Abstract

This paper presents the healing philosophy of Telmexw Awtexw, an Indigenous-led wellness program grounded in Sts’ailes teachings, as a model for advancing the conference theme: Integrating Traditional and Modern Medicine for Holistic and Future-Focused Healthcare. Central to this approach is Two-Eyed Seeing, coined by Elder Albert Marshall, a framework that brings together the strengths of Indigenous and Western knowledge systems in ethical and balanced relationship. At Telmexw Awtexw, Indigenous knowledge forms the foundation of care, with Western clinical practices, medicine, and education integrated as complementary supports. Drawing on Indigenous research methodologies, this paper highlights three interconnected elements: land-based healing, where the land acts as an active agent in restoring identity and wellbeing; the inclusion of persons with lived and living experience as knowledge holders shaping relational care; and food sovereignty as medicine, reconnecting individuals to traditional food systems and ecological knowledge. Together, these elements address root causes of addiction, including intergenerational trauma, loss of identity, disconnection from land and culture. Through Two-Eyed Seeing, clinical practices such as counselling, collective healing methods, assessment, and case management are strengthened by cultural continuity, improving engagement, retention, and long-term outcomes.This presentation emphasizes strong clinical relevance and real-world applicability by offering transferable principles, relational care models, culturally grounded programming, and communityled
design that can be adapted across diverse health systems globally. Telmexw Awtexw demonstrates how integrated approaches can move beyond parallel systems toward meaningful synthesis, contributing to improved mental health, addiction recovery, and overall wellness outcomes in both Indigenous and international contexts.