ʻImi Ke Ola Mau a Mau: Ka Wehena o Ke Ao

Objectives:
Develop an understanding of the ASAM (American Society of Addiction Medicine) from a cultural perspective
Identify strengths when working with substance use disorder from a cultural lens

Summary:
The individual struggling with substance use disorder has strengths and knowledge encased in a space of incubation. As community health workers and clinicians reawaken their own identity, they embrace their own dark side and utilize their genealogy as a resource, thus the healing begins. The Hawaiian cultural approach allows for the clinician to use different modalities to reach the ultimate goal, expose the hala (fault/sin).

Speaker:
Lahela Kruse, Social Worker, CSAC
BIO: Rachel “Lahela” Kruse, Native Hawaiian Social Worker, CSAC at Bay Clinic, Inc Hawai`i Island. She works with the Mental Health population with close attention to substance abuse using traditional healing methods of Ho`oku`u ka hewa for the individual, also a Haku Ho`oponopono.