Tribal Healing
Healing our Tribal Members
Substance abuse treatment for Tribal members should be very specialized to include a foundation of respect, tradition, and values. The essence of Native American culture is the concept that everything is spiritual. We work side-by-side with our tribal guests to reconnect their spirit to all things around them. At Royal Life Centers at Cascade Heights, we believe that spiritual healing is as important to the recovery process as mental or physical healing.
Our commitment to providing compassionate care for those who come for our assistance has extended to reach tribal members who deserve a full opportunity to experience a life of sobriety built on their cultural beliefs and values. It is our mission and our pleasure to serve these individuals as they take on the next steps toward sobriety and beyond. We believe that tribal members deserve the pinnacle of care, and as such, we treat them as our own family. The journey through addiction is a difficult one, which is why we make sure to have their needs at heart.
Tribal Training: Mending Broken Hearts
Mending Broken Hearts is a special certification obtained from the White Bison and Wellbriety Movement training course. Mending Broken Hearts focuses on an approach to addressing intergenerational trauma for the purpose of healing – in direct relation to tribal members. This certification teaches about the trauma from tearing away a culture, interconnectedness, elders’ teachings, spirituality, language, values and ceremonies from Native Americans.
Historically, this trauma occurred generations ago, as a consequence of mission and boarding schools that the Native American youth were forced into. This shift resulted in an extreme emotional injury – the taking away of an identity and values, having tribal languages silenced, and even the most dire cases, sexual and physical abuse.
The pain from this damage is still felt seven generations later by the majority of tribal individuals. We are committed to breaking this cycle and doing our part to aid in the healing process. Some of the biggest hurdles when it comes to substance abuse rehab for Native Americans is addressing the trauma which has resulted in generations of substance abuse and addiction and many years of shame. We use the knowledge from this training to address the very real and ever-present root feeling of anger, guilt, shame, and fear — so that we can make room for recovery. It is our mission to help mend the wound that was caused in any way that we can.
Tribal Healing Methods: The Medicine Wheel and 12-Step
In Native American culture, the medicine wheel is a sacred symbol that represents healing. Often, the medicine wheel is regarded as a representation of all the knowledge of the universe. This is a true symbol of hope and healing for those who seek it. The exact meaning of the medicine wheel’s symbolism can vary from tribe to tribe, as it is up to their own interpretation. The wheel points in the four cardinal directions: north, east, south and west. Each of these directions is a marker for many other attributes of that section of the medicine wheel. It also is represented by four colors: black, red, yellow and white. Some of the other things that are represented by the wheel include, but are not limited to:
The stages of Life
- Birth, Youth, Adult, Death
Aspects of Life
- Spiritual, Physical, Emotional, Intellectual
The Natural Elements in our World
- Fire, Earth, Air, Water
The Seasons
- Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
Ceremonial Plants
- Sweetgrass, Tobacco, Cedar, Sage
Important Animals
- Eagle, Bear, Buffalo, Wolf
The Medicine Wheel and 12-step Program is another certification that is focused on healing the pain in tribal communities (hurt, violence, suicide, the impact of addiction, etc.). This provides a program geared specifically to model a 12-step approach that has a foundation in tribal culture.
This adjusted 12-step program is based on teachings of the medicine wheel, the cycle of life, the Four Laws of Change, and ceremonial practice. This includes culture, tradition, and values into a 12-step approach. It has proven to be the missing piece for many tribal members who need more of a tailored approach to a traditional 12-step program of recovery.
Tribal Treatment Groups
Tribal Healing Program Brochure
Reach Out To Join Our Tribal Healing Program
Royal Life Centers is in-network with Shasta Insurance and the Healthcare Management Administration (HMA). We also have a collaborative relationship with IHS (Indian Health Services) and are fully willing to work with other insurance providers in order to get you into our Tribal Healing program for treatment. Should our admissions team find that your insurance plan is out of network we will work relentlessly on your behalf to come to an agreement with your provider.
Royal’s Tribal Healing Point of Contact
Our Corporate Tribal Liaison, Melissa Hood, is Puget Sound’s tribal specialist for our admissions department. Please contact Melissa Hood for additional information and assistance in entering our addiction treatment programs.
Melissa Hood
Joining the Tribal Healing Program at Cascade Heights
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