Embracing Cultural Healing
Culturally Specific Indigenous Treatment Track
At Cielo Treatment Center, our mission is to provide culturally responsive, compassionate care that recognizes connection to culture, community, and identity as essential parts of healing and recovery. Our Indigenous programming honors the strength, wisdom, traditions, and lived experiences of Native people while creating opportunities for clients to reconnect with culture, community, and culturally specific supports.
We believe recovery is about more than addressing substance use—it is about restoring connection, belonging, purpose, and hope. Through culturally specific services, community partnerships, and individualized care, we strive to create a healing environment where Indigenous clients feel seen, respected, supported, and empowered to build meaningful and sustainable lives in recovery.
White Bison Trained Staff: Honoring Sacred Paths
White Bison was founded in 1988 to bring culturally based healing, recovery, and prevention resources to Native American and Alaska Native communities. Its work grew from the understanding that healing from substance use and addiction is deeply connected to healing from historical and intergenerational trauma and restoring connections to culture, community, spirituality, family, and traditional ways of life.
Central to White Bison’s approach is Wellbriety, a movement that extends beyond sobriety to encompass wellness, balance, and healing within individuals, families, and communities. The Red Road to Wellbriety draws upon Indigenous teachings and the Medicine Wheel to help individuals examine their lives, strengthen their recovery, reconnect with cultural values, and develop a greater sense of purpose and belonging.
The Medicine Wheel has been used by many Indigenous peoples as a framework for understanding balance, relationships, healing, and the interconnectedness of life. Traditions, colors, meanings, and teachings vary among Tribal Nations and communities, and there is no single universal Medicine Wheel tradition.
The colors of the Medicine Wheel are also often used to represent the diversity and interconnectedness of the peoples of the world, with white, yellow, brown, and black symbolizing the human family and reminding us that we are all part of the circle. While the specific meanings, colors, and teachings of the Medicine Wheel vary among Tribal Nations and Indigenous traditions, the circle reminds us that no person exists apart from others—we are connected to one another, our communities, and the world around us
Through Red Road and Wellbriety teachings, recovery becomes more than abstinence from alcohol and other substances. It is a journey toward healing, cultural connection, community, balance, responsibility, and a renewed sense of identity and belonging.
Culturally Informed Indigenous Treatment
Through Cielo’s Indigenous Program, clients are invited to experience healing through connection, culture, and community. Programming may include Talking Circles, 12 Steps of the Red Road, traditional drumming, Sweat Lodge ceremonies, Two-Spirit supports, culturally specific groups, community connections, and more. There are many paths to recovery, and we believe healing is stronger when people have opportunities to reconnect with culture, community, identity, and one another.
Key Features of Our Indigenous Track:
Traditional Groups
Mending broken hearts, medicine wheel and the 12 steps, talking circle, Red Road - Interpersonal process group.
Traditional Healing Practices
We incorporate traditional healing practices, such as smudging, drumming, sweat lodge ceremonies, and practices focused on community, spirituality, and healing , and reconnection with culture.
Culturally Competent Staff
Our team includes trained professionals with a deep understanding of native cultures, ensuring a culturally sensitive and respectful environment for all individuals.
Community Support:
Our Indigenous Program emphasizes the importance of community and family in the recovery process. We encourage the involvement of loved ones, creating a supportive network for lasting healing.
By choosing our Indigenous Track, you embark on a journey that goes beyond traditional recovery programs. It's a path guided by cultural wisdom, resilience, and a deep understanding of the unique challenges and strengths within Native American communities.
reviewed by:
Cheyenne Salazar, CADC II, QMHAR
Cheyenne Salazar is a dedicated behavioral health professional with extensive experience providing and leading culturally specific services within substance use treatment and recovery settings. For many years, she has been engaged in sharing and supporting culturally grounded practices, with specialties that include traditional Native song, drum making, White Bison group therapy, 12 Steps of the Red Road, and supporting access to traditional Native healing practices. Cheyenne brings a strong understanding of the importance of culture, identity, community, and belonging in the recovery process. Her work is grounded in creating meaningful opportunities for clients to reconnect with culture and community while building a strong and sustainable foundation for long-term recovery.