Native American communities face disproportionately high rates of mental health challenges due to systemic oppression and intergenerational trauma. A history of unethical research practices targeting this community has fueled mistrust toward research and healthcare systems (Harding et al., 2012), prompting scholars to advocate for methodologies prioritizing cultural responsiveness and community engagement. This is especially important when researching sensitive topics like mental health. To conduct ethical research with Native American communities, this project seeks to compile preliminary feedback from Native American community members on the methods and tools for a qualitative project to ensure cultural relevance. The project will employ community-engaged, iterative design methods to compile feedback on a semi-structured interview guide focused on mental health and resilience within Native American communities. We will conduct key informant interviews (n=3) and prototyping sessions (n=10) with Native American adults and professionals experienced in Indigenous contexts. Participants will be recruited via community outreach and university networks. We will gather feedback on cultural relevance, cultural appropriateness, and clarity. We will analyze data using rapid qualitative analysis methods to refine the semi-structured guide. Preliminary findings from key informant interviews emphasize the value of culturally grounded methodologies. Participants have stressed the importance of inclusive terminology and respecting Indigenous knowledge systems. Additionally, Native data sovereignty emerged as a key priority, underscoring the need for ongoing consent, transparency, and community ownership of research processes. This study provides critical insights into the acceptability of a semi-structured interview guide for Native American communities, offering a framework to make research methods more culturally responsive. The findings are expected to guide future studies in refining methodologies to better align with Indigenous perspectives and values. Additionally, this work establishes a foundation for a larger qualitative study exploring the resilience and coping mechanisms of Native Americans.