Organizational Overview

 We honor community as the foundation of healing, acting with integrity and shared responsibility. Guided by the 7 Generations philosophy, we stay accountable to our people, our traditions, and the future we help create. 

 We believe in holistic wellness—mind, body, spirit, and community—and support youth and families in discovering their “medicine” and pathways to healing. 

 We honor the dignity of every person and create inclusive, equitable spaces for healing, unity, and leadership. 

 We believe every individual holds the power to create change. By nurturing leadership, identity, and confidence, we help youth and families find their medicine, honor their worth, and lead with purpose. 

 The Indigenous Strengths-Centered Practice respects and celebrates the natural strengths and abilities embedded within every individual. Departing from a mindset that focuses on deficits, this approach acknowledges the inherent potential and resilience of each person. At Sojourner Center, we integrate a strengths-based perspective into all our programs, collaborating with adults and children to uncover and cultivate their unique strengths while crafting personalized goals. 

 Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) is a participant service framework that acknowledges, understands and sensitively responds to the impacts of trauma on individuals, while providing physical and emotional safety, rebuilding confidence and promoting a sense of control. TIC aims to prevent re-traumatization and believes in the recovery and healing of individuals impacted by trauma. We prioritize TIC at all levels of service, from daily interactions with participants to ongoing staff trainings and policy incorporation, recognizing the significant traumatic impacts. 

 Indigenous behavioral health care is culturally competent, acknowledging and respecting the cultural values, traditions, and worldviews of the community. This approach recognizes that cultural identity plays a crucial role in mental and emotional well-being. 

 Indigenous approaches to behavioral health consider the interconnectedness of the mind, body, spirit, and community. Healing is seen as a holistic process that involves addressing all aspects of an individual's well-being. 

 The Indigenized Empowerment Approach honors the inherent strength, resilience, and autonomy of individuals as they navigate their life journey, upholding their sacred rights to dignity, self-determination, and safety. Rooted in indigenous wisdom, this approach centers on harnessing the inherent strengths and resources within each person, empowering them as active agents of positive transformation for themselves and their communities.