The short answer
In the words of White Bison: "Wellbriety means to live a sober life that is balanced emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually."
White Bison, Inc. is based in Colorado Springs. It says it was founded in 1988 by Don Coyhis of the Mohican Nation. Its mission is culturally based healing for the next seven generations of Indigenous people.
What is a Wellbriety meeting?
A Wellbriety meeting, often called a Wellbriety circle or talking circle, is a recovery gathering that joins the 12 Steps with Indigenous teachings: the Medicine Wheel, talking circles, and community. Some circles include ceremony.
Many circles welcome anyone seeking healing, including family members and supporters, while some are held for specific groups such as women, men, or youth. Each circle sets its own availability, so check the listing and confirm with the host.
Medicine Wheel and 12 Steps
A culturally appropriate 12 Step program based on the teachings of the Medicine Wheel, the Cycle of Life and the Four Laws of Change. Separate programs for men, for women, and for youth ages 13 to 21.
Is Wellbriety connected to AA?
Wellbriety adapts the 12 Steps into a culturally grounded path developed by White Bison, Inc., placing the steps on the Medicine Wheel and rooting recovery in Indigenous teachings. It is its own movement, and some people attend both Wellbriety and AA.
The Four Laws of Change
White Bison builds its Medicine Wheel and 12 Steps program on these four laws.
- Change is from within. Healing begins inside the person, the family and the community.
- For development to occur, it must be preceded by a vision. Vision comes first, then the work.
- A great learning must take place. A whole community has to learn together, from the youngest to the Elders.
- You must create a Healing Forest. A healed tree returned to a sick forest gets sick again.
How to find a Wellbriety circle
You can browse circles by province or state, or search your city on the live map. Listings are drawn mostly from the White Bison public directory, plus a few local listings. Always confirm the schedule with the circle host before attending, because times change.
Browse meetings by province or state Search the live map
White Bison maintains the official directory of Wellbriety Circles at whitebison.org/circle-meetings.
About this list
Meeting list last updated October 10, 2026. Schedules change. Always check with the circle host before you go.
208 of the 210 listings on this page come from the White Bison public circle directory. The others come from local community listings. Each listing says where it was found. Wellbriety Nation does not host meetings and cannot guarantee individual schedules.
See the live map, or browse all meetings by province or state.
Wellbriety Nation is an independent educational resource and is not affiliated with White Bison. For official programs, training, meetings, and materials, please visit whitebison.org.