Why did you choose your specific health professional career?
I didn’t choose my health profession. I “fell” into this career because of my own challenges with addiction.
What experiences did you have to make sure this profession was right for you?
I would have to say that my own personal experiences with addiction and my desire to get past those addictions are how I decided that this profession was right for me. Along the way, I realized that I had the gift of listening.
Describe any obstacles or barriers to success that you encountered along your health professional career path and how did you overcome them?
I faced many challenges along my path to this career. Some of the challenges I had involved taking on a mature outlook, deciding to return to school, and having a limited income. I was trying to raise my children at the same time on limited human resources and support while facing life barriers. However, I chose to overcome these challenges.
What do you do in your current job?
I’m a Substance Abuse Therapist. I work with adults who are addicted to a number of different chemicals from medication to street drugs.
What advice do you have for American Indian/Alaska Native students who are interested in health careers?
You have to have compassion, not only for the people you’re working with, but for yourself. If you don’t have compassion for yourself or if you don’t understand who you are, it’s going to be difficult for you to deal with people. In this field, the people you’re going to be working with come in a variety of shapes, dispositions, and desires. These people have many different needs, as well as limitations in language and understanding. In short, the people I work with have all kinds of things coming at them.
What or who influenced you the most in regards to continuing your education?
I had very good mentors from my teen years through college. I was just fortunate to be around people who enjoyed teaching and whom I enjoyed learning from. If I had to choose one particular person who really encouraged me, I would say it was a male teacher who instilled confidence in me by showing me how to value the gift that was inside of me.
What would you like to see for your tribe’s future?
I would like to see an increase in economic growth as well as more infrastructures. Another thing that I think needs to be addressed are the borders of our reservation, we need more security from drug trafficking and illegal immigration. Other than that, we also need a better way to deal with the alcohol related issues.
Do you practice traditional medicine? If you do, then how does traditional medicine interact with conventional medicine?
I think to be practicing you have to be a medicine person so I don’t practice traditional medicine but I participate in it. How does it work with conventional medicine? I think that when you’re working with Native people you need to keep in mind that there is more to healing than just conventional medicine. You will need someone who understands the language, can interpret, and who knows about the cultural and traditional beliefs. With relation to my work, I am good at bridging the gap between the two. I am a good interpreter of meaning and do adaptations to help them understand that both traditional and conventional medicine can work together. I’m really good at helping others understand what is important to a person’s well-being meaning, their emotional, mental and spiritual well-being.
What do you feel is your most important medicinal contribution to your tribe and to yourself?
I live my life by this motto, “Practice what you preach.” For me, this means that I can’t help anyone gain health if I’m not maintaining my own health. I know what is required and I need to follow through with that on a daily basis for me and for my family. If I don’t do that then talking about it and telling others about it, doesn’t mean anything. They need to know that I do it and I know how to do it, and my family needs to know it too. We need to practice it. It is a continuous process.
What are your future goals personally and professionally?
Personally, I plan to retire. I’m looking forward to retirement. For me, to “retire” means that I won’t be working 80 hours a week for a recognized agency or organization but I may still choose how I “work” or volunteer and how I want to use my time. I’ve been thinking that I might volunteer for some teaching jobs, as well as spend more time having fun, doing things that I enjoy. I might even get me a new truck.
What changes would you like to see pertaining to health care for Native Americans?
I would like to see more collaboration between all the health care providers for an individual patient. The closest I see to this approach is found on the Pascua Yaqui Nation. The Pascua Yaqui Nation uses an integration of alternative medicine, traditional beliefs, and behavioral health practices to treat their patients. Other tribes that I have worked with have the same health care providers, but the providers do not communicate with each other and they do not consult with each other. They’re not practicing together on one patient. I like these arrangements here, because for an individual patient, you’re speaking with to the PCP which is the primary care physician. You’re also talking to the therapist, psychologist or the psychiatrist. In addition, you’re also working with the traditional medicine person and the herbalist. When we work together, we do a good job for the patient. We’re not ignorant of each other. The client can’t pull gags or misuse any branch of the system because each health care provider knows about the patient’s care with everyone else. That’s what I like. At this time I also work with the Tohono O’odham Nation. It’s a little difficult there because they’re much larger and they have a larger patient population with clinics in different locations. So, integrating these services is a challenge but it would be very helpful for the patients. Here at Pascua, the community is smaller, so it’s easier and we’re all located in one area.