Resources for Support
Filling our Cups: 4 Ways People of Color can Foster Mental Health
- De-stigmatize Mental Health - "Normalize mental health as a social justice issue by breaking down barriers to seeking help."
- Seek Culturally Competent Mental Health Services - "Find a therapist or psychiatrist of color near you through the Tessara Collective".
- Practice Self-Care
- Endorse Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies - "Seek out, research, and listen to sources of knowledge, marginalized, underserved, and neglected communities about mental health beliefs, healing, and community needs."
The Radical Politics of Self-Love and Self-Care
- Daily Affirmations - "Their words of caution or flat out rejection of our ideas form a dam inside us, blocking our ability to dream and imagine otherwise. It is precisely because of these outside forces that usurp our thoughts and feelings that we must affirm and validate ourselves on a daily basis."
- Daily Goals - "We put energy into fulfilling the goals of others all the time. When do you make time for your own goals? Setting daily goals for yourself that center your needs and desires is another act of self-love and self-care."
- Avoiding Overly Negative Interpretations - "When we choose to reinterpret painful or difficult events into something that is empowering, we are able to access peace in moments of discord and stability in times of instability. Empowering interpretations have the power to make you feel grounded when you feel the ground shifting beneath your feet. Empowering interpretations have the power to make you feel like everything will be OK when your present circumstances suggest otherwise."
Selena’s Reflection: Self Care Among Leaders of Color
"By planting seeds of resistance, preservation, resilience and solidarity for our communities, we must also plant them within ourselves. Self-care can be a tool to transform ourselves as we seek to heal and transform our communities."
Here’s What To Do If You Can’t Afford Therapy
- Call your insurance and clarify what's covered.
- Consult 211 or NAMI Helpline for help with free/affordable mental healthcare in the area.
- Find a therapist who has a sliding scale or pro bono spots, which reduces therapy cost based on situation.
- Check if your job has an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for short term mental health care, referrals, and financial advice.
- Research nearby graduate schools/teaching hospitals which may have reduced rate clinics staffed by trainees.
- Take advantage of free campus resources, and then student discounts when those run out.
- Explore mental health apps for ones that are fit for you.
Self-Care DIY: A How-To Just For You
- Accountability - "When we are not taking care of ourselves, we are not in the strongest position to support others."
- Mind - "Create rituals for yourself: a morning movement in your wheelchair or a walk, writing in your journal for five minutes before bed, a video of yourself speaking in sign language, a long shower"
- Heart - "Find a place that you can go to in order to talk about your history or present experiences."
- Spirit - "Sometimes the only space we can create is in our imagination, and that is an entirely sacred space."
- Community - "Be the change you want to see."
