The content of this book integrates Native American child-rearing philosophies with Western psychology in an attempt to provide a different perspective on troubled youth. It focuses on the concept of "reclaiming," an environment that creates changes that meet the needs of both the young person and the society. To reclaim is to recover and redeem, to restore value to something that has been devalued. There are four main features of reclaiming for youth: (1) experiencing belonging in a supportive community, rather than being lost in a depersonalized bureaucracy; (2) meeting one's needs for mastery, rather than enduring inflexible systems designed for the convenience of adults; (3) involving youth in determining their own future while recognizing society's need to control human behavior; and (4) expecting youth to be caregivers, not just helpless recipients overly dependent on the care of adults. Part I of the book examines the alienation of children in the ecology of modern society. Part II presents a holistic Native American philosophy of child development. Part III highlights the principles and strategies for creating reclaiming environments. Includes a subject index. (Contains 168 endnotes.) (WFA)