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The Wellbriety 12 Steps offer a spiritual and cultural pathway to recovery that blends traditional Native American teachings with proven addiction recovery principles. Developed by Don Coyhis, founder of White Bison, this step program integrates the medicine wheel, prayer, forgiveness, and community healing to help individuals overcome substance abuse, alcohol, and drug addictions. Rooted in Native American values, the Wellbriety 12 Steps focus on health, mental health, sobriety, and reconnecting the mind, body, and spirit to the tribe and self.
This recovery model promotes hope, honesty, and faith as vital tools for transformation. It draws on cultural strength to heal the generational wounds that contribute to relapse, emotional distress, and substance abuse. At Sullivan Recovery, we recognize how combining ancient wisdom with modern therapy supports deep, long-term sobriety and holistic health.
The Wellbriety 12 Steps follow the structure of traditional 12-step programs but are grounded in Native American beliefs and cultural teachings. Each step builds on values like honesty, humility, courage, and faith.
These steps integrate spiritual healing with emotional restoration. The focus is not only on stopping substance abuse, but on restoring balance to the mind, body, and spirit. The process invites individuals to embrace prayer, practice meditation, and find strength in their tribe and community as they rebuild mental health, overcome alcohol and drug dependency, and reduce the risk of relapse.
The medicine wheel is central to the Wellbriety 12 Steps. It symbolizes the four aspects of human nature—spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical.
Recovery begins by identifying where imbalance exists and using the teachings of the wheel to restore health and harmony. The wheel also supports a deeper understanding of how substance abuse, drug addiction, and alcohol use disorder affect the whole person. Through ceremonies, prayer, meditation, and reflection, the medicine wheel guides individuals to find inner wisdom, reclaim their sobriety, and reconnect with community and tribal roots.
Honesty is the first step, where individuals admit their struggles with drug or alcohol use. Telling the truth takes courage, especially when confronting deep-rooted pain.
By being honest, individuals start to rebuild trust and self-respect. This opens the door to healing and long-term sobriety.
Hope gives people the belief that change is possible. In the Wellbriety 12 Steps, faith is about trusting a higher power, your tribe, and yourself.
Don Coyhis emphasized that without hope, healing cannot begin. These steps build the spiritual foundation needed for recovery from substance abuse and mental health issues.
Letting go of anger and guilt is key. Forgiveness clears the emotional path for recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.
Humility follows, helping individuals acknowledge past mistakes. This creates space for deeper connections with community, family, and the tribe.
Through daily meditation, individuals gain clarity and peace. It helps reconnect the mind and spirit.
Over time, this leads to wisdom—the ability to make healthy choices and avoid relapse. Meditation supports the emotional and mental strength needed for lasting sobriety.
Don Coyhis, of the Mohican Nation, created the Wellbriety 12 Steps to address the cycle of substance abuse in Native American communities. His vision blended cultural teachings with recovery tools grounded in faith, forgiveness, and the medicine wheel.
He emphasized the power of tribe, prayer, and spiritual teachings in overcoming alcohol and drug dependence. Coyhis believed that healing required addressing mental health, restoring the mind, and building sobriety through honesty, humility, and courage. His work continues to inspire individuals seeking hope and wellness through a culturally rooted step program.
Healing happens in community, not isolation. The Wellbriety 12 Steps recognize the power of tribe in restoring emotional and spiritual health, especially when facing alcohol, drug, and substance abuse issues.
At Sullivan Recovery, we promote this by offering group support, cultural respect, and shared healing spaces. These environments encourage honesty, strengthen mental health, and reduce relapse risks by fostering connection and hope within a recovery-based community..
Prayer is used for guidance, strength, and focus. It’s a vital part of the Wellbriety 12 Steps, bringing individuals closer to their Creator or higher power while supporting sobriety and emotional balance.
Incorporating Native American ceremonies, meditation, and spiritual rituals strengthens a person’s sense of identity and purpose in recovery. These practices help align the mind, body, and spirit, promote forgiveness, and provide the spiritual courage needed to heal from substance abuse, alcohol, and drug addiction.
The Wellbriety 12 Steps aim to prevent relapse by addressing the full self—body, mind, spirit, and emotion. This includes spiritual practices like prayer, meditation, and ceremonies, emotional healing through forgiveness, and lifestyle change built on hope and honesty.
By aligning with the medicine wheel, people restore mental health, gain courage, and maintain sobriety through balance. These teachings help individuals resist urges to return to alcohol, drug use, or the destructive patterns of substance abuse.
Later steps in the program emphasize service to others, a practice that promotes humility and supports sustained sobriety. Sharing one’s experience helps reinforce core values like faith, honesty, and wisdom.
By giving back to the tribe or community, individuals heal old wounds, reduce isolation, and deepen their connection to purpose. Service becomes a spiritual act that strengthens both personal recovery and mental health.
The final steps promote lifelong spiritual growth through consistent action and reflection. As individuals walk the Wellbriety 12 Steps, they gain wisdom, self-respect, and the ability to live each day with faith, courage, and forgiveness.
Living the Wellbriety way means staying grounded in the medicine wheel, trusting in prayer, and practicing honesty to maintain health and sobriety. These values guide those in recovery to rise above relapse and honor their role within the tribe and greater community.
At Sullivan Recovery in Mission Viejo, we support clients who want to embrace the Wellbriety 12 Steps and the strength of Native American teachings. Our outpatient programs include structured therapy alongside meditation, prayer, community support, and cultural respect.
We understand that healing from substance abuse, drug dependency, and mental health challenges involves more than clinical tools. We help individuals find hope, reconnect with their tribe, and walk a path of lasting sobriety guided by honesty, faith, and spiritual balance.
The Wellbriety 12 Steps offer a powerful, culturally rooted path out of substance abuse and into spiritual and emotional health. Grounded in the medicine wheel, guided by the teachings of Don Coyhis, and centered on honesty, prayer, and community, this step program helps people reclaim their lives with strength and purpose.
Whether healing from alcohol, drug addiction, or mental health struggles, the Wellbriety path brings hope, wisdom, and lasting sobriety. At Sullivan Recovery, we honor these values and provide the tools needed to walk this sacred journey of healing, faith, and renewal.
At Sullivan Recovery, as an in-network provider we work with most insurance plans, such as:
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If you or a loved one are struggling with mental health challenges or substance abuse, reach out to Sullivan Recovery today. Our team of compassionate professionals is here to support your journey towards lasting well-being. Give us a call at 949-836-7180.
While both approaches share a 12-step structure, Wellbriety integrates Native American spiritual practices, cultural values, and the medicine wheel into recovery. It emphasizes tribe, community, and intergenerational healing, whereas traditional 12-step models are typically secular or Christian-based. Wellbriety is centered on restoring balance across spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical health.
Yes. The Wellbriety Movement is inclusive and welcomes individuals from all backgrounds who respect its cultural foundations. Its teachings on sobriety, honesty, humility, and healing through prayer, meditation, and community can benefit anyone struggling with substance abuse or mental health challenges.
Yes. Certified Wellbriety facilitators and meetings are available throughout the U.S. You can find approved groups and trainings by visiting https://whitebison.org and exploring their meeting locator or calendar of community events.
The Wellbriety 12 Steps directly address the impact of historical and intergenerational trauma in Native American communities. By focusing on forgiveness, faith, wisdom, and cultural restoration, the program helps break cycles of pain that often lead to relapse, alcohol, or drug use.
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