November brings a complicated mix of remembrance, resistance, and reclaiming. For many people, this month is dominated by narratives of gratitude and tradition. But for Indigenous communities, November is also a reminder of ongoing survival in the face of colonization. It is something too often flattened into a single day or a simple land acknowledgment.
At Core Clarity, we believe that honoring Indigenous peoples means moving beyond symbolism and into relationship, responsibility, and action.
Why Land Acknowledgments Alone Are Not Enough
Land acknowledgments can be meaningful when they’re intentional and connected to real commitment. But on their own, they can also become performative. It is a way to say we see you without engaging with the realities of sovereignty, stewardship, or reparations.
When we talk about decolonizing mental health, we’re recognizing that:
- Indigenous people are still here
- Indigenous wisdom about healing, community, and connection predates our current systems
- Colonization is ongoing, not historical
- Mental health cannot be separated from land, culture, and identity
Acknowledgment is a first step, not the destination!
Centering Indigenous Sovereignty and Voices
To honor Indigenous perspectives, we must center Indigenous leadership in conversations about healing and justice. This includes:
- Learning from Indigenous clinicians, activists, and community teachers
- Uplifting local Nations and listening to what they identify as their needs
- Supporting Indigenous-led mental health, mutual aid, and land stewardship efforts
This work is ongoing, just like healing.
How Colonization Shows Up in Mental Health Spaces
The mental health field itself carries legacies of erasure and control. Western clinical models often pathologize Indigenous practices, disconnect healing from land, and uphold systems that harm Native communities.
Decolonizing care, especially for LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities, means questioning:
- Who created these systems?
- Who do they serve?
- Who has been historically excluded or silenced?
- How can we practice care that honors community, story, ritual, and reciprocity?
Indigenous traditions remind us that healing is relational, collective, and rooted in connection, not just clinical intervention.
Teaching Young Ones the Truth About Thanksgiving
Many children grow up hearing a simplified, sanitized version of Thanksgiving.. a story that centers harmony while erasing violence, displacement, and survival. Teaching young people the truth doesn’t take away joy; it builds a foundation of honesty, empathy, and justice.
Here’s how caregivers, educators, and community members can approach it:
1. Tell the Story Honestly, at a Developmentally Appropriate Level
Kids can understand fairness, harm, and courage. Share the truth in ways that honor their capacity without overwhelming them:
- Explain that many Native peoples were harmed and pushed off their land
- Emphasize Native resistance, strength, and continued presence
2. Center Indigenous Voices in the Learning
Books, videos, and stories created by Indigenous authors help young people hear truth directly from the community. Choose resources that highlight culture, tradition, joy, and leadership- not just trauma.
3. Shift the Focus From Myth to Meaning
Help kids understand that Thanksgiving is not about a peaceful feast that never happened: It’s about gratitude, community, and caring for one another in ways that do not erase history.
4. Create New Traditions Rooted in Care and Reciprocity
Invite children to practice giving back:
- Learn about the local Nations where they live
- Donate to Indigenous-led groups
- Cook foods that honor Indigenous origins
- Practice gratitude that acknowledges history
5. Model Curiosity, Humility, and Repair
It’s okay to say, “I didn’t learn this growing up, but I’m learning now.”
Kids learn decolonization best when adults model it.
Teaching the truth isn’t about guilt, it’s about connection, justice, and preparing a generation that can do better.
Practical Ways to Move Beyond Acknowledgment
If we want to honor Indigenous communities meaningfully, we can begin with small, consistent steps:
1. Learn the Local History
Know the Nations whose land you occupy (past, present, and future) and understand how displacement happened.
2. Support Indigenous Organizations
Donate, volunteer, uplift, or partner with Indigenous-led groups in your region.
3. Engage with Indigenous Scholars and Healers
Follow their work. Read their books. Pay for their teachings.
4. Challenge Colonial Narratives
Especially around November holidays: Create space for truth, nuance, and discomfort.
5. Practice Reciprocity
Decolonization isn’t conceptual, it’s relational. Ask: How can I give back in meaningful, consent-based ways?
Honoring the Land Means Honoring the People
If November teaches us anything, it’s that we cannot separate healing from history, or land from the people who stewarded it long before colonization.
This month, and every month, we commit to learning, unlearning, and practicing care that respects Indigenous sovereignty, knowledge, and presence.
Decolonized mental health is not a trend. It is a responsibility!
Core Clarity Co (LLC) 
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