The Prince and Princes of Wales welcomed Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, to Windsor Castle yesterday to discuss ‘the environment, mental health, and other issues’.

Cook, who took over as the boss of the tech giant in 2011 when its founder Steve Jobs stepped down, posted two photographs from the meeting to X, formerly Twitter, today. 

The businessman, 62, proudly stood beside Prince William and Kate, both 41, in one of the images, with the Princess looking smart in a navy pinstriped £549 Holland Cooper blazer and a cream turtleneck jumper. 

‘It was a true honor to meet with the Prince and Princess of Wales. We had a wonderful and wide-ranging discussion about the environment, mental health, and other issues that mean a great deal to all of us,’ Cook wrote in his post.

William, dressed in a navy suit with a light blue shirt, appeared to be deep in conversation with the CEO in another photo from their meeting. Two bags that appeared to have the Apple logo printed on them were also spotted in the snap.

The Prince and Princes of Wales welcomed Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, to Windsor Castle this week, to discuss mental health initiatives

Cook has long been an advocate for mental health.   

In an interview with Bustle the Apple CEO recognised that ‘mental health is a crisis’ that spares no one: ‘I know that I’m privileged in so many ways, but none of us are as privileged to the point that mental health is not a key factor in life.’

He also told the publication about why the company supported Shine, an inclusive mental health app. 

‘I think mental health is a crisis. And it’s one that has been stigmatized so much. It was for so long that people suffered in silence and in isolation. 

‘[Shine] have done this incredible job, bringing together community and stitching together a number of different things that will make [change] systemic in nature instead of a slogan. So I’m super impressed by what they’re doing and how they got started.’

Cook’s activism regarding mental health began in 2014, after he came out as gay, making him the first openly homosexual CEO on the Fortune 500 list.

Though Tim is ‘very proud’ of his sexual orientation and believes it to be ‘God’s greatest gift’ to him, he came out in light of bullying and abuse, according to CNN.

While the Apple CEO was not at the receiving end of the abuse, he received emails and letters from children who were being ostracized, bullied, and abused for being gay.

Cook (pictured with Prince William), who took over as the boss of the tech giant in 2011 when its founder Steve Jobs stepped down, posted two photographs from the meeting to X, formerly Twitter, today

‘It was a true honor to meet with the Prince and Princess of Wales . We had a wonderful and wide-ranging discussion about the environment, mental health, and other issues that mean a great deal to all of us,’ Cook wrote in his post

Despite considering himself a private person, he decided that by not publicly declaring his sexual identity, he was being ‘selfish’. ‘I needed to do something for them,’ Cook said.

He also wanted to prove to the world that gay individuals can still take on some of the most-respected jobs.

Since 2014, Cook has continued his pledge to help those struggling with mental health problems, and under Cook’s leadership Apple has increased its donations to LGBTQ+ charities around the United States.

Meanwhile, William previously teamed up with Apple Fitness+ to record an episode of Time to Walk in December 2021.

Palace aides said it was William’s idea to take part in the series after hearing previous episodes. Other guests have included country singer Dolly Parton, model Naomi Campbell and boxer Anthony Joshua.

For the episode, Apple made a six-figure donation to three charities chosen by William: Shout in the UK, Crisis Text Line in the US and Lifeline in Australia. 

All offer confidential mental health support helplines. The British charity runs a free text service on 85258.

The series was designed to encourage users of Apple Watches to get outside and walk while listening. At William’s request, his episode was made available for free online to everyone without the need for a subscription.

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Content warning: This article contains mentions of suicide.

The National Veterans Resource Center at Syracuse University hosted Alejandro Villanueva, a United States Army veteran and retired professional football player, for a Suicide Prevention Education Talk Wednesday afternoon.

SPEd Talk is a storytelling event where speakers like Villanueva share their stories with the hope of shining a light on mental health challenges and resources. This is the second consecutive year SU hosted the occasion.

Villanueva, who was born in America and grew up in Spain, played football at The U.S. Military Academy at West Point and joined the Army when he was 22. He was stationed in Afghanistan in 2010, receiving a Bronze Star Medal for rescuing wounded soldiers under enemy fire. But he said he found life as a veteran different from what he expected.

“In my mind, I could not make sense of a lot of the things that I have just done,” Villanueva said. “And while I couldn’t make sense of anything, that’s when we started getting ready to go back again.”

SPEd is a national initiative to bring awareness to veteran suicide by discussing and destigmatizing mental health. Suicide among veterans accounts for nearly one in every five suicide deaths in the U.S. despite accounting for approximately 8% of the adult population, according to the SPEd website.

As a veteran, Villanueva said he’s seen firsthand the reality of his fellow military members’ lives in the aftermath of war. He said that while it was difficult to come back from combat, never cutting ties with his soldiers ensured that they got through it together.

His own mental health experiences were what led him to speak more about suicide prevention, Villanueva said.

“More veterans kill themselves from suicide than in action. The most powerful country in the world, and most of all mighty military in the world,” Villanueva said. “What can be said about such a military? What do we really say when we say thank you for your service, and they’ll kill themselves more than they have been caught killed by the enemy?”

After Villanueva spoke, SPEd Talk hosted a discussion with panelists, who either served or had family members that did. Among them were veterans and members of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, which aims to connect with others who have lost a loved one to suicide.

Army veteran Kenny Mintz said the special connections a group makes while serving are irreplaceable. Being a person to lean on for those suffering is one of the most important parts of his life, he said.

“I have a responsibility to those that I serve with,” Mintz said. “Even though I was a commander in combat and we went through this crucible event together, my commanding role has changed, but my responsibility to people has not.”

Kevin Swab, who attended the event and was a lieutenant in the National Guard, now serves as director of the Veterans Service Agency for Cayuga County. He said he sees challenges in connecting younger veterans with resources, which wasn’t always an issue, like during the height of the Vietnam War.

“The culture was obviously completely different than what we have today,” Swab said. “I see the younger veterans falling into what I consider to be kind of a trap, where they’re not coming together as easily.”

Austin Gleaton, a mental health therapist for the Department of Veterans Affairs, said he came to the SPEd Talk to educate himself since suicide prevention is part of his job description.

“I really love hearing personal stories about people’s relationships so I can implement that into my work,” Gleaton said.

Karen Heisig, a central New York area director for the American For Suicide Prevention, said people can reduce the stigma surrounding suicide by changing language patterns.

“Change the way you talk about it, such as, ‘died by suicide,’ not ‘commited suicide,’ Heisig said. “My husband did not commit a crime.”

Heisig said her husband’s death altered the course of her life. She also said the warning signs are real and should not be ignored.

“You’re human beings first. You have mental health, and if we don’t take care of our mental health, suicide is a real possibility and a real issue,” Heisig said.

For those struggling with mental health after serving or mental health in general, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 is available 24 hours a day.

Published on September 7, 2023 at 12:25 am

Contact Faith: [email protected]

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Mental healthcare has been an area of contention among East Texas civil servants and residents. In response, elected officials, organizational leaders, healthcare providers, social workers and law enforcement are streamlining each organization’s functions and improving overall partnerships.

“As we began our quest to improve the mental health care in our amazing community, we were essentially all in silos,” Smith County Judge Neal Franklin said. “We’ve come a long way … and our communication among the players has dramatically improved. We’re all focused on the same goal, which is improving our mental health care delivery.”

In September 2022, stakeholders met to work through the Sequential Intercept Model (SIM), a model communities use to assess available resources, determine service gaps and plan for change. The model identified several areas of strain, including the interactions between people in mental health crises, the legal system, and the collaboration between mental health and law enforcement.

Since January, quarterly meetings have been held to discuss Emergency Detention Warrants (EDW). The latest meeting was on Aug. 10 at the Andrews Center. Franklin and Keisha Morris, Andrews Center Chief SIM Officer, led county judge offices, assistant district attorneys, local Emergency Room heads and other community stakeholders in legislation updates, jurisdiction scenarios for cities and counties, voluntary versus order or protection and group discussion.

According to the Texas Health and Safety Code, under an emergency detention statute, a person with mental illness or who, because of mental illness, is at risk of serious harm to themselves or others may be detained by a peace officer or through a court-ordered warrant.

“Today’s meeting was about EDWs, but it’s about mental health in general. This is, to me, what I wanted to get across was Smith County is working hard. We’re all coming together. We even had people from other counties and cities come in today to see what we’re doing,” Franklin said.

Clinical Director Danny Sammons, of Avail Solutions Inc., attends the quarterly meeting to discuss Emergency Detention Warrants on Aug. 10 at the Andrews Center.

Katecey Harrell/ Tyler Morning Telegraph

Thomas Wilson, Smith County Assistant District Attorney, told the group about Senate Bill 2479 updates regarding procedures regarding people with mental illness or intellectual disabilities.

There were five amendments to SB 2479 following the 88th Texas Legislative Session.

Section 1 allows licensed mental health professionals with advanced training and education to request electronic warrants requests from a judge for emergency mental health detention and allows for including Class C misdemeanors in the early identification process.

Section 2 reconciles conflicts inadvertently created between offenses that permit release on personal bond. This law resolves the conflict and allows for the clear resumption of the release of people charged with certain non-violent crimes and eligible for a mental health personal bond.

Section 3 clarifies a law enforcement officer’s duties upon presenting an individual for mental health services. This law states that law enforcement officers do not have a duty to remain at a healthcare facility or emergency room once the officer responsible delivers someone under a warrant for emergency detention.

Section 4 allows blood draws for patients receiving court-ordered medication. Medical personnel must monitor the medication level of a patient receiving involuntary medicines to determine whether the dosage is correct when patients are unable or unwilling to consent. This law permits blood draws for people subject to involuntary psychoactive medications.

They also discussed jurisdiction scenarios for cities and counties.

Three main scenarios are happening where protocol needs to be clarified; hypothetical scenarios include:

Lieutenant Stuart Alexander, of the University of Texas at Tyler, University Police talks about the procedure and policy for voluntary, versus order of protection.

Katecey Harrell/ Tyler Morning Telegraph

A person is picked up in the City of Tyler and transported to a Tyler hospital.

A person in a rural area like the City of Whitehouse is transported to a Tyler hospital.

A person is picked up in Cherokee County and transported across county lines to Smith County.

Area law enforcement agencies engaged in honest, open and transparent dialogue about their policy for handling similar cases. Through conversations, everyone becomes aware of the reasons behind each department’s processes, and solutions can be reached.

Wilson talked about the judicial role in voluntary versus order of protection custody.

An order of protective custody may be issued by a judge upon the request of a county or district attorney to continue to hold a patient in a mental health facility pending hearing on an application for court-ordered temporary mental health services.

“The individual can sign it voluntarily. To be honest, once that happens, that brings us in my office out of the loop of that process,” Wilson said. “You’re no longer involved in that unless the person decides they don’t want to be in the hospital any longer, but the hospital says they do.”

A Troup Police Department officer said often, a person goes voluntarily and then changes their mind. Officers don’t have first-hand knowledge of what occurred if they go voluntarily and law enforcement isn’t notified. He said signing a protective order without first-hand knowledge is tricky. This is a prime example where inter-organizational communication is critical.

When someone hears how one department is handling things, they’ll take that information and take it back to their community and put it in place, Franklin said.

Morris said people spoke frankly and had solid questions about the barriers to receiving treatment, access to care and the desire to change.

“We’re working together, and we’re working hard to improve the mental health delivery service; we want to make a difference there for our citizens,” he said.

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NEW HANOVER — State and local leaders met in Wilmington Monday to discuss mental health and school safety at a roundtable hosted by U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis.

READ MORE: More staff reductions, divisions to shave off $1M to balance NHCS budget

The group mostly agreed on the barriers to mental health care in the school system, including the need for competitive wages for mental healthcare employees and a stronger pipeline of graduates into education environments.

Aside from Tillis, the roundtable included State Superintendent Catherine Truitt, North Carolina Sen. Michael Lee, Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo, New Hanover County Commissioners Chairman Bill Rivenbark, New Hanover County Schools Superintendent Charles Foust, New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office Maj. Jonathan Hart, Ryan Estes of Coastal Horizons and Roxie Wells from Novant Health.

Tillis sought feedback to ensure future grants from last year’s Bipartisan Safer Communities Act were targeted to the right needs and communities. The senator is also working with Matthew and Camila McConaughey’s Greenlights Grant Initiative, which helps connect school districts with resources to complete the complicated grant process. 

BSCA is known for being the most significant gun law reform passed in 30 years. President Joe Biden signed the bill — Tillis serving as a key negotiator — into law in June 2022 following mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas. The law introduced stricter background checks for gun buyers under 21, closed the “boyfriend loophole” to prevent convicted domestic abusers from purchasing firearms for five years, and created criminal offenses for federal straw purchasing and gun trafficking. 

The legislation also puts $300 million for school districts to institute school safety measures, violence prevention, and training for law enforcement, school personnel and students. Another $3 billion is put toward mental health services within educational environments or in the community. 

Tillis described the roundtable as an awareness campaign ensuring North Carolina school systems were equipped to put themselves in the running for the federal grants. 

However, the grants are competitive, and Tillis told reporters on Monday districts with great need would be prioritized over districts with great applications. 

“Nothing’s funded perpetually this year,” Tillis said. So you’re always having to go back, but the programs that have the best chance of future funding are the programs that are actually proving that they’re solving the problem.” 

With limited funding to spread across the nation’s 13,000-plus school districts, coupled with New Hanover County’s ranking in the top 10 wealthiest North Carolina counties, there may be slim chances BSCA funding will reach local levels. 

Though, roundtable participants noted the need is there. 

“If we have the cultural capital to make it happen and we’re still falling short, I can’t imagine what it looks like in counties that don’t really have the resources that we have,” Foust said.

State Superintendent Truitt noted how important it was to have dedicated staff in schools to address physical and mental health needs and provide hands-on care. 

“So frequently it is the teacher who is handling all of these issues, and that cannot continue because that is what leads to teacher burnout,” Truitt said. “Not to mention the fact that teachers are not equipped to deal with the mental health issues or medical issues — your teacher shouldn’t be giving insulin shots in schools.” 

But health providers are some of the most vulnerable positions in a school system as federal Covid-19 funding expires, salary and benefit costs increase, and state funding fails to fully cover the gaps. In this year’s NHCS budget, the district plans to cut dozens of positions, including teachers, guidance counselors, a social-emotional learning coach and specialist, an EC coach and curriculum specialist, social workers, and technology and media coordinators.

On top of this, Commissioner Rivenbark, who served on the school board for two years, recalled teachers he’s talked to were struggling to handle behavioral issues following the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Estes added students and teachers were “traumatized” and that would take a while to subside, even with adequate resources. 

The chief operating officer at Coastal Horizons also pushed the importance of competitive pay.

“We don’t have a workforce shortage,” Estes said. “We have a wage shortage, paying mental health [employees] disproportionate wages to what someone can do in private therapy. We’re never going to build out an infrastructure if the going rate for therapy is $150 on the private market and it’s $70 on our Medicaid system.” 

Wells, the SVP chief physician executive and strategy officer for Novant Health’s coastal region, noted there was a shortage of healthcare workers, but not necessarily because fewer people were interested in allied health careers. 

“I think there are 80,000 individuals who apply to nursing school on a yearly basis and they don’t get in because there’s not space there; they don’t have enough educators to actually grow the schools,” Wells said. 

She pointed to the importance of exposing students to allied health career options and putting resources toward reducing barriers to choosing those career paths, which could also include cross-state licensures. Wells said many nurses moving to the state face a long wait to get licensed to practice there. 

Sen. Lee noted a cross-state licensure was part of the General Assembly’s ongoing budget conversations. As a note of caution, Estes said doing so could cause healthcare providers in North Carolina to practice in other states with higher pay via telehealth. 

Wells also plugged Novant Health’s new residency program for adolescent psychiatrists, and Truitt said the state was exploring paid internships for school psychologists. Both actions, they described, would unclog the pipeline of graduates to school employees. 

Though most of the conversation focused on mental health, Maj. Hart noted the sheriff’s office is focused on leveraging technology to better secure school buildings in what’s called “school hardening” — surveillance technology, metal detectors, fortified entries and more.

After the roundtable discussion, Tillis said his next steps include “getting the legislature more dialed in” to effective implementation of the grant distribution.

“I think it’s more important just to make sure they understand the resources and the opportunity to put North Carolina on the map as one of the most successful states,” Tillis said. 

Grants from the BSCA have already begun to be distributed to various applicants, including the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction so far.

Reach journalist Brenna Flanagan at brenna@localdailymedia.com 

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By Jared D. Childress,
Sacramento Observer

First impressions are everything. At first, Kirsten Johnson didn’t like yoga. 

A doctor said it would help mitigate her arthritis and spinal issues, so she dropped into a class at a big box gym in the Rosemont are of  Sacramento, Calif. – but it wasn’t what she’d hoped. Instead of feeling better, she left in more pain. The yoga instructor wasn’t very helpful, leaving the then 46-year-old to contort herself into positions not suited for her differently abled body.

That class could have been the end of Johnson’s yoga journey. But, at the insistence of a friend, she went back for a second class. This time, she had a much different experience. With a much different teacher.

“This teacher was what I needed at the time. She came up to everybody and welcomed them. And not only did she say hello but she knew them. That really got me and I stayed in that class,” Johnson said. “And there were more people like me in this class. There were older people, Black people – all types of people.”

That single positive experience in 2012 grew to a regular practice culminating with her completing a 200-hour teacher training, becoming a certified yoga instructor in 2017. Today, the 57-year-old is the president of Yoga Moves Us, a non-profit which offers free community yoga classes in the Sacramento area.

“Community yoga changed my life and I really wanted to give that opportunity to everybody I knew,” Johnson said. “But I know that for Black, brown and marginalized people, yoga is not accessible. It’s expensive… So my mission is to make it accessible, inviting and inclusive for everybody.”

Yoga is a multi-billion dollar global industry estimated at $37.46 billion in 2019, and is projected to reach $66.23 billion by 2027. In the United States alone, it rakes in $9 million annually with the average yogi spending $1,080 a year toward their practice. 

More than 36 million Americans practice yoga, but the largest consumers are by-in-large affluent White women. In 2002, 85 percent of yogi’s identified as White and 70 percent were female. 

Over the last two decades, Blacks participation in yoga has seen a slight incline. It climbed from 2.5 percent in 2002 to 9.3 percent in 2017, according to National Health Interview Survey data. Additionally, Blacks make up 5.7 percent of yoga instructors.

While it may seem fitting that the face of this lucrative business remains wafer-thin White women bent into pretzel-like shapes on yoga magazines, there’s more to it than phenotype, fitness, and finances. 

Yoga means “to become one with” and is derived from the Sanskrit word “to yoke.” And the ancient spiritual practice began in communities of color. Its origins are often traced to northern India 5,000 years ago, but what is lesser known is that it also has roots in Africa. 

Kirsten Johnson, 57 | President of Yoga Moves Us in
Sacramento | @in_her_voices

Angie Franklin is a Sacramentan who practices kemetic yoga. This system of yoga was developed in the 1970s and is based on ancient Egyptian yoga postures said to predate Indian origins.  Franklin continues this ancient practice as founder and CEO of Afro Yoga, a wellness movement that is revolutionizing the industry.

“There’s a gap in understanding that we actually come from these practices — these practices are in our DNA,” said Franklin, 36. “The marketing we’ve seen and the colonial mindset has co-opted it to the point where the [originators] can actually feel disconnected from the practice that was theirs to begin with, which is wild to think about.”

But Blacks don’t have to look to ancient history to see themselves in yoga. In more recent history,  yoga was used by Black leaders as a tool for liberation. Rosa Parks practiced yoga alongside her niece and nephew in the 1960s; the Black Panther Party instituted meditation and mindfulness at the Oakland Community School; and Angela Davis practiced handstands in prison to relieve migraines.

Much like Black history, a lot of yoga’s history is passed on through the oral tradition. But one of the first to put the tenets of yoga in writing was Patanjali, an Indian sage who in 400 C.E. codified the “Eight Limbs of Yoga.”

The 8 Limbs of Yoga are aspects of the ancient discipline that promote spiritual growth. While understanding the sanskrit words can be difficult, they can best be seen in how yogis live their lives on and off the mat. 

The OBSERVER visited Black yogis in the Sacramento area to learn how these eight aspects manifest in their daily lives. While some came to yoga on the heels of incarceration, others came by way of a high school class, and some stumbled upon a gym class. All have an individual experience with the daily spiritual practice. 

Leon Willis, 48 |Certified Power Vinyasa Instructor at
Moore’s Martial Arts of Sacramento | @itsleonwillis

Kirsten Johnson tried to avoid negative self-talk on her recent trip to Southeast Asia. She’d lost her cell phone in a foreign country and didn’t want her thoughts to spiral into worry. So she walked with intention, focusing on her breathing and — at times — leaning on her cane for support. She eventually found her phone and avoided undue stress. 

For her, this is yama: choosing nonviolence for her own mind and body, and teaching modifications to make yoga accessible to all.

“If I tried to do some of the poses that other people do, I’d be harming my body — that’s where non-harming comes in,” Johnson said. “I can still find strength in my body and still find strength in the pose, but I just don’t necessarily do it the same way as everybody else.”

Run-ins with law enforcement were a hazard of the job for graffiti artist Leon Willis. Awaiting trial for vandalism in 1996, he made use of his time behind bars by exploring movement, doing what he called “slow breakdancing.” He also kept his mind busy by picking up one of the only books available: the Bible. For the first time he was open to the sacred text.

Yoga came to him in 2006. He’d sustained injuries after being jumped at a house party and his girlfriend thought it’d help with his recovery; his jaw wired shut and with not much else to do, he was open to the experience. Ten years later, he’d be certified in power vinyasa at Yoga Shala in downtown Sacramento. 

Today, Willis’ past has made him uniquely qualified to help other people. He’s taught incarcerated people as part of the Prison Yoga Project; he teaches free classes with Yoga Moves Us; he’s created a form of movement called “Alphabetex,” which combines street art with martial arts and yoga; and he’s turned his passion for graffiti into the “POPS” arts education program for youth.

For him, this is niyama: his spiritual foundation manifesting as acts of service to others.  

Dwight Armstrong, 70 | Certified Power Vinyasa Yoga
Instructor at Solfire in Downtown Sacramento

“I really enjoy these acts of service; it’s all designed to give back and just be a big brother,” Willis said.  “Through this practice I’m bringing self-defense to the yoga world — in a fun, ‘hip hop, you don’t stop’ kind of way.”

The police in 1970 were looking for a young Black man with an afro and Dwight Armstrong fit the description. He was arrested while walking back to his alma mater, Sacramento High School.  That false arrest began a decades-long entanglement with the legal system fueled by a nasty drug addiction. But a turning point came in 2012 when then 60-year-old Armstrong chose drug court instead of going back to prison. 

Part of his court-supervised program was mandatory yoga class.

He thought yoga was an easy practice he could do in his sleep, but quickly found that the physical practice was demanding — forcing him to be strong in ways he never thought he could. 

Ten years later, he’s still a sober yogi. For Armstrong, this is asana: an embodiment of inner strength.

Poteesa Enakaya had been teaching yoga for just two years when in 2013 she got the call that her mother had dementia. The doctor’s words hit her like a ton of bricks; tears welled in her eyes and she began to hyperventilate – bringing the conversation to a standstill.

Her yoga practice was tested at that moment. She breathed through the intense emotions, allowing long exhales to calm her nervous system. She was able to bring herself back to the present, listen to the doctor, and focus on a plan of action. 

Monique Goldfried | 44 | Certified Yoga Instructor at Yoga
NYLA in Folsom | @moyogaforyou

Enakaya doesn’t only use breath practice in times of crises, it accompanies her through daily life, breathing periodically to help her refocus or at night to calm her body for a restful sleep. 

For Enakaya, this is pranayama: being mindful and breathing through the ebb and flow of life.

“As Black people, we are confronted with a lot of stressful situations,” Enakaya said. “I have come to realize that the way I practice on my mat is the best way for me to live my life when I’m off my mat. When I’m in a challenging situation, I use that same breathing technique to relax my nerves.”

Monique Goldfried wasn’t interested in powerlifting with her husband. Instead, she found herself looking through the glass at the gym’s yoga class. It looked peaceful — but she could also see the rigor.

She could also see that not many people looked like her, but Goldfried wasn’t afraid to buck the trend. 

Soon enough, she was in the class finding the sukha, or “sweetness,” in the uncomfortable postures. She wasn’t simply breathing through the malaise, she took it a step further: she was using the time for self-reflection.

For Monique, this is pratyahara: silencing the noise from the outside world and instead looking inside. 

Poteesa Enakaya, 55 | Certified Yoga & Hot Pilates
Instructor | @EbonyVibesYoga

“I remember my first yoga teacher telling me I’m stronger than what I think. I’ve heard that before, but she was talking about the yoga poses,” Armstrong said. “If I can do it on the mat, then I can extend it to some life things – like staying sober.” 

“The difference between a workout and yoga is that yoga is a ‘work in.’ It’s about looking inward and looking inside,” Goldfried said. “The mind is the master manipulator. It can make you think you’re in danger, when you’re really okay. It’s about feeling your heartbeat and saying ‘I’m loved, I’m safe, I’m going to be OK.”

Beads of sweat drop down John Winston’s face but he doesn’t bat them away. Instead, he is laser focused on his reflection as he balances on one leg, lowering his upper body toward the floor.

Winston isn’t a yoga instructor — he’s a 60-year-old diabetic who practices one of the hottest forms of yoga, Hot 26. It’s done in a room heated to 105 °F with 40 percent humidity and was developed by Bikram Choudhury in the 1970s. 

Unlike classes where yogis close their eyes and move at their own pace, Hot 26 calls for yogis to keep eyes open and move in tandem with each other. This type of military precision demands unmatched focus and concentration.

For Winston, focus is a non-negotiable that starts long before he walks into the sweat-stained studio. Throughout the day he hydrates and eats well, drinking electrolytes and having a pre-class snack of peanut butter crackers or yogurt. During class, he monitors his glucose levels with the dexcom transmitter stuck to his abdomen. 

John Winston, 60 | Yogi at UPLIFT Therapeutic Movement
& Wellness in Elk Grove

For him, this is dharana: being focused on his health on and off the mat.

“When you’re looking in the mirror you start to understand that you are there for you,” Winston said. “Yoga is good for your health — and it’s for everyone.”

It usually takes a while to work up to a solid meditation practice, but for Domynique Herndon it was the foundation of her practice. While a senior at Sacramento High School in 2011, her adviser, Janna, walked in, turned off all the lights, and told the teenage class to close their eyes; they were going to meditate. Herndon was caught off guard — but her curiosity piqued. In her last few months before college, and on her breaks from Xavier University, she accompanied Janna to yoga classes. 

She made the decision to take yoga teacher training in 2018. And while at the Solfire training in downtown Sacramento, a question was posed: where would the incoming teachers like to teach? Herndon’s answer was unlike her peers. She didn’t name a studio, rather she spoke of teaching in the community. Herndon’s ambitions were radical; before the COVID-19 pandemic, there weren’t as many independent yoga teachers. She made good on her promise, she taught at the park and led a class at the Robertson Community Center in Del Paso Heights.

For her, this is dhyana: meditation kept her anchored in her vision to take yoga outside of the studio walls and into community spaces.

Domynique Herndon, 30 | Certified Vinyasa and Prenatal
Yoga Instructor at Functional Elements in Oak Park |
domynique.yogi

“In difficult times or times when I need guidance, you will often find me sitting on my floor, eyes closed, breathing — meditating,” Herndon said. “As a yoga teacher, I start each class in seated meditation … This may be the first opportunity my students have in their day to take a deep belly breath and simply rest.”

Angie Franklin was always a spiritual person. The military brat, who calls Sacramento home, was meditating with gemstones in the fifth grade. But she didn’t immediately hit it off with yoga — she failed her yoga class at American River College in 2007.

Depression and a documentary brought her back to the practice in 2016. She’d moved to Spain and found that racism and lack of community were detrimental to her wellbeing. 

Seeking a spiritual solution, she watched the documentary, “Awake,” about the Indian guru Paramahansa Yogananda who in the 1920s came to the West to teach yoga and meditation.  This film ignited the yoga within her and she began doing the moves she’d learned in college.

Shortly after, she moved back to Sacramento and experienced samadhi for the first time. During a hot yoga class in Roseville, she held a challenging balancing pose and the words of the teacher resonated with her: release the need to be perfect. 

“There’s freedom in accepting yourself as you are instead of trying to obtain the idea of perfection — because the reality is that you already are perfect,” Franklin said. “That feeling of letting go of expectations is a true feeling of ultimate bliss.”

Angie Franklin, 36 | Certified Vinyasa, Kemetic and Yin
Yoga teacher | @AfroYogaByAngie

She cultivated that feeling, receiving her certification in power vinyasa — but she didn’t stick with the western world’s premier choice of yoga. In 2020, Franklin became certified in Kemetic Yoga, studying with master teacher Yirser Ra Hotep. Today, as founder of Afro Yoga, she teaches Kemetic Yoga and helps others find their own connection to the Divine. 

For her, this is Samadhi: a feeling of peace and connection as the result of a daily spiritual practice.

“Sometimes people think that bliss means that there’s nothing wrong, but that’s not what it is,” Franklin said. “It’s that we become more skillful at maintaining our peace. We become more skillful at maintaining the calm in the center of the storm.”

This article was originally published by The Sacramento Observer.

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Understand the Stigma

The first step in breaking the stigma surrounding mental health is to understand it. Society has long held the belief that mental health issues are a sign of weakness or a personal failing. This attitude can make it difficult for individuals to discuss their struggles with their loved ones, as they may fear judgment or ridicule.

Therefore, it is essential to understand that mental health issues are not a personal failing, and seeking help is a sign of strength. It takes courage to admit that you are struggling and need assistance. By understanding the stigma, you can approach the conversation with empathy and compassion.

Be Honest and Open

Honesty is key when discussing mental health with loved ones. Be open about your struggles and share how you feel. It is important to remember that mental health issues are not something to be ashamed of or to hide. By discussing your mental health openly, you can help to break down the stigma and encourage others to do the same.

Choose the Right Time and Place

Choosing the right time and place to discuss mental health is crucial. It is essential to find a time when both you and your loved ones are relaxed and not distracted. This can be a time when you are both sitting down for a meal or taking a walk together. It is also important to choose a private place where you can talk without interruption.

Listen

When discussing mental health with family and friends, it is imperative to listen to their thoughts and feelings. Mental health issues can be difficult to understand, and some people may not know how to respond. By listening and being open to their perspective, you can provide them with the information they need to understand your struggles.

Seek Professional Help

While discussing mental health with loved ones can be helpful, it is important to seek professional help as well. A mental health professional can provide you with the support and resources you need to manage your mental health. They can also provide you with tools to help you communicate with your loved ones.

In conclusion, breaking the stigma surrounding mental health is essential to ensure that individuals receive the care and support they need. By being open and honest about mental health struggles, we can encourage others to do the same. Remember to approach the conversation with empathy and compassion, choose the right time and place, listen to your loved ones, and seek professional help when necessary. Let us work together to break down the stigma and create a world where mental health is openly discussed and treated with the same importance as physical health.

The post Breaking the Stigma: How to Discuss Mental Health with Family and Friends appeared first on Minds Valley.