This is the Cultural Wellness Center’s documented process of identifying all the barriers that exist between where you are at currently and your Wellness. You then create a step by step action plan that includes how you will overcome each barrier that exist between you and your wellness. Every stage of the process is guided by the cultural knowledge of Cultural Wellness Center staff to ensure its progression all the way to the end point of the individual achieving their Wellness. Wellness, as understood by the Cultural Wellness Center, includes all facets of health; the mind, the body, the spirit, living stability, financial stability, relationships with family, friends, community, cultural awareness, etc.

SELF HEALING

This is the Cultural Wellness Center’s practice of working with individuals to provide them with the knowledge and guidance that enhances their capacity and frame to do a cultural self-study.

The Cultural Self-Study is a long-term process that requires commitment to researching, writing, and being perfectly honest with yourself. It requires the initiate to stay connected with the Cultural Wellness Center through periodic check-ins and updates. Without the cultural knowledge and guidance of the Cultural Wellness Center it is nearly impossible for the self-study to stay on its correct path aligned with its original purpose.

Self Knowledge

This is the Cultural Wellness Center’s cultural practice of the elders making themselves available to regularly check-in with anyone who finds themselves in need of guidance, advice, permission, assurance, understanding, wisdom, or anything else of a similar nature. Elders see this as a high priority obligation because it is how their cultural knowledge and wisdom is carried into the future.

All that is shared by elders or staff is based in, and done because of, cultural knowledge.

Intergenerational Healing

This is the Cultural Wellness Center’s practice of assisting individuals who feel isolated and disconnected from family and community. We provide individuals with readily available avenues to community involvement, with community members of common backgrounds, interests, and goals. This aids the individual in developing a network of community people that become the basis of a kinship network that supports the individual while, at the same time, combating the sickness of isolation.

The Cultural Wellness Center has this capability as we have been a prominent community institution for more than two decades. We have accumulated valuable relationships and connection in our Twin Cities community. This allows us to maintain awareness of what’s happening throughout the community so it is simple to connect people to other people in the same community.

Heritage Keys to Self Care

We are working to reinstate culturally-based health practices and culturally-based healing practices in communities, families, and individuals. We focus on restoring the value and relevance of our old traditions, knowledge, and views around the topic of health and healing.

Some specific aspects of Health Institute include:

• Healing Circles: We convene circles of healing for families experiencing illness or loss.

• Support for Pregnant Women: We are always available to pregnant women. Our on-staff doula will help to organize a birthing team and will support and meet with the family or expecting mother throughout the pregnancy. Our doula is available to be present at the birth, if that is what the expecting mother desires, and she will support the mother and family at the beginning stages of the baby’s life.

• Cultural Ceremonies and Rituals: We help people to develop their cultural ceremonies and rituals for life events.

Health Justice

Life is exactly what we think, feel, and sense it to be.  Internally, we are constantly bombarded with involuntary thoughts and feelings, while external impressions are constantly stimulating our senses.  If one never examines how their thoughts, feelings, sensations affect their life, the perception of life will constantly be subject to change and it will be difficult to find a stable form of contentment.

Cognitive Repair

This is the Cultural Wellness Center’s practice of assisting individual who feel isolated and disconnected from family and community. We provide individuals with readily available avenues to community involvement, with community members of common backgrounds, interests, and goals. This aids the individual in developing a network of community people that become the basis of a kinship network that supports the individual while, at the same time, combating the sickness of isolation.

Cultural Restoration