Riki Jacobs, supervisor of the Crisis Clinic of the Peninsulas and a Native American mental health specialist, has been tapped to make a presentation at the Aotearoa 6th World Indigenous Women and Wellness Gathering in New Zealand later this month.

Jacobs, who is Scots-Irish, Danish and one-half Choctaw Indian, is completing a Master of Arts in Human Development with a specialty in Bi-Culturalism. She will present on her thesis entitled, “The Power of the Paddle, the Power of the Drum” which focuses on the use of culture-based, traditional healing practices to overcome social illnesses such as alcoholism, substance abuse, elevated rates of depression and suicide, child and spouse abuse and other nontraditional illnesses.

Jacobs, an employee of Kitsap Mental Health Services was involved in the Kitsap Indian Center during its existence and is a past member of the Kitsap County Council on Human Rights.