This October 10th is World Mental Health Day – a day when we focus on mental health as a human right across the globe, advocate for more resources to support those in need, and work to destigmatize accessing care.
This year, to celebrate, I want to highlight the amazing work the Cypress team has been doing in partnership with the California Department of Public Health’s Office of Refugee Health and our friends at the Center for Immigrant and Refugee Health. This project supports community-based organizations providing peer counseling, group wellness workshops, and connections to clinical mental health services to refugee communities across the state of California.
I must admit this project has been humbling, and I feel like I’m learning something new every day about what people experience when they have been forcibly displaced. There is the original trauma of the situation that forced displacement and then the re-traumatization of the resettlement process itself. There is a new culture and language to learn, families may be separated with little means to communicate, and people may be facing a lot of uncertainty. When it comes to mental health, many may be challenged by cultural barriers like stigma, deep fears of government agencies asking for confirmation of personal information, and a lack of basic needs like stable housing.
Here are three things I have learned so far during this project:
· The role of the “trusted messenger” is critical. People are more likely to talk about their experiences and seek help if they trust the person offering that help. Having people who share language, culture, and the experiences of the population helps build trust and credibility.
· We must meet basic human needs first. When basic human needs feel uncertain, it can feel less “important” to seek peer counseling or other supports – but that doesn’t mean those services aren’t needed. Addressing things like housing, transportation, food security, access to job training, etc. – allows a person to turn their attention to their mental health needs, which can help save lives.
· Community connection is key to healing. In this country, we often believe that healing is done alone or maybe in a therapist’s office. And while therapy can be critical, communities have equally powerful healing practices. In this project, we have seen healing happen in soccer leagues, classes for youth about stress, and at events where everyone is sharing music and a meal. Community connection is important to this work, and too often, it goes unfunded.
I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to learn from such amazing communities. Click here to learn more about this year’s events, activities, and theme for World Mental Health Day.
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