EEC 441: The Healing Power of Belonging, with Alexandra Adams

Alexandra (Alex) Adams, MD, PhD, is a physician–scientist, storyteller, and speaker whose current work explores the powerful connection between belonging and health. For more than 27 years, she has partnered with Native American communities to support family and community wellness by blending scientific rigor with Indigenous knowledge and community wisdom.

• Most people think health is mostly about individual choices—diet, exercise, and medical care. But your work suggests that belonging may be just as important. Can you explain that?
• Your work centers on belonging as a powerful force for healing. How do you define belonging?
• You often talk about the connection between adverse childhood experiences and adult health. What does the research show, and what gives you hope about healing?
• You've spent more than 27 years working in partnership with Indigenous communities. What have those partnerships taught you about health and wellness?
• If listeners are feeling disconnected—from community, from nature, or even from themselves—what is one small practice that could help them begin rebuilding a sense of belonging?

Alexandra Adams

Alexandra (Alex) Adams, MD, PhD, is a physician–scientist, storyteller, and speaker whose current work explores the powerful connection between belonging and health. For more than 27 years, she has partnered with Native American communities to support family and community wellness by blending scientific rigor with Indigenous knowledge and community wisdom. She directs the Center for American Indian and Rural Health Excellence at Montana State University, where she builds community-led research partnerships and mentors the next generation of researchers. Land-based learning exchanges with Māori and Native American communities in the U.S. and New Zealand have deepened her understanding of how connection to people, place, culture, and the natural world shapes healing and well-being. She also uses storytelling and film to share these lessons and inspire healthier, more connected communities.

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