Remodeled Traditional Healing Clinic Brings New Energy to Ancient Ways of Healing
By Senior Public Relations Specialist Tara Carey
After months of renovations, the beautifully remodeled Southcentral Foundation Traditional Healing Clinic is ready to welcome customer-owners. New exam rooms, multiple classrooms and meeting spaces, and an updated lobby have been added to improve the customer-owner experience.
Upon entering the enclosed lobby, visitors enjoy the new environment that is artfully lit and induces a sense of calm and balance. The clinic’s walls are decorated with images of Alaska plants and scenery, reflective of what can be found in Southcentral Alaska. For many customer-owners visiting the clinic, the familiar imagery feels like home.
The new Traditional Healing Clinic lobby opened to customer-owners early 2024.
Just past the front desk, a hallway leads to 14 exam rooms and Tribal doctor classrooms. Another classroom, the Gathering Area, is located near the front desk and can be seen from the Alaska Native Primary Care Center lobby. The Gathering Area (different from the Gathering Room also located on the Alaska Native Health Campus) is where the Traditional Healing Clinic will host cultural classes.
The new clinic layout has teaching areas that emphasize the importance of sharing and passing on information, whether clinical, traditional, or cultural. In addition to the Gathering Area, there are two training and meeting rooms for the Tribal Doctor Training Program.
SCF’s Traditional Healing Clinic incorporates ancient healing ways with Western medicine that integrates Alaska Native values, beliefs, and practices. Tribal doctors use practices such as traditional physical, traditional counseling, and talking circles to support customer-owners.
“Traditional Healing looks forward to partnering with customer-owners on their wellness journey in the newly remodeled space that ensures access to traditional ways and practices,” Traditional Healing Clinical Director and practicing Tribal Doctor Natalee Wigen shared. “We are able to help heal our ancestors and the next seven generations by healing ourselves now.”
When receiving Traditional Healing services, customer-owners work in collaboration with their Tribal doctors to establish goals and create treatment plans specific to their needs. Customer-owners may have different balances of traditional physical, traditional counseling, and w participation in their treatment plans. The final plan might focus on one area or involve a balance of treatments and is fluid depending on the pace of healing.
The Traditional Healing Clinic is a place where healing is supported in a way that honors and focuses on each customer-owner’s individual wellness goals and milestones. Customer-owners interested in receiving services at the Traditional Healing Clinic can talk with their primary care providers for referral.
For more information about Traditional Healing services, cultural classes, or the Tribal doctor and apprentice programs, call the Traditional Healing Clinic at (907) 729-4958.
