I acknowledge that I live, work, and gather on the ancestral and unceded homelands of the Kumeyaay People, who have stewarded these lands, waters, and ecosystems since time immemorial. I offer my respect and gratitude to Kumeyaay Elders, past and present, and to future generations who continue to protect, revitalize, and carry forward their cultures, traditions, and ways of knowing.

I recognize that the histories of this land include colonization, forced displacement, cultural erasure, and violence. I also recognize that the United States was built through the theft of Indigenous lands and the exploitation of enslaved Africans and their descendants. I honor the resilience, contributions, and ongoing liberation movements of Black communities whose lives, labor, and histories have been systematically exploited and marginalized.

As someone who is not Indigenous to these lands, I acknowledge that I benefit from systems and structures rooted in colonization. I believe that acknowledgment alone is insufficient. I am committed to ongoing learning, accountability, and action that support Indigenous sovereignty, self-determination, cultural revitalization, and movements toward repair and justice.

As a therapist, supervisor, and consultant, I believe that healing cannot be separated from history, context, culture, and community. I am committed to challenging oppressive systems, questioning colonial and pathologizing frameworks within mental health care, and supporting practices that honor human dignity, collective care, and liberation.

I hold deep respect for the ongoing work of restoring land, language, culture, and community, and I recognize that this work belongs first and foremost to Indigenous Peoples themselves. My role is not to lead these efforts, but to remain accountable to how I participate in, benefit from, and challenge the systems that shape the world around me.