Don Lawrence Coyhis (born August 16, 1943) is an alcohol and addiction recovery counselor known for designing treatment programs primarily for Native Americans.
He is the founder and president of White Bison, Inc., a non-profit charitable organization devoted to assisting Native Americans who are affected by substance use disorders.
Both of his parents were survivors of American Indian boarding schools, an experience that left them so traumatized that they had difficulty showing affection.
"[1] As an adult, Coyhis left the reservation and in 1978 went to work for the Digital Equipment Corporation in Colorado Springs, eventually becoming senior manager.
[4] In 1990 he began doing sobriety workshops in the Idaho prison system, then quit his job in 1992 to devote his life to helping others recover from alcoholism, founding White Bison, Inc., a nonprofit charitable organization.
[6] On the Hoop journeys Coyhis recruited people recovering from alcohol dependence to act as "firestarters," leaders of Native American recovery and support groups.
[3] Firestarters may choose to lead recovery groups for men, women, Al-Anon (support for friends and relatives of alcoholics), addictions prevention and wellness for Native American boys ages 13 to 17 or for Native American girls ages 8 to 17, support for family healing, or for children of alcoholics.
Coyhis acknowledges that each individual needs to work hard to overcome drug and alcohol dependence, but cautions that a healthy sociocultural environment makes the healing process less painful and more likely to succeed.
[13] Coyhis studied the underlying causes of alcoholism, then decided to expand White Bison's mission to include drug addiction, dysfunctional families and relationships, as well as suicide.