A particularly striking example of the importance of understanding the cultural background of one’s clients comes from Lakota Sioux reservation near the Badlands in South Dakota. Dr. Tawa Witko,
a psychologist on the reservation, described the case of an individual who had been diagnosed by another
psychologist as schizophrenic. The reason for the diagnosis was that the man heard voices, especially around ceremony times. Dr. Witk to explained that if the therapist had dug deeper, she would have found that this phenomenon is common among Native Americans, has spiritual meaning, and does not by itself indicate mental illness.