The Time is Now! A Radio Show That Speaks to Mental Health Topics in the African American Community

“Welcome to the Healing-Circle Radio Show, where we support, connect, and share!” This is the opening for my weekly radio show on iHeart Radio, Hallelujah1600AM. The show focuses on mental health topics in the African American community. There is a need for mental health programing for this audience due to America’s current predicament. With the election results hitting many of us with shock, fear, and disbelief we must come together to heal. But with healing comes fighting, fighting for our way of life, our health, and our families to thrive in the 2000’s and beyond. Not only has the election heightened paranoia in many communities around the United States, there is a stigma of mental health in the African American community. 13.2% of the U.S. population identifies as Black or African American, of those, over 16% had a diagnosable mental illness in the past year (taken from http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/african-american-mental-health). The percentage of African Americans going to and completing college continues to increase and Black owned businesses in the United States has increased 34.5% between 2007 and 2012 (taken from http://blackdemographics.com/economics/black-owned-businesses/). Black professionals continue to thrive, however, racism continues to have an impact on the mental health of Blacks. White people make up roughly 62% of the population in the United States but only about 49% of those who are killed by police officers. African Americans, however, account for 24% of those shot and killed by the police despite being just 13 % of the United States population (taken from https://www.washingtonpost.com/).

African Americans need a voice, resources to apply in our daily life, and support in our relationships, professional growth, and raising our children. For these reasons I’m so excited about the show! We will be talking about couples healing through getting counseling, healing through talking to your teen, and healing through finding your professional purpose. Within these topics, dealing with in-laws, effective communication, and texting and your teen will be explored. Listeners have a chance to write in to the show and share their thoughts, questions, and comments. It’s an interactive show that is doing its part to make a change in an ever changing world. Join us on Saturdays at 5:30pm!

St. Louis Listeners: 1600AM.
Online: http://hallelujah1600.iheart.com/
Phone app: http://news.iheart.com/features/get-the-iheartradio-app-240/.

Please note, this week the show will air on Sunday, 11/20, at 9:30am

Psychological Trauma, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder & The Current State of Race in America

In 2016 it’s hard to come to the realization that we have so far to go when talking about race relations, politics, and religion in this country. It seems many cannot agree to respect each other’s differences. Social media highlights the pervasiveness of the issues. It affects us all differently. Some decide not to view their social media outlets temporarily, fearing they’ll read about another tragedy. Others would rather avoid the uncomfortableness and focus on positive happenings in their life, family members, and friends. It’s important to note that everyone is different, with unique family dynamics, values, and beliefs. Expecting each of us to cope with life’s struggles in a similar fashion is unrealistic.

As an African American woman, it’s important for me to post information about the importance of self care for African Americans, and when working with African Americans, to help protect our mental health when dealing with race issues in America. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a disorder that many associate with combat veterans. However, an estimated 7.8 percent of Americans will experience PTSD at some point in their lives, with women (10.4%) twice as likely as men (5%) to develop PTSD. Additionally, about 3.6 percent of adults in this country aged 18 to 54 (5.2 million people) have PTSD during the course of a given year (http://www.ptsd.ne.gov/what-is-ptsd.html).

There has been an increase in research on race related experiences as it pertains to PTSD, particularly for African Americans. Racism-related experiences that African Americans in this country encounter on a daily basis range from subtle micro aggressions to blatant violence and verbal abuse. Micro aggressions can be defined as vague insults or non-verbal exchanges, such as a woman holding her purse tightly when she walks into an elevator with a black person. These experiences take place not only in spaces where African Americans are minorities but also in predominantly black spaces. Dr. Monnica T Williams wrote in a Psychology Today article that these experiences create unpredictable anxiety and paranoia for African Americans (https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/culturally-speaking/201509/the-link-between-racism-and-ptsd). Coupled with these experiences, some African Americans are reminded of the long affects of terrible race relations between African Americans and the rest of the country via oppressed communities, broken down schools, lack of healthcare and job opportunities, wrongful arrests and mistreatment in and outside of their communities. These events can be summed up as frequent, ongoing psychological trauma.

So, if you are reading this, feel exhausted, distressed, angry, confused, and sometimes hopeless with what you experience and see on a frequent basis around the issue of race in America or know someone feeling these symptoms, consider these steps from JustJasmineBlog.com to help you with this psychological trauma (http://justjasmineblog.com/self-care-for-people-of-color-after-emotional-and-psychological-trauma/):

1.Mindful Isolation. Disconnect from triggering interactions or other situations that may increase anxiety. We all need a break sometimes. Maybe it’s time to take a social media break or a personal day from work to disconnect.

2. Discharge Energy. Find ways to exert energy. Exercise, a nice walk outside, journaling, yoga or meditation are great ways to discharge energy.

3. Community. Connect with people who you’ve identified as empathic, supportive, and help you process your feelings.

These are great steps toward self care. However, if you need further help don’t be afraid to ask. It’s okay to not be okay. With more research to support and normalize these realities find comfort in knowing you are not alone.

Postpartum Depression: The Shameful Secret

Yesterday during my usual perusal of Facebook I came across an article on a young woman who committed suicide. She was a new mother and experiencing postpartum depression. After reading the article I began to mentally travel back in time. I have a 7 and 9 year old. I remember, vividly, being pregnant with my first born, up until my youngest was 2 years old, being in a fog. Those were the hardest 4 years of my life. I, like the woman in the article, experienced postpartum depression.

Even to this day it’s hard for me to think back on that time. I would rather forget it, push it away. I still have shame and disappointment, as I hoped that time would be one of the best in my life. However, it wasn’t. It was a nightmare.

Postpartum depression seems to be a mystery to many people. I’ve often heard other women quickly chime in when I share my story and say they’ve experienced postpartum depression right after their baby was born as well. I hate to admit it, but it makes me cringe sometimes when I hear other woman talk about the first few weeks of motherhood, referring to their “baby blues” as if it was postpartum depression. It is important to highlight, there is a huge difference between the “baby blues” and postpartum depression. For this reason, women who have experienced this mood disorder often feel even more alienated when trying to share their stories because it is far from the “baby blues” symptoms most women experience.

After having a baby it is very common for a woman to experience the “baby blues” due to the hormone changes that occur after delivery. The baby blues can last a week or two, starts about 5-7 days after the baby is born, and usually goes away on its own. The symptoms can include feelings of worry, unhappiness, and fatigue. It affects 80% of mothers (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/postpartum-depression-facts/index.shtml). However, postpartum depression can be extreme and sometimes interfere with a woman’s ability to care for herself or her family. It occurs in nearly 15 percent of births and can begin shortly before or anytime after birth. Most importantly, it usually begins between a week and a month AFTER delivery (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/postpartum-depression-facts/index.shtml). Therefore, when other woman are starting to feel better from the baby blues the postpartum victim starts to go to an even darker place.

Unfortunately, some women are at greater risk for developing postpartum depression. Someone who has struggled with depression before, or has had family members who have struggled with the mood disorder or other mental illness may be at risk. Additionally, a stressful event during pregnancy or shortly after can trigger symptoms. In my case, my first pregnancy was unexpected, I had experienced depression in my early 20’s and I had traumatic birth experiences with both children. I was the poster child for postpartum depression.

In my early stages I thought I was going crazy, having visions of dropping my newborn or accidentally hurting him that consumed me. I couldn’t get the thoughts out of my head and I wasn’t sleeping. Would my baby die if I fell asleep? What if I died in my sleep, who would care for this newborn baby? The level of anxiety and lows I felt were consuming and to top it off I wouldn’t talk about it with anyone, not even my husband.

After about 3 months in bed nearing the end of my second pregnancy and after the delivery where we thought we may lose our son, my husband finally suggested medication. His concern prompted me to get some help. I started my own counseling and, with support, I started to feel better. It took awhile, but it got better. That is so important to remember. It gets better.

So, if you are reading this and experiencing postpartum know that it gets better and get help! You are not alone. Having a baby can be the best and worst thing that happens to you. Your emotions, your independence, your self esteem, and your identity as a woman, to name a few, are turned upside down. Don’t think you have to be super woman. Get in a group with other women experiencing postpartum, talk to a counselor, and your partner. The silence only makes it more palpable. Don’t stay in silence, get the help you and your family deserves.

Are you or a loved one experiencing postpartum depression? Do you need someone to talk to? For counseling services please contact me at [email protected], www.healing-circle.org.

Lochte and His Crew Lie…Just Another Day For the Privileged

What can I say. This is unfortunately, the American Way. What makes this incident so typical is the level of excuses that American writers and some of the American public have made for these guys. The fact that some Americans are dismissing this incident and saying its not a big deal is embarrassing. This foursome disrespected the Olympic games and this incident just highlights a bigger problem, the double standard for White Privilege.

This is typical frat boy, entitled behavior that needs to be checked. The most unfortunate part of this moment is this could be a growing opportunity for our country, to hold ourselves accountable, to humble ourselves. Unfortunately, it looks like more of the same. Does the Stanford rape case ring a bell? These guys will probably not lose much of anything because of their actions. As endorsement deals, reality show contracts, and fans roll in supporting their every move, these guys will most likely go on to live the lucrative, untouchable life they have grown accustomed to and it’s nothing new.

We all know that having the Olympics in Brazil was said to be a mistake. Brazil is widely known for their crime and some Americans believed having the Olympic games there would threaten the lives of our Olympians. Just this past May the New York Post rolled out an article stating that Rio De Janeiro was too dangerous for the Olympics. So, of course these four knew they could say they were armed at gun point and know one would question them. Who cares if it leaves a stain on Brazil. Who cares if they urinated on the gas pumps. Who cares if they vandalized the gas station bathroom. Where is the empathy for the people of Brazil? It’s a microcosm of America’s lying legacy.

So, what can we do? We need to continue to speak out on these injustices, writing their financial backers and boycotting products and services they endorse. If the United States, at large, will not hold them accountable, we the people must. I’ve been very proud of the comments I’ve read from fellow Americans on the matter in various articles on the topic. Many people agree with my sentiments and don’t want to stand for this type of behavior. Living an authentic life means speaking your truth even when it’s difficult. What’s your truth when it comes to this incident? Do you think Lochte, Conger, Bentz, and Feigen deserve a pass? If you had a child that acted in this manner would you just let it go, saying boys will be boys? It’s important for each of us to ask ourselves these questions.

Spirituality, Accepting Life’s Natural Transitions

Life isn’t easy.  We all have an allotted amount of time to live on this earth.  For some of us, it’s long–lasting close to 100 years.  For others, it seems that time is cut too short–only experiencing life on earth for several years.  Dying is something that some never talk about, even though it’s integral to our existence.  We all, in fact, will die one day.  No longer being a part of this world is terrifying for some of us.  Others are able to accept it and embrace all that has happened, is happening, and will happen.  
 
Whenever I meet with clients for the first time, I assess their spiritual values.  Some believe in God, some believe in a higher being, some believe we are connected to all living things, and some believe that once we take our last breath on earth there is nothing else.  Whatever the belief, it is a healthy practice to become at peace with the cycle of life and to gain a foundation in spiritual values.  
 
In this life, we cannot guarantee anything.  One minute we are living our best life, the next we are preparing for the unknown.  If we do not ground ourselves and become comfortable with our beliefs, whatever they are, we will have fear and anxiety about the unknown.  For many of my clients who have passed the early 20’s transition, I encourage them to go on a spiritual journey and become connected with their beliefs.  After all, we cannot run away from what is truth.  All of us will die one day.  Understanding spiritual beliefs and working towards acceptance of the transition from physical existence allows us room to live our best lives, while we still can.  It also allows us to connect with others on a deeper level.  

Making A Difference In Chicago, Congressman Danny Davis

This weekend I had the pleasure to be a part of Congressman Danny Davis Town Hall Meeting to discuss the state of today’s youth. The meeting took place at the Johnnie L. Miller Abundant Life Center on the West Side of Chicago. There was a panel of social workers, law enforcement, and community activists present to hear what the youth had to say about the violence in their communities. The purpose of the event was to come together to brainstorm conflict resolution.

The Town Hall Meeting was interactive and many of the youth in attendance participated by sharing their ideas on how the city can affect change for at risk youth. Immediately when I arrived I felt connected to comments and opinions of all who participated. For me, the take away from the day was that we all need to challenge our perceptions about the violence in our communities. Get involved in the community. Mentor and advocate for youth programs. As the old saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child. Violence is often times learned so access to resources and positive activities for children are imperative to affect change. Let’s join Congressman Danny Davis to make a change in Chicago.

http://www.davis.house.gov

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The Counseling Profession, Constantly Evolving

This past Friday, I had the privilege of visiting the graduate students of the Northwestern Family Institute to talk about the counseling job market. The graduate students were engaged and had great questions about the field of counseling. Many of the questions addressed the challenges of finding a job in counseling, the importance of setting long-term professional goals, and fears associated with a lack opportunities following graduation.

As a guest at the Family Institute, I was excited about the direction of the counseling field and the new professionals that will soon be making a difference in mental health. The counseling field is constantly evolving and students are being challenged by new curriculum incorporating multiculturalism, empathy skills, and new and improved specializations.

Some of the highlighted points from my visit were:

LinkedIn – Joyce Marter, owner of Urban Balance, says that you should make sure you get endorsements on your LinkedIn when you can and keep it updated.

First impressions – Voicemails may be your first introduction to a possible employer before they meet you face to face. Joyce says, make sure your voicemail is professional. Additionally, the tone of phone interviews should be welcoming.

Your contribution – Think about how you can be an asset to the organization and prepare to talk about it in your face to face interview.

Networking and mentorship – It is very important to network in the field of counseling. Connecting with other professionals in the field can offer support and guidance. However, there is balance between keeping in touch with someone you want to connect with and being intrusive.

Get involved with your professional counseling association. Attend their workshops and networking events. It’s a great way to meet other professionals in the field. The Illinois Counseling Associate (ICA) and Illinois Mental Health Counseling Association (IMHCA) are just two examples of great organizations where you can get involved.

Google yourself. Now in the 2016’s employers are sure to be curious about your online presence.

Do your own work. If you are going to work in the counseling field, it’s imperative that you understand your own work. It’s okay to highlight the personal benefits to counseling and support while keeping boundaries in tact.

Change is hard. Change is anxiety filling and can be uncomfortable. However, it is nice to see new counselors stepping up to the challenge, ready to take the field by storm. I am proud to be a part of their experiences.

Toolbox for Anxiety

When clients visit me for their anxiety, I tell them that having a toolbox to manage their anxiety symptoms is essential. However, techniques to help with anxiety only work when we can accept our symptoms and be present with them instead of fighting against them. This is the first step to introducing tools to help with anxiety.

Incorporating mindfulness is a great tool to practice in order to help with anxiety symptoms. Mindfulness is a meditation technique where the participant practices observing their thoughts and feelings in a nonjudgmental way. Instead of trying to ignore the feelings and thoughts, they are acknowledged and observed so the participant can gain insight and awareness. There are many great books on the topic, as well as mobile apps that you can download. The key is practice, practice, practice! I always tell my clients to think of using mindfulness for their anxiety like training for a marathon, especially if they have an anxiety inducing event coming up. Mindfulness should be practiced until the client is comfortable with the necessary steps to be present and nonjudgmental about their thoughts that may spiral them into a panic attack.

After repeated practice of mindfulness, there are many other tools that can be incorporated with managing anxiety. Some of these include:

-Deep Breathing. While mindfulness meditation incorporates deep breathing, the exercise on its own can also be helpful. Taking slow, long, deep, breaths can ease some of the symptoms of anxiety.

-Counting. Rate your anxiety (1-10, 10 being unbearable) then start counting backwards from 100 and then rate your anxiety again. If your anxiety is an 8 or higher, repeat.

-Spelling. Rate your anxiety (1-10, 10 being unbearable) then browse the environment and start spelling objects backwards. After 3-5 objects rate your anxiety again. If it is an 8 or higher, repeat.

-Envision a safe place. Your safe place should be somewhere you’ve been that you love or somewhere you’ve always wanted to go. After becoming more comfortable with your mindfulness practice you can incorporate a safe place. As you practice, this place should become more detailed. When experiencing your anxiety go to your safe place. Close your eyes and start to focus on the details of this place (i.e. smells, textures, temperatures).

Anxiety is not something that has to take over our lives. It can be managed with practice, patience, and acceptance. It is important for someone experiencing moderate to severe anxiety to share their symptoms with their health care providers and seek the necessary support systems to manage anxiety symptoms.

#BlackLivesMatter: An Issue of Advocacy

As psychotherapists, we often hear the term advocacy; taking action on behalf of our clients and disadvantaged populations. When we talk about advocacy, it is important to include the African American community to the list of populations needing support. Recently, the names of Sandra Bland, Michael Brown, and Eric Garner have become part of the collective conscience of America’s race dialogue. They, and many others, stand as examples of African Americans dying while in a conflict with the police. Did they do something wrong? Were they perceived as a threat? What really happened in these cases? Sometimes their accounts are captured on video. Other times, all we are left with is hearsay. No matter the circumstance, we are all reminded that oppression exists in our society. Oppression is defined as pervasive prejudice with power. Power is then used to limit or hinder access to societal rights from those identified lacking power (Sanders, 1999). If we agree that oppression exists, then we, as therapists, must strive to educate ourselves and others on these issues and start the hard conversations about racial oppression in America.

I recall the incident that spawned the #BlackLivesMatter campaign some 3 years ago. I still feel numb every time I hear the name Trayvon Martin or see his face in an article. As the mother of two young African American boys, I recognize that they could have been Trayvon. As a person of color, the last few years have been an unforgettable reminder about the prevalence of racism, oppression, and denial that permeates our society. As a nation, we are still not talking about these issues openly. The #BlackLivesMatter campaign has highlighted a critical nerve in the American narrative. It has inspired many to speak up for civil and human rights through local and citywide protests. As psychotherapists, we have a duty to keep this conversation relevant. We are taught how important it is to advocate for the underserved and this should be no different. If you are reading this and you’re asking yourself what you can do to advocate against racism and oppression here are a few resources to help you get involved:

Illinois African American Coalition For Prevention
http://ilaacp.org/advocacy/
ILAACP is a statewide, membership-based organization that strengthens prevention systems, policies, and programs in underserved communities through cultural-relevant research, training, and advocacy.

Black Lives Matter
http://blacklivesmatter.com
Active and organized protests broadening the conversation around state violence to address basic human rights and dignity.

A Knock at Midnight

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There mission is to uplift, empower, and change the conditions of the black communities of America. They are committed to family advocacy, teen outreach, workforce outreach, and computer literacy.

Boys & Girls Club of America
http://www.bgca.org/whoweare/Pages/WhoWeAre.aspx
Provides a safe place for youth to have ongoing relationships with caring, adult professionals.

Kids Off The Block
http://www.kobchicago.org
Is a multi-service program that works with “at-risk” youth in Chicago, to create a positive environment where they can be creative and cultivate skills while celebrating their accomplishments.

Teamwork Englewood
http://www.teamworkenglewood.org/index.html
This organization has an African American Male Initiative for 10 – 18 year olds, amongst other programs.

Hip Hop Detox
http://www.hiphopdetoxx.org
This organization helps cancel out the negative imaging constantly fed to urban youth through media and aggressive marketing campaigns.

Whether speaking with a client or colleague, make it a point to acknowledge issues of oppression or racism that may be present. It may sound obvious, but it’s not. Advocacy can ignite change. This work may bring up uncomfortable feelings on the topic, but these challenges work towards the greater good. If we don’t challenge ourselves to explore these issues, then we are not upholding ourselves as multiculturally competent counselors. Let’s continue the conversation.

What is anxiety and what are symptoms of a panic attack?

As a psychotherapist one of my specialities is anxiety. I have worked with many clients presenting with generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and illness anxiety to name a few. Anxiety can have a wide variety of symptoms and some of them may be physical. Here are some common symptoms:

-aches and tense muscles
-trouble falling asleep or staying asleep
-feeling on edge, “keyed up”
-being angry or irritable
-worrying about everyday decisions for several days in a row
-feeling like something bad is going to happened
-difficulty concentrating

The key symptom for moderate to severe anxiety is constant worry. People with this type of anxiety worry often about current and future life events. Symptoms can cause the worrier to feel as if their thoughts are debilitating and they may find it hard to complete simple, everyday tasks. These clients may avoid certain places or things and pull away from other people and become more isolated. It is also typical to have someone with extreme anxiety have trouble with assertive communication and present more passive in work and social interactions. Their focus is on what isn’t going well and what could go wrong.

Some people with anxiety also experience panic attacks. It is important to note the difference between anxiety and a panic attack. Some of the symptoms for a panic attack include:

-trembling or shaking
-difficulty catching your breath
-heart pounding
-dizziness
-sweating
-feeling fatigued
-tingling in arms, hands, and legs

To reduce anxiety symptoms it is important to first recognize and accept the symptoms, which can be hard for many clients. Many people who suffer with anxiety have a lot of shame around their symptoms so acceptance is the first step. Counseling is a great tool to support clients and educate them on how they can live with anxiety. Additionally, physical activity, eating healthy meals, and following a strict sleep routine can help reduce symptoms. There are also many smartphone apps to help clients practice relaxation techniques that can be done in the shower, at night before bed, or during the morning commute to work. Anxiety doesn’t have to take over someones life and with support and practice can be managed.