Philosophies of Relatedness

Indigenous worldviews are diverse but commonly center on ideas of interrelatedness and balance. Within Indigenous ontology, all beings (human and non-human) are related, and knowledge is conceived of as a complete system, encompassing the physical world (place-based thinking), non-linear time, the self (both as individual and in relation to other beings), and the spiritual. As Robin Wall-Kimmerer summarizes in her book Gathering Moss:

With interconnectedness being central to Indigenous worldviews, clinicians can expect that this will impact how they serve Indigenous patients. This may take the form of expecting family to attend appointments, as mentioned previously, but it also might require health care providers to consider the benefits of wholistic approaches and alternative medicines. Philosophies of relatedness necessitate reciprocal forms of responsibility and balance.

Both patient and clinician would have a responsibility toward another, with the patient responsible for self-management of care and reporting relevant information to the clinician, and the clinician responsible for providing a patient-centered and collaborative experience.