Traditional wellness therapy.

This article focuses on the implementation of Traditional Wellness Therapy (TWT), an Indigenous therapy model developed to address health and wellness in Indigenous communities, particularly the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation. TWT centers Indigenous worldviews, spirituality, ceremony, and trauma-informed practices, integrating traditional healing methods such as plant medicines, smudging, and kinship practices alongside some Western trauma-focused techniques like somatic breath work. The model emphasizes cultural safety by grounding therapy sessions in Indigenous ceremony, including the use of a buffalo robe and the four elements, and employs two compassionate helpers to support clients, referred to as relatives, in a culturally respectful manner. TWT critiques Western deficit-based health models and diagnostic practices, promoting an anti-colonial approach that honors Indigenous knowledge and healing traditions while recognizing the ongoing challenges of systemic barriers and the need for individualized, lifelong healing journeys.