The current study seeks an understanding of the Native American boarding school experience within the contemporary historical period of 1945 to the present. Boarding schools are implicated as a major influence in the destruction of indigenous cultures and the transmission of intergenerational trauma (Brave Heart & DeBruyn, 1998). What little research exists on the contemporary experience of individuals attending boarding schools shows variable results regarding quality of experience and lasting effects on the attendee's mental health (Kunitz & Levy, 2000; Henderson et al., 1998; Colmant et al., 2004; Evans-Campbell et al., 2012). This study uses a phenomenological approach to discover and provide a rich description of the emotional, social, and psychological effects of attending the Seneca Indian boarding school. The goal is to fill a void of theory and information regarding the impact of contemporary boarding school experiences on the psyche and interpersonal relationships of those who attended. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]