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The South Asian community does not normalize mental health problems, nor does it normalize access to mental healthcare. More so, such care is a luxury, and there are many logistical barriers to access. Even if one were to finally reach out to a therapist, there is still an immense stigma surrounding mental health which deters people. On top of that, it is hard to find someone who the patient clicks with. Therefore, the alternative to seeing a doctor for tangibly treatable ailments appears to be much easier and is more accepted, as a result.

This says a lot about the South Asian American immigrant community. Many South Asian American immigrants came to the UK or the US as professionals. As a result, even within our South Asian communities, we hold ourselves accountable to the model minority myth. Doing a profession within healthcare that is anything other than being a medical doctor invites scrutiny and judgement.

Most concerning has been the lack of such public provisions in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even if people had insurance, it was very difficult to make an appointment with a therapist (let alone with a therapist from a similar background), regardless of whether they had the means or not. As a result, there was also an increase in children and adolescents visiting ERs after attempting suicide.

All is not doom and gloom, however. First, it is important to take this important conversation forward and ensure it continues. To get the momentum going, a social justice policy framework should be created to guide the conversation. Second, there must be active contact with legislators and directors of mental health programs to help with advocacy.

Read more at AsAmNews.com.

Indigenous youth with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and two-spirit (LGBTQ2S) identities experience high rates of violence, which may lead to harmful outcomes, such as mental health problems and substance abuse.But despite the issues faced by Indigenous LGBTQ2S youth, a recent study suggests reasons for optimism.

Katie Edwards, associate professor, CYFS and educational psychology, and Ramona Herrington, cultural outreach manager at the Interpersonal Violence Research Laboratory, recently led a project funded by an Office of Research and Development Layman Award to develop and evaluate a communitywide, culturally grounded initiative to prevent violence and reduce health disparities among Indigenous LGBTQ2S youth.

Other researchers involved in the project include Jordan Catlett, clinical therapist in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Bridget Diamond-Welch, director of research and innovation, School of Health Sciences, University of South Dakota; Lenny Hayes, founder and director of Tate Topa Consulting; April Matson, outreach coordinator, South Dakota Urban Indian Health; and Char Green Maximo, grant project manager, South Dakota Urban Indian Health.

Several UNL graduate students in Educational Psychology also participated in the research project.

The project was designed to identify the unique challenges and strengths of Lakota LGBTQ2S youth and identify culturally grounded initiatives to support their health and well-being.

Findings suggest that while Lakota LGBTQ2S youth experience a wide range of challenges — including depressive symptoms, alcohol use, trauma, bullying, teen dating violence, internalized homo/bi/transphobia and family rejection — they also possess strength and resilience.

Read more at CEHS.UNL.edu.

Paul Ongtooguk grew up witnessing countless instances where his friends were shipped off to boarding schools.

“You would just be loaded onto a plane and taken to a school,” Ongtooguk said. “A village would get emptied out during the fall of any students who were high school age eligible.”

According to a report by the University of Alaska, by 1969, at least 2,076 Alaska Native children had been enrolled in a secondary boarding school. Ongtooguk became emancipated and was able to avoid going to a boarding school, yet, the eerie memories are still there.

“I was surprised by the schools in how little they regarded the history and culture of the overwhelming majority of students who were attending the schools,” Ongtooguk said.

He recalls that every year, the numerous students committed suicide. The trauma the boarding schools caused have created a lasting impact.

On Dec. 15 2020, the Department of Justice announced they had reasonable cause to believe Alaska was violating Title II of the Americans With Disability Act “by failing to provide services to children with behavioral health disabilities in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs.”

The investigation also drew parallels between the boarding schools and the removal of youth from their hometown for mental health treatment.

“The experience of PRTF placement can be devastating for children—and uniquely so for Alaska native children, compounding the trauma of past generations when Alaska Native youth were routinely taken from their communities and sent to boarding schools, including some run by the State or the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs,” the report said.

Read more at AlaskaNewsSource.com.

Black men have a higher rate of depression and anxiety than white men, but here’s the catch; they very rarely get the help we need.

“The little bit of research that we do have says that things have gotten exponentially worse and when it comes to things like suicide attempts and suicide completions, Black men, Black boys in particular, are one of the fastest growing groups in that space,” Dr. Alfiee Breland-Noble said.

Breland-Noble is a pioneering psychologist and founder of the mental health nonprofit The AAKOMA Project. She specializes in mental health issues surrounding communities of colors. She finds that Black men are exposed to negative stereotypes about themselves that push them further to mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and even suicide.

“Black men hear that they are criminals, that they don’t take care of their children. Even though we have data that says Black men are most likely, most highly engaged non-custodial parents across all racial ethnic groups,” Breland-Noble said. “But that’s a little blip on the screen. We hear things like Black men are violent. We hear things like Black men don’t want to take care of their responsibilities. So, all of these kinds of things are these negative stereotypes, and they are just that. They are stereotypes.”

According to the American Psychological Association, only 26.4% of Black men ages 18 to 44 who experience daily feelings of anxiety or depression get help. And when they do seek help, they prefer a same race provider.

Read more at ActionNews5.com.

In order to highlight pockets of excellence across the country, the NNED selects a partner organization to highlight once a month. Centro Unido Latino Americano has been selected as the Partner of the Month for October in recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month.

Centro Unido Latino Americano is a non-profit organization focused on bridging barrier gaps such as language accessibility, food security, and accessible healthcare.

Some of the programs and services that are currently offered:

• Community Health Worker Program
• Healthy Minds of Centro Unido Mental Health Awareness
• Translation Services
• Continuing Education
• Employment Assistance

Learn more about Centro Unido Latino Americano and its mission to increase social integration, economic opportunities, and cultural justice.

View a list of previous NNED Partners of the Month.

Walking into a therapist’s office or attending a virtual teletherapy appointment for the first time is a leap of faith. You are about to share your most intimate thoughts and experiences with a stranger. Yet, when the counselor is a good fit, the work you do together can be transformative.

Skillful therapists offer you a fresh perspective and help you to identify triggers, process past trauma, and overcome long-held fears and insecurities. They also provide objective support and teach you different strategies to manage the stressors in your life.

“Psychotherapy can serve as a safe space to work through problems you may be experiencing and can help with areas in which you feel stuck or at an impasse,” says Sarah Selden, PhD, who has a private practice in New York City and is a cofounder of Greenwich Mental Health Group in Greenwich, CT.

As for the more-immediate results, effective talk therapy “can also improve your relationships and provide relief when you are suffering,” Selden says.

Especially if you are feeling a bit unsure after scheduling your initial appointment—or even after a few sessions—familiarizing yourself with different types of talk therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance commitment therapy, can go a long way toward bolstering your confidence. When you know what to expect and what your other options are, you can make better-informed decisions about your well-being.

Read more at HopetoCope.com.