Traditional Beliefs of Pacific Islanders

For Pacific Islanders, the ideal concept of health has four components: the spiritual, the psychological, the physical, and the relationship with the family. They believe that all four elements must be incorporated into any treatment regimen.

Some Pacific Islanders believe that illness and other misfortune can be attributed to the loss of mana, defined as special power or life force. Healing requires the restoration of the imbalance of mana through analysis of damaged relationships with oneself, the extended family, ancestors, the environment, or one's spirituality.

Pacific Islanders often use storytelling as a therapeutic method of teaching and healing. Restoring health may involve a search into the cause of the problem, open expression of feelings by all concerned, expressions of apology, and the asking of forgiveness.

Ho'oponopono (a traditional Hawaiian approach to family counseling and problem solving), can be a useful therapeutic intervention that formalizes a process of conflict resolution and self-reflection and provides a ritual of apology and forgiveness between clients and their families, between clients and staff, and among staff. It is based upon a view that disease reflects a lack of internal balance (mana and pono). Ho'oponopono focuses on restoring spiritual, physical, and emotional balance.

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