The Medicine Wheel - A Versatile Tool for Promoting Positive Change in Diverse Contexts

Oct 15, 2026

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Essay on employing the medicine wheel as a versatile experiential learning tool in university counselling and classroom instruction. It outlines the medicine wheel’s background, history, and symbolic significance, then discusses how it can be applied across different contexts. Preliminary data indicate usefulness for supporting university students’ academic performance and psychological adjustment, including better management of common adjustment stresses such as anxiety, depression, and negative emotional disruption.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages5

Reading Time13 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

The Medicine Wheel

Anishinaabek Medicine Wheel

14 The Medicine Wheel: A Versatile Tool for Promoting Positive Change in Diverse Contexts David Kemppainen, Karen Kopera-Frye, & Julie Woodard University of Nevada, Reno This essay describes the utility of employing the medicine wheel with university students in both counselling and instructional contexts. A brief description of the medicine wheel, its history, symbolic significance, and use in diverse contexts is discussed. The preliminary data suggest this to be a valuable tool in addressing both the academic performance and psychological adjustment issues often faced by university students. Introduction College students may face a myriad of adjustment issues when attending college, with stresses offinancial burden, academic pressures, and absence from family, friends, and support networks (Drum & Baron, 1998) . College counsellors, acutely aware of these stresses, offer counselling in order to guard against potential mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and negative emotional disruption (McCarthy, Fouladi, Juncker, & Matheny, 2006) . The counselling field recognizes that there must be tools and models in order to allow for the prevention of psychological difficulties which may be visible in university counselling centres (Romano & Hage, 2000) . For decades, those employed in the counselling and psychology professionshave utilized a variety of approaches to effect change in their clients. Counsellors and psychologists apply concepts from theories, such as psychoanalysis, human- ism, behaviourism, and cognitive-behavioural therapy. Educators also use different approaches to effect positive growth in their students. To enhance student learning processes, professors use various pedagogical techniques including written materials, lecture, computer technology, media presentations, guest speakers, experiential exercises, and small group discussion. The medicine wheel (MW) is an innovative example of an experiential learning exercise used to promote personal growth in the classroom. Yamagishi and Houtekamer (2005) describe in detail how two elementary schoolteachers use the circle of courage (i.e., a MW) as an assessment and goal-setting tool to address students’problems and needs. They discuss their development of the tool and how they apply it when working with children and other populations. The purpose of this essay is to illustrate the versatility of the MW, both in counselling settings and especially in the college classroom context. In both situations, the goal is to foster personal development and growth among students. A brief discussion of the history and symbolism of the MW, and examples ofits use in both a counselling setting and two classrooms will be described. The Medicine Wheel Although MWs have been used by many cultures throughout the world, they are often associated with Native American tradition. The MW is a circular structure often made of stone. Many versions of the MW exist and the purpose of the circular wheel differs somewhat across tribes. One Native American spiritual teacher indicates that the MW is a healing and connection tool to be used for the uplifting and betterment of mankind. Storm (1972) described itas the essence of Native Americans’ way of life, a key to understanding the universe; it serves as a way in which individuals achieve wholeness. The MW “provides a framework for growth and direction in one’s life”(Brink, 1989, p. 45) . A wide variety of MWs exist, each being slightly different given the diverse values/beliefs of a tribe (Coggins, 1990; Garrett, 1996; Pepper & Henry, 1991; Simonelli, 1993) . Most representations ofthe MW involve two vertical and horizontal lines bisecting at the midpoint, placed within a circle. The importance of the circle is echoed throughout indigenous literature, writing, and research: it has significant cultural and spiritual meaning among indigenous people (Bowen, 2005; Lavallee, 2007) . Native spirituality tends tobe circula

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What does the essay suggest the medicine wheel may help with for college students?

Preliminary data suggest it can address issues related to academic performance and psychological adjustment commonly faced by university students.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by awa