Mental Health & Integrative Wellness

Our Mental Health & Integrative Wellness Bundle is focused on the establishment of the Wellness Center, which will house the Tonalpahqui Community Mental Health Support Program, both of which are led by our team of BIPOC mental health professionals and naturopathic physicians. Our goal is to weave traditional practices and modern medicine to improve the health outcomes directly impacting our community.

This bundle consists of the following programs and services:

  • Tonalpahqui Community Mental Health Program

    • Tonalpahqui Talking Circle

    • Wellbriety Talking Circle

    • Vicarious Trauma Circle

    • Peer Support & Peer Facilitation

    • Social Work Services

    • Community Education & Workshops

  • Death Comadre Curriculum

  • Urban Indigenous Wellness Center

Tonalpahqui Community Mental Health Program

The concept of mental health and beliefs about why and how it develops have different meanings and interpretations among Indigenous communities, which are not recognized by Western standard medical institutions. Where Western psychology separates the body and mind, isolating thoughts and emotions from the individual, Indigenous psychology centers the whole person. The focus is on connectedness, strong family bonds, oneness with nature, the wisdom of elders, meaningful traditions, and Traditional and spiritual healing remedies that all serve as protective factors. 

Within Aztec and Maya traditions, the Tonali, located in the fontanel, the center of the head, is responsible for alignment, vigor, and energy for the growth and development of the psychological center. In its simplest form, Paqui translates to happy, resulting in Tonalpahqui signifying a happy head. In Mayan tradition, intelligence is understood as the balance between the heart and the head, representing the alignment between the heart, head, and spirit that regulates thoughts, emotions, and one’s energy. The focus of the Tonalpahqui Mental Health Support program is to help restore the balance between the heart, head, and soul for individuals, their families, and our community. Within Maya and other indigenous traditions, one does not distinguish between the sacred world and daily living. Overall health in Indigenous communities is conceived as harmony between the heart, the mind, and the organs in the body that results in the person being able to work and participate in the community. Sickness is construed as an imbalance between thoughts and emotions of the spirit, the mind, and the body that gets in the way of joy, hope, and work.

Please register for our Tonalpahqui program and get more information on our Tonalpahqui Circulo Page.

Connect to our social worker and request resources here.

Wellbriety Talking Circle

Circles are one of the oldest societal and cultural formations aimed at community healing. The Tonalpahqui program includes a Wellbreity Talking Circle focused on healthy living for those who misuse substances. The circle is based on the teachings of the White Bison philosophy of culturally based healing for Indigenous Peoples. Wellbriety, within the White Bison Wellbriety Movement, means living a sober and balanced life, encompassing emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. It's about more than just abstaining from alcohol and drugs; it's about a holistic approach to recovery and healing, drawing on Indigenous culture, traditions, and teachings. 

 Death Comadre Curriculum

The Cihuapactli Collective is honored to offer the Death Comadre Curriculum. There are many titles for those that facilitate end-of-life transitions, such as a Death Doula, Death Midwife, or Death Comadre. Because the work of the Collective spans womb to tomb, some refer to themselves as Womb to Tomb Comadres. Regardless of the aspect of transition that you are called to support, in the training, you will have the opportunity to receive a certificate to facilitate different aspects of grief and loss.  The online training is broken up into two major sections regarding Sacred Transitions and The Business of Death. During Sacred Transitions, we will review both Indigenous and Western teachings regarding end-of-life transitions with special emphasis on prenatal and infant loss, suicide and unexpected loss, helping children cope with grief and loss & pregnancy release. During the Business of Death segment, we will review estate planning, death binders, life insurance, and various types of funeral arrangements. 

Please visit our Death Comadre page for more information.

Urban Indigenous Wellness Center aka Campo Santo Project

Campo Santo Project

The Campo Santo Project is focused on a 6.9 acre property that is currently promised by the City of Phoenix to be deeded to the Cihuapacli Collective. This open land includes the Campo Santo Mexicano Cemetery which dates back to the 1890’s, when the land was still Mexico. This cemetery is home to families of farmers and ranchers that lived in the area and worked the land. Over the past 44 years, this land has been protected from the pressures of development by devoted community members such as Timoteo Diaz and organizations such as Pioneers' Cemetery Association.

The Cihuapactli Collective has been working with Diaz and PCA to push efforts toward completion of the transaction for the deed so they can properly fence the cemetery and provide visual recognition with a walkway so relatives can visit their ancestors. During this phase, the CC has been collecting stories from Diaz and PCA along with descendants of the cemetery to uphold the legacies of those buried. They hope more stories will surface in the community so the cemetery can have proper acknowledgement and its history will be accounted for.

Please visit our Campo Santo Project page for more information.