by institutional review board guidelines. Researchers prioritized participant comprehension, ensuring all questions were addressed before proceeding. This study was approved by Brown University IRB (STUDY00000386).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eIndigenousMIND-crafts\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe intervention was conducted over a series of weekend workshops focused on intergenerational cultural craft activities and discussions related to psychological openness and cultural identity. Each workshop incorporated culturally grounded activities designed to foster intergenerational connection and mindfulness, and each session was led by tribal leaders, educators and artists within the community who emphasized the role of tradition in shaping identity, well-being, and mindfulness within their respective cultural activity. The structured mindfulness exercises at the beginning of each session encouraged participants to engage in deep reflection while engaging in the hands-on cultural crafts practices. Through these culturally adapted approaches, the study promoted the use of traditional knowledge and intergenerational connections through pairing tribal Elders with younger generations to promote spirituality, healing, and psychological openness within the community.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe schedule was as follows:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eWeekend 1: Online consent was obtained, followed by individual interviews assessing psychological openness and cultural perspectives. Participants from the same household could join together.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003e Weekend 2: A group leader provided an introduction to the significance of culture, tradition, mindfulness, and open/closed mindsets. This was followed by a guided mindfulness meditation session and a cultural craft activity (cornhusk dolls).\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eWeekends 3–4: Similar to Weekend 2, but featuring different craft activities–moccasin-making and finger weaving.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eFinal Weekend: Participants reconvened for an in-person focus group discussion over a meal catered by a local Indigenous restaurant. Participants reflected on their experiences throughout the workshops. Predetermined focus group questions guided the discussion.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eFollowing each intervention session, participants were invited to provide written reflections on their experiences. The prompts asked participants to reflect on their activities for the day, asking questions such as:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWere you aware of the Feeling OPEN while the event was happening?\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHow did your body feel, in detail, during this experience?\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhat moods, feelings, and thoughts accompanied this event?\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhat was it like working with older/younger person?\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhat thoughts are in your mind now as you write about this event?\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e These written responses were collected anonymously to promote openness and were reviewed by the research team shortly after each session.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eData Analysis\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe employed rapid qualitative analysis (RQA) (Hamilton, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e) to assess tribal members’ experiences with the cultural mindfulness intervention workshops. This approach was chosen to quickly generate insights that could more efficiently respond to program impact and future intervention adaptations within the community while maintaining a systematic and rigorous analytic process (Kowalski et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e; Ryan et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Vindrola-Padros \u0026amp; Johnson, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). RQA has also promoted health equity for their accessibility to involving community members, and for responding to community needs quickly and actionably (St. George et al., 2023; Vindrola-Padros et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor our RQA, we utilized Ryan and Goulding’s (2024) step-by-step RQA protocol guide, adapted from Hamilton (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e). As outlined in the RQA guide, two primary analysts (CB, MO) created neutral topical names for each interview question, mapping interview guide questions to a particular “domain”. Subdomains were also included for questions where appropriate. We next used these domain names to develop a summary template for analysis. The primary analysts (CB, MO) each completed the initial summary templates independently and then compared to establish consistency in breadth and depth of information to ensure consistency. Following, the primary analysts generated matrices, and transferred summaries into the matrices to systematically summarize and analyze written responses in a concise and efficient manner. These matrices assisted us in identifying emergent themes, patterns, and insights within the data, enabling the research team to draw meaningful conclusions relying upon inductive coding. At this final stage of rapid qualitative data synthesis, tribal community members were also engaged to provide their input on emergent themes and patterns they noticed within the data. This iterative process supported ongoing dialogue with tribal community partners to ensure findings were interpreted within appropriate cultural and relational contexts.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFindings\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTheme 1: Cultural Craft-Making as a Catalyst for Openness and Identity Affirmation\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAcross post-intervention entries, all participants reported experiencing a sense of psychological openness during the cultural wellness intervention. Participant narratives revealed that cultural craft-making activities fostered emotional receptivity, social connection, and a sense of belonging. For some, openness emerged in the face of initial discomfort. One participant reflected on the anxiety of arriving late to a group session:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“I felt a little anxious initially because I was late arriving but didn't want to miss out on the opportunity to learn \u0026amp; connect with others. But as soon as I arrived, folks engaged me, showed me what to do, and had a willingness and openness to guide me.”\u003c/em\u003e (Tribal member, Age 49)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis experience of being welcomed by others catalyzed a personal shift from tension to openness:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“Initially, I was anxious and uptight because of my tardiness but then excited to engage and learn. I felt welcomed by elders and everyone in the community. We were made to feel relaxed and welcomed.”\u003c/em\u003e (Tribal member, Age 49)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTensions for others were dissipated by being with others in making crafts and learning from their own mistakes in this experience.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“It was very interactive. [I] had a lot of laughs as I learned from my mistakes.”\u003c/em\u003e (Tribal member, Age 61).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eElders also expressed a strong sense of openness during the intergenerational exchange. One Elder described feeling physically relaxed and emotionally engaged while teaching a younger partner, emphasizing the mutual learning that occurred across generations:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“[I felt] openness–very open to teaching class and helping my youth… My body was relaxed most of the time. I love that we all got to learn finger weaving as old and young, even if different styles.”\u003c/em\u003e (Tribal member, Age 80)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor many, the act of engaging in cultural crafts was not only a moment of openness, but also a meaningful opportunity for identity exploration and affirmation. One participant, who had recently reconnected with their tribal heritage, described the workshops as instrumental in supporting a developing sense of self and community:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“I feel very encouraged and a greater sense of cultural connectivity to my tribe – especially since I’ve been newly introduced to them over the last 5 years as an official member. These workshops provide me a sense of identity and encourage me to continue building connections for myself and my son.”\u003c/em\u003e (Tribal member, Age 49)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTaken together, these narratives underscore the role of cultural craft-making as both a psychological and cultural catalyst—facilitating openness, belonging, and identity affirmation across generations.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTheme 2: Intergenerational Engagement Enhanced Emotional Well-being and Community Connectedness\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIntergenerational engagement emerged as a central mechanism through which participants experienced a strengthened sense of community connectedness and cultural affirmation. Collaborative craft-making created opportunities for reciprocal learning, support, and emotional well-being across age groups. For Elders, guiding younger participants provided a renewed sense of purpose and joy. One Elder reflected positively on the experience of working with a younger partner:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"I was in a great mood, thinking about the details of the class and looking forward to completing it. Totally enjoyed working with my younger partner as we were able to help each other.\"\u003c/em\u003e (Tribal member, Age 77)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnother Elder noted that the presence and support of younger participants helped ease the challenge of learning something unfamiliar:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“It felt out of my realm [but] working with younger person was helpful to relieve my stress.”\u003c/em\u003e (Tribal member, Age 75)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThese intergenerational exchanges were not only beneficial for Elders. Younger participants also reflected on the significance of their relationships with older community members. A youth participant succinctly expressed the meaningful learning that took place:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"I learned a lot from my elder partner and more about them.\"\u003c/em\u003e (Tribal member, Age 13)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMiddle-aged participants similarly described the reciprocal nature of intergenerational learning and the satisfaction they experienced in contributing to a shared cultural activity. One individual reflected:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“It was a positive and fun experience. I was glad to be helpful, [and] enjoyed helping both younger \u0026amp; older [generations].”\u003c/em\u003e (Tribal member, Age 59)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnother participant emphasized the evolving nature of connection over the course of the intervention, describing how support from an Elder encouraged persistence during a challenging activity:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“I felt connected to the elders and younger participants especially since the last meeting where relationships were initiated. I felt encouraged by my elder especially when I was slightly frustrated with successfully completing the process of developing the doll.”\u003c/em\u003e (Tribal member, Age 49)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFeelings of pride, calm, and respect were also associated with working alongside Elders. One participant reflected:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"It gave me a feeling of pride and honor working with our elders.”\u003c/em\u003e (Tribal member, Age 57)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCollectively, these reflections highlight the power of intergenerational relationships to foster emotional well-being and reinforce cultural ties. The mutual guidance and learning that took place across age groups served as a vital source of community cohesion, affirming the role of intergenerationality in sustaining tribal wellness and identity.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTheme 3: Cultural transmission was viewed as a vital responsibility linked to survival and ancestral ties\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eParticipants described cultural transmission not merely as a meaningful activity, but as a vital survival strategy—an urgent and ongoing responsibility to maintain intergenerational continuity and safeguard ancestral knowledge. The cultural wellness intervention prompted widespread reflection on the importance of preserving traditions, with many participants expressing concern about cultural loss and a desire for more structured opportunities to engage with cultural practices.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne participant emphasized the critical absence of cultural programming within the community and the need for intentional efforts to revitalize traditional practices:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“More cultural programs need to take place for our youth with Elders. This is a huge hole in the tribe. Losing our cultural practices. We need to come together and create a cultural program. Have a finger weaving project at home that sat for many years. How will I complete it?”\u003c/em\u003e (Tribal member, Age 56)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnother participant affirmed the importance of such intergenerational programming, articulating how the act of cultural transmission is linked to the very survival of tribal ways of life:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“I think these wellness classes are excellent. The next generation can learn from the elders and maintain our tradition. Keeping traditions alive means our survival.”\u003c/em\u003e (Tribal member, Age 57)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe same participant reflected further on the significance of these events as a conduit for staying connected to community and ancestral lineage:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“I'm hoping there are more events like this. How else can I keep this connection with my elders and the tribe going?”\u003c/em\u003e (Tribal member, Age 57)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis sentiment was echoed by others who highlighted the unifying role of cultural programming and the importance of continuing such initiatives:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“We need more of these programs, it brings people together.”\u003c/em\u003e (Tribal member, Age 60)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“I feel very connected and a greater sense of cultural connectivity to my tribe.”\u003c/em\u003e (Tribal member, Age 49).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTaken together, these reflections illustrate how cultural transmission is viewed not as a passive inheritance but as an intentional and active practice—rooted in survival, responsibility, and a deep desire to maintain connections with both past and future generations. The urgency expressed by participants underscores the role of cultural programming not only in promoting wellness, but also in safeguarding the spiritual, social, and cultural integrity of the tribal community.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe current study explored how an intergenerational, mindfulness-informed intervention (\u003cem\u003eIndigenousMIND-crafts\u003c/em\u003e) could promote psychological openness and cultural connectedness in a Northeastern tribal community. Through qualitative inquiry, we found that the intervention not only fostered openness but also served as a mechanism for identity affirmation and cultural continuity. Participants consistently described feelings of being \u0026ldquo;relaxed,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;joyful,\u0026rdquo; and experiencing \u0026ldquo;laughter,\u0026rdquo; indicating the program created conditions conducive to openness and emotional safety. These findings underscore the potential for culturally responsive MBIs to enhance health and well-being in Indigenous contexts by creating space for cultural transmission and intergenerational relationship-building.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eImportantly, this work contributes to an emerging literature that links Indigenous cultural identity with improved health outcomes (Massotti et al., 2023; Proulx et al., 2017, 2022), particularly when interventions are grounded in community values and worldviews. By pairing Elders and youth in the co-creation of traditional crafts\u0026mdash;such as moccasins, corn husk dolls, and handwoven textiles\u0026mdash;our study emphasized hands-on, embodied knowledge-sharing. Drawing on Vygotsky\u0026rsquo;s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), these culturally anchored activities served as scaffolds for psychological openness and healing. Participants described the process of learning and teaching cultural crafts as opportunities to \u0026ldquo;feel more connected,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;slow down,\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;remember who we are,\u0026rdquo; suggesting that mindfulness in this setting is not solely an individual cognitive process but also a relational and intergenerational one.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor Elders, participation reignited a sense of purpose and cultural pride; for youth, it strengthened cultural identity and provided a sense of ancestral continuity. This resonates with Duran\u0026rsquo;s (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2006\u003c/span\u003e) framework of \u0026ldquo;healing the soul wound,\u0026rdquo; which recognizes that therapeutic experiences for Indigenous peoples must involve not just the individual but a connection across seven generations\u0026mdash;both past and future. Participants expressed a strong desire to \u0026ldquo;learn the old ways\u0026rdquo; and voiced that these intergenerational gatherings are not only restorative but necessary for community survival. In this way, the intervention aligned with Vizenor\u0026rsquo;s (1999) concept of survivance\u0026mdash;a dynamic expression of Indigenous presence, resilience, and cultural vitality that refuses victimization.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrom a clinical social work perspective, the findings suggest that healing and wellness cannot be separated from cultural context. Interventions that integrate \u003cem\u003eIndigenous cultural generativity\u003c/em\u003e\u0026mdash;the active passing on of traditional knowledge across generations\u0026mdash;not only support emotional wellness but offer a critical corrective to historically extractive and deficit-based models of care (Lewis, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Our approach reflects a decolonial, strengths-based orientation that is increasingly recognized in Indigenous social work literature (Hearn et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Walls et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e), where identity, land, language, and community are core to the healing process.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn addition to cultural crafting, participants expressed interest in future adaptations that include traditional food preparation and more time for advanced craftwork, such as finger weaving. These suggestions are consistent with findings from Demientieff et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e), who found that engagement with traditional foodways in Alaska fostered reconnection with the self and community. Ensuring ample time, space, and flexibility for such culturally rich activities is essential not only for participant satisfaction but for honoring the rhythm and depth required for meaningful cultural transmission.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnother key takeaway was the sustainability of the intervention. Many community members saw this work not as a one-time event but as a long-term responsibility\u0026mdash;essential to keeping traditions alive and strengthening the collective spirit. By involving tribal members as facilitators and research team members, we were able to increase the cultural safety, relevance, and acceptability of the program. This aligns with recommendations from Indigenous research methodologies that emphasize community control and ownership of both process and outcomes (Kjerland et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMethodologically, our use of RQA proved effective for generating actionable insights while maintaining methodological rigor within a tribal context. As Taylor et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e) note, RQA yields comparable findings to traditional qualitative methods and may be especially useful in tribal communities where time, cost, and capacity often limit research implementation. Notably, the richness of participant feedback also indicates the importance of integrating more input from younger generations in future iterations to enhance engagement and ensure the intervention remains responsive to the evolving needs of the community.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn sum, this study illustrates that mindfulness practices, when grounded in cultural teachings and intergenerational relationships, can promote psychological openness and a renewed sense of community. As Indigenous communities continue to navigate the legacies of colonization and cultural disruption, programs like \u003cem\u003eIndigenousMIND\u003c/em\u003e can serve as powerful vehicles for healing, cultural revitalization, and generational resilience.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eImplications for Clinical Social Work Practice\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLooking beyond Western models of clinical social work practice are desperately needed for addressing the holistic health and healing of tribal communities. This will require moving beyond individual-level interventions, and imagining robust community-based interventions that may promote the collective healing of tribal communities. Direct involvement of Indigenous Elders as researchers and practitioners is one such strategy to advance decolonial social work practices (Braun et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e). Acknowledging the role of the social work profession in perpetuating settler colonialism and propagating historical trauma is also desperately needed to decolonize and indigenize social work research and practice (Blackdeer, 2023). Future clinical social work approaches should continue to leverage the power of intergenerational engagement for promoting openness and community connectedness.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePositionality\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe author team consisted of 8 team members, the majority of whom were tribal members themselves. JP (Mohawk Nation), DD (Narragansett), SH (Narragansett), CB (Chickasaw), MO (Chamorro), KO (Yup\u0026rsquo;ik), and JW (Lakota) assisted directly with piloting the intervention in the community. The primary analysts, CB and MO, met through their involvement with the Proulx Lab for Multicultural and Indigenous Mindfulness, led by JP at the Mindfulness Center at Brown University School of Public Health. Tribal community facilitators SH and DD played a central role in shaping the intervention through their lived experience and cultural knowledge. JW, KO (Yup'ik), and SS (Chinese-American) contributed as critical reviewers, strengthening the cultural and methodological integrity of the manuscript. All team members played a role in refining themes and finalizing for this written report. As a team, we acknowledge the enduring impacts of colonialism, particularly on Indigenous knowledge systems, and we remain committed to honoring Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and expression throughout this work.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003ch2\u003eFunding\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eResearch reported in this presentation was supported by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAuthor Contribution\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe author team consisted of 8 team members, the majority of whom were tribal members themselves. JP (Mohawk Nation), DD (Narragansett), SH (Narragansett), CB (Chickasaw), MO (Chamorro), KO (Yup\u0026rsquo;ik), and JW (Lakota) assisted directly with piloting the intervention in the community. The primary analysts, CB and MO, met through their involvement with the Proulx Lab for Multicultural and Indigenous Mindfulness, led by JP at the Mindfulness Center at Brown University School of Public Health. Tribal community facilitators SH and DD played a central role in shaping the intervention through their lived experience and cultural knowledge. JW, KO (Yup'ik), and SS (Chinese-American) contributed as critical reviewers, strengthening the cultural and methodological integrity of the manuscript. All team members played a role in refining themes and finalizing for this written report. As a team, we acknowledge the enduring impacts of colonialism, particularly on Indigenous knowledge systems, and we remain committed to honoring Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and expression throughout this work.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eData Availability\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eData is provided within the manuscript or supplementary information files\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAsher BlackDeer, A., (2023). Decolonial Social Work from an Indigenous Perspective. In Majumdar, K., Baikady, R., D\u0026apos;Souza, A.A. (Eds) \u003cem\u003eIndigenization Discourse in Social Work\u003c/em\u003e. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-37712-9_2\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAssembly of First Nations, 2008. 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O., \u0026amp; Boulafentis, J. (2020). Growing from Our Roots: Strategies for Developing Culturally Grounded Health Promotion Interventions in American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian Communities. \u003cem\u003ePrevention science: the official journal of the Society for Prevention Research, 21\u003c/em\u003e(1), 54\u0026ndash;64. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-018-0952-z\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWehipeihana, Nan. (2019). Increasing Cultural Competence in Support of Indigenous-Led Evaluation: A Necessary Step toward Indigenous-Led Evaluation. \u003cem\u003eCanadian Journal of Program Evaluation.\u003c/em\u003e 34. 10.3138/cjpe.68444. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYellow Bird, M. (2013). Neurodecolonization: Applying Mindfulness Research to Decolonizing Social Work. In Gray, M., Coates, J., Yellow Bird, M., and Hetherington, T. (Eds.). \u003cem\u003eDecolonizing Social Work\u003c/em\u003e. Ashgate Publishing.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"clinical-social-work-journal","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"csow","sideBox":"Learn more about [Clinical Social Work Journal](http://link.springer.com/journal/10615)","snPcode":"10615","submissionUrl":"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/10615/3","title":"Clinical Social Work Journal","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7024394/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7024394/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"IndigenousMIND-crafts is a culturally grounded, intergenerational mindfulness intervention designed for group clinical social work settings in Native American communities. Piloted with a Northeastern tribal nation, the program paired Elders and youth in weekend workshops that integrated mindfulness practices with traditional crafts such as corn husk dolls and finger weaving. Rooted in the IndigenousMIND framework, IndigenousMIND-crafts emphasized psychological openness, cultural identity, and intergenerational healing. Twenty-four tribal citizens were recruited through community networks and consented via a culturally attuned virtual process. Using Rapid Qualitative Analysis, we identified three key themes: (1) cultural crafts fostered openness and affirmed identity; (2) intergenerational engagement enhanced emotional well-being and community connection; and (3) cultural transmission was viewed as a vital responsibility linked to survival and ancestral ties. Participants described both immediate emotional benefits and a desire for sustained, culturally rooted programming. Findings highlight the potential for IndigenousMIND-crafts to be adapted across tribal contexts, demonstrating how traditional knowledge and mindfulness can be woven together to support therapeutic, culturally affirming care.","manuscriptTitle":"A Group-Focused Mindfulness Intervention to Examine Psychological Openness Leveraging Indigenous Cultural Strengths and Craft Making in a Northeast Tribal Community: Results from the IndigenousMIND Project","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-09-01 09:41:06","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7024394/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2025-10-15T22:15:05+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-10-14T22:01:14+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-09-30T20:01:17+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"304313969623912470952485420038994653102","date":"2025-09-26T16:15:48+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"209547603342197773000170684492077285266","date":"2025-09-24T13:59:08+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-08-20T16:48:27+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-07-08T13:19:05+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-07-04T07:06:52+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Clinical Social Work Journal","date":"2025-07-02T02:23:39+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"clinical-social-work-journal","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"csow","sideBox":"Learn more about [Clinical Social Work Journal](http://link.springer.com/journal/10615)","snPcode":"10615","submissionUrl":"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/10615/3","title":"Clinical Social Work Journal","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"f344e54b-1094-4bbf-a993-4ed7adc73f98","owner":[],"postedDate":"September 1st, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-10-20T20:38:12+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-09-01 09:41:06","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7024394","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7024394","identity":"rs-7024394","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}