Julie Smith-Yliniemi
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Assistant Professor, Director of Community-Engaged Research, Indigenous Health
- Indigenous Trauma & Resilience, Culturally Adapted Evidence-Based Trauma Therapy, Cultural Immersion, Community Based Participatory Research, Clinical Mental Health, School Counseling, Health Education, Suicide Prevention & Intervention
Contact Info
- Email: julie.smithyliniemi@UND.edu
- Office:
- Dept:
Office Address
School of Medicine & Health Sciences Room E263
1301 North Columbia Road Stop 9037
Grand Forks ND 58202-9037
Curriculum Vitae
Biography
Dr. Julie Smith-Yliniemi is an assistant professor and the director of community engaged research for both the Indigenous Trauma & Resilience Research Center and DaCCoTA Research Center CoBRE, housed in the School of Medicine and Health Sciences. She is Ojibwe/Anishinaabe and grew up on the White Earth Indian Reservation in northern MN. She is personally and professionally committed to helping improve the health of Indigenous people and underserved populations. She has had the privilege of both formal and informal education and has found her home in the behavioral health, academia, and public health arenas. Her background is in health education, school counseling, grant management, along with clinical mental health therapy/diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders. She spent several years adapting evidence-based trauma therapy models to fit with Native American traditional healing practices. She co-developed and implimented the first domestic cultural immersion event with the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). Board certified counselors and counseling education professors spent eight days immersed in the Native American cultural on her reservation, which led to her dissertation findings of increased cultural humility after immersion experiences. Her experience with research in tribal communities includes serving as the grant manager for a meth and suicide initiative grant (MSPI) for the White Earth Nation. She worked with her community to develop a mobile crisis response team, which included local community members and mental health professionals.
Julie collaborates with communities, academic institutions, and agency partners to focus on community-engaged research to improve population health outcomes. She is a board-certified counselor, licensed school counselor, and a licensed professional clinical counselor. She has thirteen years of experience working in K-12 public and tribal school systems, beginning as a health teacher and then transitioning to a school counselor, and then a clinical mental health therapist. She recently worked four years as an assistant professor in higher education in the Department of Psychology and Counseling. Julie graduated with a master’s degree in counseling from Minnesota State University – Moorhead in 2006. In 2017, she completed her Master of Public Health-American Indian Public Health certificate from North Dakota State University, and in 2018 completed her Ph.D. in counselor education and supervision. She is a 2015 NBCC Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) fellow. She is passionate about learning from others and helping students prepare for working with people from diverse backgrounds.
Julie lives in Detroit Lakes, MN, with her husband and children. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, traveling, and being outdoors. In the summer months, she enjoys going to pow wows, bike riding, watching her children’s activities, and being on the water. In the winter months, you can find her enjoying any outdoor activities as weather permits. She enjoys sharing the beauty of her culture and travel experiences from around the world.
Community Based Participitory Resarch
Cultural Humility
Cultural Immersion
Cultural Adaptations to Evidence-Based Trauma Therapy Models
Hemming, L., & Yliniemi J. A. (In press). Section 2: The Client’s Worldview
Chapter 8: Culturally Responsive Counseling for Clients of Native American Descent. Multicultural Counseling: Responding with Cultural Humility, Empathy and Advocacy.
Smith J. & Hemming, L. (In Press). American Indian women and trauma. The SAGE
Encyclopedia of Multicultural Counseling, Social Justice, and Advocacy.
McGinnis, C., & Smith, J. A. (2016). Christian perspective of an Ojibwe sweat for women.
Journal of Pastoral Care and Counseling, 70(3), 206-211.
Smith, J. (September, 2016). Reflections on the NBCC-I White Earth Institute. SAMHSA
Minority Fellowship eNewsletter, 6(4), 1-2.
Smith, J. (September, 2016). Walking in two worlds. Detroit Lakes Tribune. Newspaper
INTERNATIONAL/NATIONAL PRESENTATIONS
Smith-Yliniemi, J. & Smith B & K. (2022). Mental Health Bridging the Gap
Symposium: Cultivating Equity. Presented at the National Board for Certified
Counselors (NBCC) Conference, Washington, DC.
Smith-Yliniemi, J. & NewBreast, T. (2021). Mental Health Connections: Cultivating Equity.
Opening keynote speaker. Presentation for NBCC International Capacity
Building Conference.
Smith-Yliniemi, J. (2021). Indigenous Healing for Emotional and Mental Wellbeing.
Webinar. Presentation for Treatment Collaboration for Traumatized Youth.
Smith-Yliniemi, J. (2021). Using Cultural and Spiritual Care as an Educational and
Supervision Tool During a Pandemic. Webinar. Presentation for the Association for Humanistic Counseling.
Smith, J. & Norquay, L. (2020). Mental Health Connections: Counseling Across the Globe,
Indigenous Considerations. Presented at International Digital Conference hosted by the National Board for Certified Counselors.
Smith, J. & Quintana, T. (2020). Medicine for the Mind and Body: Incorporating Wellness in
Schools through Culture and Community. Presented at International School Counseling
Conference, virtually.
Smith, J. (2020). Fostering Growth through the use of Native American Spiritual and Cultural
Practices. Webinar. Presentation for the Association for Humanistic Counseling.
Smith, J. (2020). Infusing Culture & Spirituality into Stress Management. Ask an Expert
Webinar. Presentation for Yorkville University, Canada.
Smith, J. & Guth, L. (2019). Enhancing Cultural Humility Through a Native American
Immersion Experience. Presented at Association for Counselor Education and Supervision conference, Seattle, WA.
Smith, J. & Cole, R. (2019). Enhancing Resiliency through International Cultural
Immersion Experiences. Presented at the Mediterranean Region Counselors Association Annual conference, Naples, Italy.
Smith, J. & NewBreast, T. (2018). Enhancing Cultural Humility through Educational Cultural
Immersion Experiences. Presented at the Healing Our Spirits Worldwide Conference, Sydney, Australia.
Smith, J. (2018). Historical and multigenerational trauma and resilience: Impact discussion.
Presented at the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) Symposium, Washington, DC.
Smith, J. (2017). Developing cultural humility through immersion experiences. Webinar presentation for the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) Foundation.
Smith, J., & Guth, L. (2017). Creating cultural humility through cultural immersion
experiences. Presented a TedTalk at the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) Symposium, Atlanta, GA.
Smith, J. (2017). Incorporating indigenous practices into evidence-based trauma therapy
models. Presented and did opening song and prayer at the Africa International Counseling Conference, Malawi, Africa.
Smith, J. (2016). Incorporating traditional Native American practices into evidence-based
trauma therapy models. Presented at the Indian Health Services (IHS) National Behavioral Health Conference, Portland, OR.
Smith, J. (2016). Implementing traditional Native American practices into trauma therapy
models for youth. Presented at the Eliminating Mental Health Disparities Symposium, Washington D.C.
Smith, J. (2016). Year of minority fellowship: Collaborating with the National Board for Certified Counselors International to create the first Native American Educational Institute for Nationally Certified Counselors. Presented an opening song and prayer, presented, and completed a poster presentation at the Eliminating Mental Health Disparities Symposium, Washington D.C.
Smith, J. (2015). Healing youth by incorporating traditional Native American healing practices
into evidence-based trauma therapy models. Presented at the Healing Our Spirits Worldwide Conference, Hamilton, New Zealand.
Smith, J. (2015). Decreasing dropout rates of Native American students by addressing trauma
through Cognitive Behavioral Interventions for Trauma in Schools. Presented at the At-Risk Youth National Forum, Myrtle Beach, SC.
Smith, J. (2014). Providing emotional support to students through Cognitive Behavioral
Interventions to Trauma in Schools. Presented at the National Native American Dropout Prevention Conference, Prior Lake, MN.
Nathe, A., & Smith, J. (2014). Providing emotional support to students through Cognitive
Behavioral Interventions to Trauma in Schools. Presented at the North Central Association of Counselor Education and Supervision, St. Louis, MO.
Smith, J., & Nathe, A. (2010). Utilizing SafeTALK in addressing suicide in Indian Country. Presented at the Methamphetamine & Suicide Prevention Initiative National Conference, Oklahoma City, OK.
Smith, J., & Nathe, A. (2010). Utilizing gathering of Native American (GONA) in addressing
suicide in Indian Country. Presented at the Methamphetamine & Suicide Prevention
Initiative National Conference, Oklahoma City, OK.
REGIONAL PRESENTATIONS
Kelliher, A & Smith-Yliniemi, J. (2022). Indigenous Mental Health and Cultural Awareness.
Presented at North Dakota Pediatric and Primary Care Behavioral Health Symposium.
Kelliher, A & Smith-Yliniemi, J. (2022). Indigenous Pediatric Mental Health and Cultural Considerations. Presented at Pediatric Mental Health TeleECHO clinic.
Smith, J. (2020). Indigenous End of Life Ceremonies & Considerations. Presented at Hospice of
the Red River Valley, Detroit Lakes, MN.
Smith, J., & DeConcini, N. (2017). Healing the healers. Presented at the Minnesota Sexual
Violence Prevention Summit, Saint Cloud, MN.
Smith, J. (2017). Walking in two worlds: Incorporating traditional Native American practices
into personal and professional development. Presented at the University of North Dakota, Time-Out Week Celebration, Grand Forks, ND.
Smith, J. (2017). Building peace through sharing our cultures. Presented at the United
Methodist Church, Detroit Lakes, MN.
Smith, J. (2016). Bridging the counseling gap in schools: How collaboration between Clinical
Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling can support the healing of children affected by trauma. Keynote presentation at the Northwest Minnesota School Counselors Association, Moorhead, MN.
Smith, J. (2016). Bridging the cultural gap: Knowledge is power!” Invited keynote at
Rotary Club, Detroit Lakes, MN.
Smith, J., & Nathe, A. (2012). Accessing community strengths when responding to crisis on the reservation. Presented at the Native American Cultural Awareness Training. Shooting Star Casino Event Center, Mahnomen, MN.
Smith, J., & Nathe, A. (2010). Addressing suicide. Presented at the 10th Annual Victim Service Collaboration Conference, Mahnomen, MN.
Smith, J. (2010). Admitting and recruiting Native American student’s in post-secondary settings.
Presented at the College Recruitment In-Service, Concordia College, Moorhead, MN.
Smith, J. (2010). Becoming culturally responsive foster parents. Presented at the Lutheran
Social Services Foster Care Program, Detroit Lakes, MN.
Nathe, A., & Smith, J. (2009). Addressing suicide with empowering community members, Native Alive campaign overview. Presented at the Methamphetamine & Suicide Prevention Initiative Regional Conference, Minneapolis, MN.