Title : Integrating indigenous ways of knowing and occupational therapy: Advancing integrative health through relational and place-based practice
Abstract:
Background: Integrative health is increasingly recognized as an approach that values multiple knowledge systems to improve health and wellbeing. While much of the discussion focuses on combining complementary therapies with conventional medicine, less attention has been given to integrating Indigenous ways of knowing into rehabilitation practice. Occupational therapists working in rural and remote regions often practice at the intersection of Western healthcare systems and Indigenous understandings of health, creating opportunities for more culturally responsive and holistic models of care.
Purpose: This presentation shares findings from doctoral research exploring how occupational therapists in Northwestern Ontario understand and demonstrate competencies related to culture, equity, and justice. The presentation examines how relational practice, cultural humility, and place-based care contribute to integrative healthcare and support more equitable health outcomes.
Methods: Using an interpretive description methodology informed by critical constructivism, semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifteen occupational therapists practicing across Northwestern Ontario, Canada. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to explore how clinicians understand and apply culture, equity, and justice within diverse practice settings, including rural, remote, and Indigenous communities.
Results: Two overarching themes emerged. The first, What I Am Doing, described how therapists integrate relational accountability, cultural humility, advocacy, and flexibility into everyday practice while adapting care to local community contexts. The second, What Do I Need?, highlighted the importance of ongoing learning, mentorship, reflective practice, and feedback from communities to strengthen culturally responsive care. Participants emphasized that effective practice requires moving beyond standardized interventions toward approaches grounded in relationships, local knowledge, and community priorities.
Conclusion: Integrative healthcare extends beyond combining therapeutic modalities; it also requires integrating diverse ways of knowing and understanding health. Occupational therapy offers a unique contribution by bridging biomedical rehabilitation with culturally responsive, relationship-centred practice that recognizes the importance of culture, land, community, and lived experience in health and healing. The findings provide practical recommendations for clinicians, educators, researchers, and health system leaders seeking to strengthen culturally safe, equitable, and person-centred models of care. This work demonstrates how Indigenous-informed occupational therapy can contribute meaningfully to the broader evolution of integrative health while supporting reconciliation and health equity in diverse communities.
