MEMPHIS, Tenn. — ABC24 is all about keeping you healthy, and with all of the civil unrest that has happened within the past month, it is important that we are also taking care of our mental and emotional health.
We spoke with a behavioral health professional about what you can do to process your thoughts and emotions better, and what you can do to put your health back on track.
Mental health is just as important as physical health, and maybe you have not known what to think or say.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker DeAvila Ford said police brutality has become a public health problem. That is why now more than ever pouring into yourself is important.
“We’re seeing our bodies on the screen…This could’ve been my brother, my significant other. This could’ve been me, so we feel alone in this,” Ford said.
DeAvila Ford said finding ways to cope is key and can look different for everyone but should consist of extensive self-care with multiple self-check-ins, daily.
“That may be logging out of social media for 30 minutes or an hour. It may be journaling, it could be exercising,” Ford said. “A lot of times when we’re seeing this footage, it releases a stress hormone. It’s called cortisol and it’s connected to anxiety.”
She said you can alleviate that stress hormone through sweating and drinking more water. Crying can also help with being present with your emotions.
“I think a lot of times in our community, we’re not given that safe space to just be vulnerable and say I don’t have it, or this is too much for me, and creating those safe spaces within your community,” Ford stated.
She added that you have a supportive tribe of loved ones, that you turn to.
“I definitely believe wholeheartedly that therapy is such an essential piece in working through trauma, but everybody doesn’t have access to that, so the community is really how we decrease those feelings,” Ford said. “Who can I go to? We all need to have a friend, a colleague, a family where, ‘Hey, what’s really going on?’”
If you have insurance, you can check with your company if they offer therapy. Some companies will even provide you with a certain number of free sessions. And if you are not insured, no worries, see the list of resources below.
Therapy For Black Girls is a network of therapists who provide mental health resources to help support the well-being of Black women and girls.
In partnership with licensed mental health professionals and coaches in private practice throughout the fifty states, TherapyForBlackMen.org provides proactive, multiculturally competent care to men of color.
With the barriers affecting access to treatment by members of diverse ethnic and racial groups, the Loveland Therapy Fund provides financial assistance to Black women and girls seeking therapy nationally.
Talkspace offers therapy for individuals, teens, and couples, across a wide range of specialties. Connect with a licensed therapist from the comfort of your device—by live video, text, or phone.