Land Acknowledgement
Acknowledging the Land and Its Original Stewards
At Peaks and Valleys Therapy, we acknowledge that the land where we live, work, and offer care, including Missoula, Great Falls, and throughout Montana—has long been home to Indigenous peoples. For thousands of years, this region has been stewarded by the Séliš (Salish), QlÌ“ispé (Kalispel), Aaniiih (Gros Ventre), Niitsitapi (Blackfeet), Tsétsêhéstâhese (Northern Cheyenne), Nakoda (Assiniboine), Lakota, Dakota, Crow (Apsáalooke), and many others whose presence and connection to the land continues today.
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We recognize the long history of colonial violence, forced removal, broken treaties, and cultural erasure that has deeply affected Indigenous communities across Montana and beyond. These harms were, and are, ongoing, and we acknowledge that this history is inseparable from the land we inhabit.
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As a practice, we aim to move beyond acknowledgment through continued learning, dialogue, and action. One way we do this is by periodically donating to Native-led organizations and tribal communities working to protect Indigenous rights, lands, and cultural lifeways. We also reflect on how our work, rooted in nature-based healing, can honor the deep knowledge and relationship many Indigenous peoples have held with the land for generations.
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This work is continuous. We are committed to listening, learning, and making space for truth, accountability, and right relationship.