Be the Medicine

Founder & Chairperson, Hozho Voices of Healing Center, Inc.

School Psychologist | Counselor | Indigenous Healing Advocate

 

Dr. Alta Piechowski-Begay is a proud Diné (Navajo) woman of the Zuni Edgewater clan, with ancestral ties to the Red House, Honeycomb, and Towering House clans. A lifelong advocate for Indigenous wellness and education, she is the founder and Chairperson of Hozho Voices of Healing Center, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering sustainable Diné families and communities through culturally grounded healing, education, and revitalization.

 

With more than 30 years of experience as a school psychologist, counselor, and special education administrator, Dr. Piechowski-Begay brings a rare and powerful blend of professional expertise and traditional knowledge. Her work integrates traditional Diné healing practices with contemporary mental health therapies to address intergenerational trauma and support holistic well-being for Indigenous youth and families.

​

She holds a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) from Arizona State University, where her dissertation focused on classroom resiliency and Diné student perceptions. She also earned a Master’s degree in School Psychology from Utah State University, a Master’s in Counseling from Western New Mexico University, and a Bachelor’s in Human Services and Native American Studies from the University of Minnesota-Morris.

​

Dr. Piechowski-Begay has served in multiple leadership and clinical roles, including:

• School Psychologist and Counselor in public schools across the Navajo Nation

• Clinical Director of Navajo Nation Behavioral Health

• Counselor at the Native American Center for Community Action

​

Her areas of expertise include Indigenous healing practices and historical trauma recovery, school psychology and special education, mental health counseling, reality therapy, land-based healing and agropastoral lifeways, and Diné language and cultural revitalization.

Rooted in the Diné principles of K’é (kinship) and Hoózhó (harmony and balance), Dr. Piechowski-Begay envisions the Hozho Voices of Healing Center as an intergenerational space where ancestral wisdom and modern practices come together to heal, empower, and sustain Diné communities.

 

Fluent in the Diné language and deeply connected to traditional teachings, she is a visionary leader working to ensure a resilient and culturally thriving future for her people.