An 'Ecospiritual' Perspective: Finally, a Place for Indigenous Approaches

Despite holding significant roles in providing social servicesto First Nations or indigenous communities, social work hasbeen reluctant to accept indigenous perspectives and traditionalforms of helping and healing. Most often, social workers haveoperated within the dominant paradigms that, despite effortsto the contrary, have primarily imposed Western social workbeliefs and practices which have been unable to effectivelyaccommodate diversity. This paper argues that the recent attentionto the importance of the environment and spirituality, and theparadigmatic shift that such issues require, has created a welcomingspace for indigenous voices. Such acceptance has opened theopportunity for the profession to benefit not only from a genuineexchange among cultures, but also from a re-thinking of thefoundational beliefs of the social work profession.