Eric Wenger to join Chickasaw Nation

PALM SPRINGS, Calif.

– Addiction. Darby Foster knows about it both professionally and personally.

This Chickasaw woman fights it daily as co-founder and executive director of Palo Verde Wellness Center, which strives toward a mission of “holistically healing the mind, body and spirit.”

Through a contractual agreement between Foster’s center and Indian Health Service (IHS), she is assisting First Americans from 10 tribal nations in the fight against addiction.

“We have a staff of seven experts in various fields that are helping them live their best lives without abusing drugs and alcohol,” Foster said.

As much as 25% of her clientele are First Americans and it is Foster’s unyielding belief in holistic and proven addiction treatments that guide patients on their journey to sobriety.

“I believe people who seek out our unique program because of an innate desire to be free from harmful habits that weigh down mind, body and spirits,” she stated. “In my experience, clients often succeedwhentheytrulywant recovery for themselves. We offer many programs from which they can choose to become involved and participate. I designed the program so that clients can be introduced to all the different kinds of 12-step programs. The right ‘fit’ for a client is so important. It must engage them mentally, emotionally and spiritually. It is where they will find their community. I know from personal experience that a variety of different modalities helped me. We engage each client on an individual basis to help them curate a foundation for their recovery,” Foster said.

Personal Battle

Observing Foster’s vast accomplishments, one would never fathom such a highly educated and motivated Chickasaw woman would ever suffer a drug crisis.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from California State University San Bernardino. Foster earned a master’s degree in social work from California Baptist University, located inRiverside.Shehasreceived her credentials as a therapist (ACSW). She is a certified first responder counselor. Foster also received extended training in the modality of EMDR(eyemovementdesensitization and reprocessing), so she can help clients better address their traumas.

“Like many of us in recovery, I was a ‘troubled child.’ I gave birth to my daughter, Anita, at 16 and my son, Anthony, when I was 19,” she said. “I maintained sobriety for 12 years through their adolescence. I was in the throes of my drug addiction for most of my teenage years, but I experienced brief periods of sobriety during my pregnancies and after the children were born.”

She did break free and began pursuing her educational goals. Then, divorce, homelessness and car repossession contributed to a relapse of abuse. Her Chickasaw mother took over rearing her teenage children for the nine months it took her to put the pieces back together slowly and purposely to beat addiction, again.

Deeply moved by her experience, she wanted to help people beat the deadly effects of addiction.

“It’s that unconquered and unconquerable spirit of Chickasaws. We are all warriors. Our ancestors were warriors,” Foster said. “I know what activities and programs helped me the most. I wanted to make my experience available to those wishing to change their lives for the better.

“I like to say I’m a student of life,” she said with a laugh. “I want to constantly learn. I wanttolearnandunderstand everything.

“I chose my career in the recovery industry because I genuinely care and wanted to give back what was so freely given to me. My personal journey led me to a path that allows me to help others struggling with substance use to find freedom. I have found out authentic, lasting recovery does not take place until there has been deep healing of the mind, body and spirit. Bravely working on all three is the key that unlocks the door that holds us prisoner to our addictions,” she observed.

Professional Triumph

Foster’s Palo Verde Wellness Center celebrated its first birthday in June 2023.

Success came extremely fast.

Both the IHS contract and Medi-Cal contracts were inked within the first six months the treatment center opened. Medi-Cal is California’s state-managed medical carrier for those who cannot financially bear the expensive burden of private health insurance.

“Everyone here is highly educated and a vigorously trained professional in treating substance abuse. We all are heavily involved with the community. We are trusted, we open our hearts to clients. We get to know them, watch them, encourage them and assist in their journey to sobriety,” Foster explained.

“One of the best traits of this staff is we open ourselves up to the pain our clients are suffering. But our industry is different because we also understand – sometimes – we must mourn them. We subject ourselves to pain and risk heartbreaking emotions every time we walk through the doors.”

Foster explained the immense joy that overwhelms her whenever she hears laughter emerging from a group room near her office. “I know they say laughter is the best medicine, but when I hear laughter, it is so satisfying because hurt, pain, confusion and worry are tied to clients. My favorite experience professionally is when a client becomes a peer.”

She is not a proponent of all typical addiction treatments or remedies. In fact, Foster believes the “basis of all addiction is trauma.”

If the trauma goes unaddressed, the client will have a more difficult time breaking free.

“Many clients are quite surprised that interactions they considered completely normal in their upbringing could traumatize them. If we do not treat the underlying trauma, it’s like putting a Band-Aid on a bullet wound,” she observed.

Happy Endings

It was a wild, emotional ride for Foster. Addicted twice but determined to beat it, she met her husband, Kody, in her addiction, and they entered recovery together. Even sharing a sobriety date, she jokingly calls him her sobriety twin.

“He supports me so much, particularly when I do crazy things like earning a master’s degree while working full time running a recovery center,” she explained with a heartfelt laugh.

The children were reunited with her and are now grown. Her daughter is now the program manager for Palo Verde Wellness Center, and they work together sideby- side every day. Her son is currentlyattendingaUniversity in Southern California.

Foster believes in selfcare.

“The stresses and emotions of doing this can take a toll on everyone. You must get away from it and heal yourself,” she said with an emphatic tone. “I enjoy hiking, and we go to pow wows here.” She also tends the fires at a First American sweat lodge for women.

She watches Chickasaw cultural videos and recently constructed her first ribbon skirt. “I’m pretty pleased with it, too. It looks great, and I enjoy wearing it.” The entire family will be attending their first Chickasaw AnnualMeetingandFestival this October.

But what she loves the most, her greatest desire outsideofherwork,isgoingto estate sales, flea markets and yard sales to see if someone’s discarded trinkets are a treasure to her. Foster describes the décor of her home as a “weird little museum. I’ve refurbished and reupholstered many antique pieces that we use every day,” she said proudly.

And you can watch the sheer delight of her adventures by going to YouTube and searching “Millennial Treasure Hunters.” Foster and her children have posted several videos of their adventures bidding on abandoned storage spaces, hoping, wishing, laughing and pouring over “stuff” in hopes of finding a treasure. They also have a TikTok under “Millennialtreasurehunters,” where small snippets of videos and other exciting shots are shown.

Indeed, she and her husband, Kody, are shown in one of the videos tearing into a safe with a hammer, screwdriver and pry bar. Basically, it contained two $2 bills, but the unit was full of computers, brand new clothes and machinery to print T-shirts. Her daughter Anita stays behind the camera and records all the video, edits it and uploads it.

Foster enthusiastically beckons viewers to join her in thesearchandexplainswhen a valuable item is discovered or expresses gratitude for items merely “cute,” not valuable.

The family is learning the Chickasawlanguagethrough Chickasaw AYA app. “My husband and kids and I are having a lot of fun with the Chickasaw app. We have a family competition going on and really enjoy learning words in Chickasaw and unlocking new parts of the story.”

“I am currently following the elder story. My husband picked the farmer, my son picked the warrior, and my daughter is doing the lawman’s journey.”

For more information on the app, visit Chickasaw. net/AYA.