West River Eagle

Acudetox methods calm the craving and build personal power



Twelve members of the Eagle Butte community practiced acupuncture methods, providing approximately 100 community members with relief from various ailments and stress, said Danialle Rose, a registered acudetox trainer with the National Acupuncture Detoxification Program (NADA).

“This is not a stand alone treatment. It is used usually at the beginning [of recovery] because it calms people down and they feel more comfortable talking about the issues,” Rose said.

The trainees agreed to come to the training after being recruited by Tom Ghost Dog and Wakiyan Peta, both with Indian Health Services, and Rose through advertisements, flyers, and walking the tree-line and talking to people in the throngs of addiction.

Some of the acudetox graduates are staying in a half-way house and participating in a series of programs that support their recovery, said White Dog.

Others are approaching recovery independently with the help of family members.

The auricular acudetox method was developed in the South Bronx’s Lincoln Recovery Center over a 10 year period as a tool to assist in alcohol and drug addiction recovery. Trainees practiced acurateneedle insertion into five points on the ear of each volunteer.

After accurately conducting the procedure on 20 participants, the trainees earned their own certifications and can use their certification to help others who may be suffering.

Peta, who is acting director of IHS Behavioral Health, spoke to the graduates at their ceremony about his own struggles with addiction and his long road to recovery.

Peta said that it took eight stints through treatment and the final realization that he had to learn to forgive himself as much as he had to forgive others in order for him to achieve balance.

Recovery requires physical, mental, emotional and spiritual healing, Peta said, and it is ongoing, because there is no cure for addiction.

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