"Working with youth, a lot of times they need somebody just to sit and listen to them and to not prejudge them or have assumptions already, before they can talk to somebody."

At the time of the interview, Sheila Goldtooth was a professor of Navajo culture and philosophy at Dine College in Chinle, Arizona. She also works as a traditional healer for the Navajo Nation. Her interest in healing began at a very young age when she saw her uncle do the work. She apprenticed with him and now performs ceremonies and blessings for people to help bring them back into balance and harmony, particularly for young people who struggle to balance the pressures and competing demands of western and Navajo societies.

Your prompts for the day:

• How often do you have the opportunity to honestly express yourself? How has having that opportunity or the absence of that opportunity affected you?

• What role has listening played during a period of healing in your life?

You can hear more of Sheila's story at APeaceOfMyMInd.org.