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Recent Posts
Sweet Baby Ty: A Personal Story of Loss
I was at work and as usual, we were very busy on the unit. I work in a program named Miracles in Progress. It is for unhoused men challenged by life adversities. I received a call on June 26, 2021, from my niece. They told me that Ty was in the emergency room. He had stopped breathing. My heart raced. I immediately left work and caught the bus, switched to the train, [...]
Breastfeeding and Mental Health – It’s Personal
The arrival of a little bundle of joy brings heart-stealing smiles along with many opinions and advice about breastfeeding. Undoubtedly, nursing creates a physical and emotional attachment between mother and baby. It strengthens babies’ immune systems, and for moms, can reduce the risk of disease and bring joy and fulfillment. But not always. For some mothers, breastfeeding is extremely painful. Others cannot supply enough milk, which can lead to extreme feelings of [...]
Overdose Awareness
Addiction is such a stigmatized topic – yet people are so uninformed about it. Most of us were taught that “drugs are bad,” but that is about the most education we get or tend to remember. I am here to discuss the concept of the disease of addiction which goes far beyond the common stigmas about who “addicts” are. Yes, addiction is a disease due to the fact it is ongoing, not [...]
Steps You Can Take to Prevent Overdose Deaths
I’ll never forget the day I received the call from my parents informing me that one of my sister’s friends passed away from an overdose. I was heartbroken; my sister was devastated. It was 2002, and the first time overdose touched my life personally. What I didn’t know then was that I was going to continue to hear similar stories for the next 20 years, only more often and each one just as [...]
Accessing Mental Health Services in Philadelphia
July is Minority Mental Health Month. While we celebrate the gains made by minoritized populations in the United States, much remains to be done. Notwithstanding the increased national dialogue around racism following the death of George Floyd, structural and interpersonal racism persist, with lasting effects on life expectancy and wellness of minorities. These disparities are endemic and affect access to and quality of healthcare and social and economic opportunities. Some concerning facts [...]
The Search for Culturally Competent Care
Fans of the award-winning TV series ‘This is Us’ may remember the episode where Randall decides to switch therapists. The character—a successful commodities trader turned Philadelphia City Councilman—is African American, was raised by a white family, and struggles with anxiety and PTSD. He admits that he isn’t comfortable sharing many of his feelings with his current therapist. His new doctor is “cool, smart, funny, Black, young father... we got a lot in [...]
