Native Hawaiian Healing Practices and Indigenous Trauma-informed Care

Stephanie Jones

Oct 12, 2025

I recently visited Honolulu in the recent months and not only was the weather and scenery beyond breathtaking but several of the Hawaiian practices were unique and relevant to mental health work. Going to Hawaii and immersing myself in cultural learning has better informed my clinical practice and understanding of trauma-informed care from a non-western and decolonizing framework (NTSN, https://www.nctsn.org/trauma-informed-care/culture-and-trauma). Native Hawaiian and many indigenous practices include a variety of holistic, multi-generational, and community-based practices that have had tremendous implications for mind, body, and spiritual well-being.

Indigenous peoples such as the native Hawaiians have faced many unique challenges because of historical trauma and the impact of colonization, assimilation, and military occupation. The backlash of colonization for many native Hawaiians and other indigenous peoples has led to high rates of suicide, substance use disorders, and domestic violence (Mullan, 2023). Long-standing indigenous networks and systems of care were dismantled and until recently there has been momentum for native Hawaiians to build community around their ancestral healing practices as a form of cultural reclamation.

Examples of Native Hawaiian Trauma-informed Practices (Papa Ola Lokani, pgs. 15-33; 2022):

Hula(dance): The Hawaiian practice of incorporating movement as a form of ceremonial and spiritual joy.

Oli(chanting): The practice of chanting in unison with others to hymns and meditating with sound vibrations.

Mo’olelo(storytelling): Sharing of ancestral knowledge and legends through community voices.

Mele(song): The use of music and singing songs as a healthy way to grounding oneself.

Aina(earth): The practice of crafting, sewing, and using plants to create artistic expression. Art-based interventions promote self-expression, creativity, and emotional release.

Native Hawaiian Indigenous Wellness Practices for the Mind, Body, Spirit, and Reconciliation:

Here are some take-aways ((Papa Ola Lokani, pgs. 9-19; 2022):

1.Aloha(It’s not just a saying for hello and goodbye): It’s about putting into the world positive genuine feelings for every individual we encounter. It is the recognition that every person is important and embodies mutual respect. At its core it means “to hear what is not said and to see what cannot be seen and to know the unknowable.” It promotes strength-based philosophies, openness, and inclusivity.

2.Pilina(pee leena)and Cultural Interconnectedness (It’s all about Relationships): There is healing power in the community relationships we cultivate. Developing a supportive and nurturing environment and finding strength in connections with others leads to a collective social healing.

3.Aina (I-na) Nature-based Approaches:If applicable spending more time in nature can be a holistic approach to mental health management. This also means acknowledging the impact of climate change. Aina is also another word for the food we eat. Or rather if we give to the land the land will give back to us. Several Hawaiian practices involve land conservation and animal stewardship as a form of healing. There is a strong recognition for belief that “we must heal the environment to heal ourselves,” and the trauma of climate change.

Conclusion:

Reflecting on my time in Hawaii as a non-Hawaiian, I experienced some uncertainty about my place in the dialogue about embracing conversations and these cultural practices. In traditional western therapeutic healing practices come from a place that is very sanitized, colonized, prescriptive, and reductive. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to relate and embrace new strategies into my personal and professional practice.

However, several of the “Aunties and Uncles” I met during the conference reassured me that I was to be included in all conversations of reconciliation because I also possessed ancestral indigenous lineage in who I am.

I learned that if you honor a people’s heritage and practices you will be included and be able to heal the impact of post-colonial trauma both personally and collectively. Indigenous healing practices are transformative to the field of trauma-informed care because they allow for individuals to tap into their innate ancestral wisdom. In the modern world we are all products of colonization whether we inherited either the backlash of ancestral oppression or the benefits of unearned privilege. In that respect, we all must heal from historical trauma.

“The lion’s story will never be known as long as the hunter is the one to tell it.” -West African Proverb

Originally published in: https://www.avancecare.com/unlocking-the-healing-practices-of-native-hawaiian-and-indigenous-trauma-informed-care/.

Resource List:

1. Mullan, Jennifer; Decolonizing Therapy: Oppression, Historical Trauma, and Politicizing Your Practice. W. W. Norton, Incorporated, 2023.

2. National Traumatic Stress Network:https://www.nctsn.org/trauma-informed-care/culture-and-trauma.

3. Papa Ola Lokani; E Hui Ana Na Moku (The Islands Shall Unite)Harm Reduction Community Resource Guide, Hawaii Health and Harm Reduction Center, 2022.