Danielle Dass, PhD, LCSW’s Post

Mental wellness is just as important as physical well-being

Today, at the doctor with my teen felt different‼️ About one in three (34%) Black women who used health care in the past three years report that a negative experience with a health care provider resulted in worse health (13%), them being less likely to seek care (19%), and/or them switching providers (27%). So teaching her how to advocate for herself with healthcare providers is a privilege I don’t take lightly. It's important to empower our loved ones to speak up and ask questions about their health, both physical and mental. Encouraging open communication and self-advocacy skills from a young age can make a world of difference in healthcare. Let's break the stigma and prioritize wellness for our children as well as ourselves. You can Speak To Me about mental health 🫂 #BreakTheStigma #MentalWellness #ParentingJourney #EmpowerYourChild #HealthcareEquality #CommunicationIsKey #SupportingEachOther #Advocacy #Empowerment #HealthcareAdvocacy #ParentingGoals #SupportingLovedOnes #SelfAdvocacy #MentalHealthMatters Source: KFF Survey on Racism, Discrimination, and Health (June 6-August 14, 2023).

Rethinking Representation in Government: A Call for Inclusive Voices In today’s world, many voices still go unheard. To solve the problems we face as a society, we need a government that truly represents all of us. It’s time to rethink how we approach representation—not just by age, gender, or occupation, but by addressing the specific challenges and experiences faced by groups like: Children and teenagers Single parents and families Seniors and individuals with chronic illnesses Those impacted by mental health, addiction, or tragedy By creating a government that listens to all these voices, we can craft policies that are more inclusive, compassionate, and effective. Representation should be about bringing the voices of the marginalized to the forefront, not just the loudest or most powerful. It’s not about adding more divisions—it’s about ensuring everyone is heard. How do you think we can bring more inclusive representation into our governance structures? #Leadership #Diversity #Inclusivity #PolicyChange #Government

🌍 Human Rights Day 2024: Mental Health is a Human Right 🌍 On December 10, we commemorate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a landmark moment in the global fight for equality, justice, and dignity for all. Yet, for many in BIPOC communities, the fight for basic rights—like access to mental health care—remains an uphill battle. Did you know? Mental health is recognized as a fundamental human right, yet systemic barriers, stigma, and a lack of culturally competent care prevent countless individuals from accessing the support they need. For Black and Latinx youth, these disparities are particularly pronounced, leaving them without the tools to heal and thrive. At ROH, we believe that mental health equity is a cornerstone of human rights. Through culturally aligned programs like Hip Hop Counseling Theory, we provide creative outlets for self-expression, healing, and empowerment. Our mission is to bridge the gaps that leave communities underserved and to honor the resilience of those who continue to fight for their right to wellness. ✨ This Human Rights Day, let’s commit to:  ✅ Breaking the stigma around mental health. ✅ Advocating for accessible, equitable mental health care for all. ✅ Supporting programs that uplift and empower marginalized communities. 🔗 Together, we can honor human rights by ensuring that no one is left behind. Follow us to learn how you can help bridge the gap for BIPOC youth. #HumanRightsDay #MentalHealthIsARight #ROH #CloseTheGap #BIPOCMentalHealth #MentalHealthEquity #SupportBIPOC #HealingThroughArt #BreakTheStigma #CommunityHealing #BIPOCMentalHealth #BlackMentalHealth #ClosetheGap #HealingWhileBlack #IndigenousMentalHealth #LatinxMentalHealth #MentalHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #MentalHealthCrisis #MentalHealthEquality #MentalHealthMatters #POCMentalHealth #ROH #RhythmsofHealing #SelfCareForPOC #StopStigma

A message from Sarah Jalbert, ICH's Executive Director, on the basic beliefs that underpin our work: "-ICH stands against all forms of hatred, racism, bigotry, sexism, and gender-based oppression -ICH believes that all people, regardless of identity, deserve dignity and respect -ICH believes that health and wellbeing should be within reach for every single person  -ICH is committed to standing in allyship with organizations working to ensure these principles are put into action in their communities" Please follow the link to read the full post on ICH's path forward, following the 2024 election: https://lnkd.in/eKCWrGnN

www.shareflame.com/shop Pre-order your copy of Daring to Dismantle: Audaciously Addressing Race and Caste in Betrayal Trauma today! Vanessa R. Gaston Community Services Director says, "If you’re truly going to address inequities and disproportionality, you must examine the intersection between race and class. The mere thought that someone’s status and value is a scribed at birth based on his/her/their social and economic standing is the definition of a caste system. Now consider the social and legal construct of a racial hierarchy that’s designed to have one race more superior than another simply based on skin color with those having darker skin at the bottom. You can look at any set of data and it will show that black and brown people living in poverty have the poorest outcomes across all health indicators. These outcomes can be predicted based on institutional structures and policies put in place to ensure certain populations remain poor and oppressed. This is why it’s imperative that social change is needed to address these disparities and injustices. This work can be done in many forms, but the best strategy has always been through strategic community organizing. Yet, many efforts today leave out the very communities they are trying to assist. When strategies and outcomes are developed and driven by the community impacted, the buy-in to work towards those outcomes is better and the results are better. This can only be done through effective community organizing that includes people with lived experience and trusted advocates. We need to trust that communities of color living in poverty know what they need to thrive and improve the quality of life for them and their families. I appreciate Dr. Debra (Debi) Jenkins for delving into this topic and creating courageous space for much needed dialogue on the issue." #trauma #traumahealing #racism #sexism #systemicoppression #betrayaltrauma #betrayaltraumarecovery #africanamerican #Caste #mentalhealth #MentalHealthMattersEveryDay #mentalhealthawareness

🌈 "When I worked as a psychiatrist in West Hollywood, 90% of my patients were LGBTQIA+. It was both wild and refreshing to hear them discuss things they would never say to any other psychiatrist. There is a therapeutic advantage that diversity offers when it comes to mental health treatment." - Larry Ozowara, MD, VP of Care Delivery at Mantra (he/him/his, gay, Nigerian American) Representation matters. Not only do you want to provide gender-affirming and culturally competent care, but you also want to be able to connect students with clinical providers who have shared identities and lived experiences. In celebration of #PrideMonth and in support of your LGBTQIA+ students, take an assessment of your current provider group - do you have providers with different backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences? If not, how can you expand your network? How can you make your offerings more diverse and inclusive of your unique student populations? Need some ideas? Reach out to us at partner@mantrahealth.com. 🏳️🌈

Describing someone as "strong" isn't always a compliment and here's why. 💪🏽 Pressure and Expectations. Being labeled as "strong" can create pressure to always appear resilient and capable, even when one is struggling or in need of support. This can make it harder for individuals to seek help or express vulnerability. 💪🏽 Neglect of Emotional Needs. When people are seen as strong, others can overlook their emotional needs, assuming they can handle everything on their own. This can lead to a lack of support and empathy. 💪🏽 Minimizing Struggles. The compliment can minimize the difficulties and efforts involved in building and maintaining that strength. Sometimes we don't want to be "strong". #strong #blackwomen

At For All Counseling, we believe in a world where every person is seen, heard, and valued. As a nonprofit offering mental health evaluations for people navigating immigration and asylum processes, we are committed to ensuring that all individuals have access to fair treatment and due process in our legal system. Our work is built on objective, evidence-based evaluations—never to influence the outcome of a case, but to ensure every voice has the opportunity to be heard. We know that systems in the United States were historically built around white privilege, and we are dedicated to challenging these inequities. We stand: 🚫 AGAINST hateful speech and divisive rhetoric 🚫 AGAINST discrimination, racism, bigotry, sexism, and the marginalization of any person By standing up for inclusion and justice, we aim to create a path to a fairer, more compassionate world. Together, we can increase equity within our legal and mental health systems. #DueProcess #InclusionMatters #NonprofitImpact

Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, has been recognized since 2021 as a federal holiday commemorating the official emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States. The day that the Emancipation Proclamation took full effect was in 1865 on June 19th, thus our holiday. Today is a day we celebrate freedom and seek equality and equity in our workplaces and communities. We are advocates for individuals to find further freedom in better mental health through treatment. We provide inclusive and equitable care both in-person and online. Make an appointment with us today: https://okt.to/L8svZ4 Medicare and Blue Cross Blue Shield are Accepted. #juneteenth #freedomday #emancipationday #fcps #teletherapy #telehealth #onlinecounseling #mentalhelathhelp #mentalhealthhelponline #equitablementalhealthcare #inclusivecarecenters #inclusivementalhealthcare #freeyourmind #mentalhealthtreatment #mentalhealthrecovery #traumatreatment #substanceusetreatment #eatingdisordertreatment #livefree