Fayth M. Parks, Professor of Leadership and Psychology in the Graduate School of Leadership and Change, will present at the National Association for Rural Mental Health (NARMH) Conference in Alaska this May.
Her session titled “Bridging Worlds: Integrating Cultural Healing Beliefs and Mental Health Practices” explores the vital role of mental healthcare in fostering psychological well-being and how approaches to healing differ across cultural contexts. Parks will highlight the value of traditional healing practices, which offer insights and methods that often complement—and at times challenge—Western paradigms of mental healthcare. For example, mindfulness practices rooted in Buddhist traditions have been successfully adapted into Western cognitive-behavioral therapies, showcasing the potential for meaningful integration.
The session will also feature a semi-structured questionnaire to help mental health practitioners assess and incorporate clients’ cultural healing beliefs into treatment planning. These tools are designed to enhance cultural humility, improve therapeutic effectiveness, and promote more holistic and responsive approaches to care. Through engaging discussion and practical tools, Parks will guide attendees in examining how traditional healers have provided pathways for accessing inner strength and resilience rooted in cultural narratives and belief systems. The session aims to empower mental health professionals to expand their scope of care and improve outcomes by creating culturally inclusive and responsive practices.
Fayth M. Parks is a licensed psychologist, professor, and mental health researcher. Her approach integrates psychology, public health, and cultural studies to promote holistic well-being. Her academic and professional interests include spiritual, transformational, relational, and strengths-based leadership, all with a foundation in social justice. She serves on the boards of the National Association for Rural Mental Health, the Technical Assistance Collaborative in Boston, and the Susie King Taylor Center for Jubilee.
Read more about Parks here.
