Chikasha Anokfilli “Thinking Chickasaw”

Throughout our history, Chickasaws have come together in support of one another in times of joy and in times of sorrow. This support system continues today with a variety of programs and services focused on the overall wellness of individuals and families, including mental health. Chikasha Anokfilli, which translates to “thinking Chickasaw,” is a mental health initiative exploring what it means to be strong and resilient, and provides resources to promote overall wellness while removing the stigma of mental health concerns. With an emphasis on establishing a strong foundation on prevention and early intervention of mental health issues, Chikasha Anokfilli is part of our mission to enhance the overall quality of life of the Chickasaw people.

On this page you will find a variety of resources from mental health professionals. Resources include support for trauma, grief, suicide awareness and prevention, financial and cultural wellness, and more. Through a series of panel discussions, presentations and classes, industry professionals demonstrate how to live healthier lives while focusing on mental balance and strength.

By “thinking Chickasaw” in all we do, we can look forward to an even brighter future.

May 2022 Chickasaw Citizen Update

Zero Suicide is a commitment to suicide prevention in health and behavioral health systems. It is both a concept and a practice being implemented by the Chickasaw Nation.

Related Services

Aalhakoffichí (A Place For Healing)

Behavioral Health Services

Chickasaw Children's Village

Chickasaw Nation Child Development Centers

Child Support Services

Child Welfare Services

Chipota Himitta' (Young Child) Program

Domestic Violence Services

Hinaꞌ Chokma' “Good Road”

Hofanti Chokma

Medical Family Therapy

Nittak Himittaꞌ “A New Day”

Outpatient Services

Sexual Assault/Rape Services

Suicide Prevention Services

Wellness Centers

WIC Supplemental Nutrition Program

Mental Health Support

The Chickasaw Nation has mental health programs and services to assist with stress, trauma and mental health concerns in positive ways. These services are offered to Chickasaw citizens, First Americans and Chickasaw Nation employees and their families to encourage everyone to be proactive about their own mental health.

Available services include:

Behavioral Health Services
Behavioral health services provides a psychiatric evaluation for the diagnosis and pharmacological treatment of many mental illnesses.

Prevention Services
Chickasaw Nation Prevention Services offers classes to bring awareness to the early warning signs of mental health issues and suicide intervention.

Medical Family Therapy
Medical family therapy is a unique approach to overall health that addresses the biological, psychological, social and spiritual health of patients and their families in a medical setting.

Outpatient Services
Chickasaw Nation Outpatient Services offers individual and family counseling services.

Hofanti Chokma (to Grow Well) Program
The Hofanti Chokma (to Grow Well) program offers workshops at no cost to teach positive parenting skills. It also provides training on how to create safe and secure environments for families to thrive.

See more information on available mental health services.

Mental Health Tips

Our unique life experiences can make it difficult for loved ones to understand or relate to our stressors. These mental health tip sheets provide easy steps to help navigate challenges, maintain relationships and protect our mental wellness.

Fine Tune Your Inner Harmony

Holistic wellness requires strength, harmony and balance in each area of the human experience. Click the graphic below to learn how to use each quadrant to fine tune your mind, body, spirit and connections for thinking Chickasaw.

Talk It Out

Family and friends who want to help can often struggle or feel insecure when talking about mental health issues. These conversation starters are an effective way to introduce mental health topics.

Conversation Starters

Videos for Mental Wellness

The videos below offer information and support provided by mental health professionals.

Chikasha Anokfilli - Grief Spotlight Presentation

Chikasha Anokfilli - Stress Management

Mental Health Awareness Month - Dr. Parker

Mental Health Awareness Month - Dr. Boyd

Chikasha Anokfilli - Panel Discussion

Chikasha Anokfilli – Financial Wellness

Educational Resources

Available to the public at no cost, these courses are taught by experts in their fields over a wide range of mental wellness topics, such as trauma and grief, suicide awareness and prevention, financial and cultural wellness and more.

SAFETalk
This course prepares anyone over the age of 15 to identify individuals with thoughts of suicide and connect them to suicide first aid resources. Most people with thoughts of suicide invite help to stay safe. SAFETalk teaches how to make the best use of these opportunities.

ASIST
The ASIST class teaches how to recognize potential suicidal tendencies and solutions that can be offered to assist someone. It also discusses methods to speak passively with someone in an attempt to help them discover they need help.

Parenting Education Program
This eight-week, evidence-based class provides families with nurturing skills and how to implement them within each unique family environment.

PAX Tools
PAX tools supports parents, youth workers and other caring adults to create a nurturing environment to help kids thrive. It presents evidence-based, trauma-informed strategies to improve cooperation and self-regulation with children.

Bible Journaling
Creatively connect with our Creator and His word to develop a more personal relationship with God. In this course, learn the steps to begin Bible journaling.

Bullet Journal Basics
Participants will learn the basics of the bullet journal organizational system, as well as ways to apply it to everyday life.

Chickasaw Language Workshop
Enjoy a full day of Chickasaw language learning by reviewing the language revitalization program, Rosetta Stone, basic grammar and introductions and greetings in Chickasaw.

Urban Gardening
This class shows the ease of cultivating without a yard by demonstrating how to build a small container garden that simply needs a small window space. Create a small container garden with herbs on your own.

Zen Tangles
This is a fun and relaxing way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. Anyone can learn to draw more exciting lines, shapes and patterns, while increasing focus and creativity.