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In May 2008, due to the visionary work of author and advocate Bebe Moore Campbell, the U.S. Congress passed a resolution declaring July as Minority Mental Health Month.
In recent years, the Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective (BEAM) has created a new way of envisioning the month, through the lens of intersectionality - Mental Health Liberation Month. BEAM defines Mental Health Liberation Month as “A month where we center liberation with a vision of ending ableism, sanism, racism, transphobia, and all oppression within mental health care. Mental Health Liberation Month expands mental health beyond just talk therapy and medication, naming that dismantling the prison-industrial complex, affirming our diverse wellness practices, access to clean water, healthy food, economic resources, and much more is critical to our mental health.” Yolo Akili, Founder and CEO of BEAM, explained the reframe in an interview with ETR: “While we will always uplift the labor it took to get Minority Mental Health Month recognized by the late brilliant Bebe Moore Campbell, we wanted to shift the theme of the month away from the tokenism it has become and center liberation, something that benefits all communities and gets us to broaden our vision of what is possible.” Akili added, “Mental health liberation is about our most bold, radical vision for mental health in this country and what we can do every day to get closer to that dream. Health is one thing; liberation, which includes and expands beyond health, is another.” Below are a few opportunities to celebrate, make connections, and uplift Mental Health Liberation Month, in July and all year long. Wednesday, July 20: HeartSpace BEAM is hosting a “virtual, Black-only peer support and wellness discussion space. Connect. Meditate. Learn. Share.” To register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/heart-space-tickets-265182025577 Thursday, July 21: Human Rights and Social Justice Framework for Suicide Prevention, Intervention, Postvention Hosted by Twelve6 Strategies, Inc., this hybrid 1-day summit will be unpacking suicidality, suicide "prevention," “intervention”, and “postvention” critically thinking about suicide from a non-pathological, anti-carceral, Disability Justice framework. We invite you to join us for a solution focused day with three nationally known speakers Ebony Clark, Lacy Dicharry, and Canada Taylor Parker. Register here: https://forms.gle/zxa45kU32eysPbfM7 Saturday, July 23rd, 2022: Take Space, Breathe, Retreat: A Half Day Meditation Retreat for BIPOC, with Lama Rod Owens Retreats play an important role in deepening our individual practice. They create a unique opportunity to step out of our daily routines to reconnect and care for our innermost selves. Scholarship options available. To register: https://rod-owens.mykajabi.com/half-day-BIPOC-retreat-summer%202022 Resources for further exploration:
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 A couple looks at the Bay Bridge as wildfire smoke turns the sky orange, September 2020. (Photo by Thom Milkovic on Unsplash) By Leah Harris It is widely known that the extreme heat being driven by climate change is impacting mental health and well-being in a variety of ways. Climate change is understood to worsen depression, anxiety, and can lead to a higher incidence of extreme states/psychosis. Research has shown an increase in distress, suicidality, aggression against others, and visits to emergency departments as the temperature rises. The most vulnerable and marginalized communities including unhoused neighbors, people living in environments long-impacted by racist urban planning policies, as well as those who must work outdoors, are at greatest risk. In addition, extreme heat can increase health risks of people taking medications for mental health conditions, in the form of thermoregulation challenges, or the body’s ability to regulate temperature. For example, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants may cause increased sweating, which can hasten dehydration. Neuroleptic, or antipsychotic medications can lead to hyperthermia, or increased body heat, at the same time that they decrease sensations of thirst. It’s vital to educate ourselves and others on how these medications act on the body during periods of extreme heat, and steps to take to recognize and prevent heatstroke and other dangers. Various individual coping strategies have been recommended to counter the negative mental health impacts of climate change, such as meditation and mindfulness. But the scale of the problem is such that individualistic suggestions are unlikely to make much of a mental health difference in the long term. “Coping skills are always valuable, but what we ultimately need are more adaptive and resilient systems that help shield everyone from the physical, emotional, and psychological toll of extreme heat,” writes Rebecca Ruiz in Mashable. Here are a few collectively-minded strategies for working with the mental health impacts of climate change and focusing on actions that are within your control.
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Leah Harris is a non-binary, queer, neurodivergent, disabled Jewish writer, facilitator, and organizer working in the service of truth-telling, justice-doing, and liberation. They’ve had work published in the New York Times, CNN, and Pacific Standard. You can learn more about their work at their website and follow them on Instagram.
By Leah Harris
It’s Mental Health Awareness month again, and there are nearly unlimited ways to participate, learn, and lift your voice. This year, we’re highlighting some East Bay and California-based events that you won’t want to miss, with both in-person and virtual options to learn, celebrate, and connect. We wish you a most inspiring and energizing Mental Health Awareness Month 2022!  Here’s what we have lined up this week for you here at PEERS. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at info@peersnet.org.
 Here’s what we have lined up this week for you here at PEERS. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at info@peersnet.org.
 By Leah Harris
In honor of Earth Day this April 23, we’re taking a closer look at the mental health benefits of digging in the dirt. The microbes contained in soil have been found to have antidepressant and stress-relieving properties. And a growing body of research supports gardening as a vital personal and community wellness activity. By Kozi Arrington and Alejandro Ramos
Why is women’s History Month so important? The contributions of women through the years have often gone unappreciated and forgotten. Women’s History Month, which takes place every year in March, is a time for reflection, appreciation, and celebration. Women’s History Month is a time for us to recognize contributions both large and small that have changed women’s lives for the better. In honor of this month, we want to highlight women that have left their mark on history.  Photo by Filip Mishevski on Unsplash
By Leah Harris We live in a time of rapid, shocking, and sometimes traumatic change. Vicarious trauma, sometimes known as secondary trauma, is real. Trauma is closely connected to the sensation of overwhelm, which can generate fear and anxiety. People can be deeply affected by traumatic or violent information and media they are exposed to, even if it isn’t happening directly to them.  Shining a light on the Black Wellness and Resilience Support Group at PEERS
By Alejandro Ramos With Black History Month coming to a close, it’s important we remember to uplift and celebrate Black people all year round. |
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