On July 25, 2025, the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP) released a statement highlighting its new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and a significant collaborative partnership with Siksika Health Services, a ceremony that blended Siksika protocols and a traditional pipe ceremony with modern agreement signing at Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park.
At its heart, this agreement commits both parties to work together in service of healing the whole person—body, mind, and spirit—through inclusive, culturally grounded care. This psychedelic therapy partnership creates space for diverse ways of knowing and healing to coexist, bringing together traditional Indigenous approaches with modern mental health innovations in a way that respects the values and priorities of the community.
ATMA CENA’s Role in Supporting Indigenous Leadership
ATMA CENA was very proud to be recognized within that release, as one of the external partners supporting Siksika’s development of culturally grounded psychedelic-assisted therapy, as it further acknowledged Siksika Health Services’ willingness to partner collaboratively with like-minded organizations to increase access and advance innovative mental health care.
Our organization is grateful to contribute technical and clinical support when invited, and we remain committed to listening, learning, and following Siksika Health Services’ leadership.
We’re especially grateful to leaders like Dr. Quintina Bearchief-Adolpho, whose guidance continues to shape constructive engagement among communities, regulators, and service providers. Leadership like this shows us what’s possible when people approach complex healthcare challenges with both expertise and humility.
Why This Psychedelic Therapy Partnership Matters for Mental Healthcare
Every community is affected by mental health challenges—but the path to healing must reflect each community’s unique context and culture. Indigenous communities have faced unique historical trauma and continue to navigate complex relationships with Western medical systems. When mental health innovations like psychedelic-assisted therapy emerge, it’s crucial they’re developed in ways that honour Indigenous knowledge and leadership.
This partnership between CAP and Siksika Health Services offers a promising example of how Indigenous-led mental health initiatives and provincial regulatory frameworks can walk forward together—honouring both safety and culture.
Our Commitment Moving Forward
ATMA CENA remains committed to walking in partnership with Indigenous communities across Canada. We are grateful for the work we’ve done alongside Siksika Health Services and also recognize that each Nation holds its own teachings, healing traditions, and leadership.
This work requires patience, respect, and a genuine commitment to partnership rather than consultation. It means recognizing that Indigenous communities have their own expertise, their own approaches to healing, and their own ways of integrating new tools like psychedelic-assisted therapy.
A Model for the Future
What’s happening in Alberta between CAP, Siksika Health Services, and supporting organizations like ATMA CENA could serve as a model for other provinces and communities. It shows that regulated, community-led care doesn’t have to choose between safety and cultural respect—it can embody both.
As psychedelic-assisted therapy continues to evolve across Canada, partnerships like this one remind us that the most innovative approaches often come from honouring traditional wisdom while embracing modern tools. When we do this work right, everyone benefits: communities get culturally appropriate care, regulators ensure safety standards, and the field of mental healthcare becomes more inclusive and effective.
