Thriveworks Baltimore speaks on Juneteenth and the importance of focusing on Black mental health
Xiomara Arrieta speaks on the importance of Juneteenth and Black mental health
Updated: 6:05 PM EDT Jun 17, 2023
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JUNETEENTH HONORING THE DAY ENSLAVED PEOPLE IN THE US LEARNED OF THEIR FREEDOM. IT’S A DAY TO RECOGNIZE THE TRIUMPHS OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY AND OPEN UP ABOUT STRUGGLES STILL FACE TODAY, INCLUDING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IMPACTING BLACK COMMUNITIES. JOINING US LIVE THIS MORNING WITH MORE IS SAMARA ARRIETA, A LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER WITH THRIVE WORKS BALTIMORE. GOOD MORNING. THANKS FOR BEING HERE WITH US THIS MORNING. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. OF COURSE. WELL, JUNETEENTH IS CELEBRATED BECAUSE OF THE LEGAL FREEDOM SLAVES WERE GIVEN, BUT WE KNOW THAT THE BONDAGE OF SLAVERY AND ITS IMPACT REMAINED LONG AFTER AND HAVE HAD GENERATIONS LONG REPERCUSSIONS. HOW IS THIS STILL IMPACTING MENTAL HEALTH TODAY? I WOULD SAY A LOT OF PEOPLE OF COLOR REALLY FEEL AS IF THEY ARE NOT REPRESENTED WITH THERAPISTS. SO, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE A LOT MORE PEOPLE IN THE PROFESSION THAT REPRESENT, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY AFRICAN AMERICAN PEOPLE, BUT BROWN PEOPLE IN GENERAL REPRESENTING ASIAN MATTERS. I THINK IT HELPS PEOPLE FEEL AS IF YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND MY STORY. I THINK PEOPLE WILL, YOU KNOW, FEEL THERE’S A DIFFERENCE IN LIVING MY STORY AND, YOU KNOW, LEARNING ABOUT MY STORY. AND THAT’S A GOOD POINT TO MAKE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE’S ALWAYS TRADITION. BEEN SOME HESITATION IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY ABOUT SEEKING THERAPY. BUT I THINK IT’S BECOMING MORE COMMON NOW THAT PEOPLE ARE SEEKING OUT THAT HELP. AND TO SEEK OUT THAT HELP WITH SOMEONE WHO LOOKS LIKE YOU CAN BE REALLY IMPORTANT. ABSOLUTELY. REPRESENTATION MATTERS ALWAYS. NOT ONLY TO OUR COMMUNITY, BUT TO OTHER PEOPLE SEEING US COMING, WORKING, HELPING NOT ONLY OUR PEOPLE, BUT THE COMMUNITY IN GENERAL. AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE STRUGGLES THAT WE WOULD EVEN BRING TO THOSE PROFESSIONALS, WHAT ARE SOME THAT YOU STILL THINK ARE THE MOST PROMINENT RIGHT NOW THAT WE FACE? I HEAR A LOT OF ISSUES, YOU KNOW, HAVING TO DO WITH COMMUNITY. SO POVERTY, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF SOCIAL ISSUES MEANS TO ACCESS TO JOBS WHERE PEOPLE FEEL THAT THEY’RE COMPENSATED. CHILD CARE, HEALTH CARE IN GENERAL, I THINK IS, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE BIG DIVIDES IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND SO IN OUR COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, THERE’S BEEN A KEEP ON KEEPING ON TYPE OF HISTORY FOR SURVIVAL PURPOSES. BUT HOW DO WE ATTACK THESE ISSUES THAT WE FACE WHILE STILL STAYING MENTALLY HEALTHY? YOU KNOW, ONE THING I LOVE TO TELL MY CLIENTS IS I’M LIKE, WE GET CARE. YOU KNOW, FOR SO LONG, PEOPLE MARCHED IN THE STREET FOR FREEDOM, FOR ACCESS. AND I’M LIKE, NOW WE GET IT. SO YOU KNOW, WHAT’S UP? LET’S GO GET IT. YOU KNOW, THERE’S NO STIGMA, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS WHAT I TELL PEOPLE. THIS IS A JUDGMENT FREE ZONE. YOU KNOW, WE’RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT WE KNOW CAN BE DIFFICULT, RIGHT? BUT WE’RE HERE TO DO IT TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER. ABSOLUTELY. AND, YOU KNOW, OPENING UP AND HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS, BEING SUPPORTIVE OF EACH OTHER, REALLY ENCOURAGED EACH OTHER TO SEEK OUT HELP WHEN WE NEED IT. BEING A LISTENING EAR. WHAT ARE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF ONE ANOTHER, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE’RE GOING THROUGH IT? YOU KNOW, I KNOW IN OUR COMMUNITY IT’S FUN. SOMETIMES IN JEST WILL BE RIB OR WE TELL JOKES AND THINGS, BUT, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY’S REALLY EXPRESSING SOMETHING TO YOU, YOU KNOW, JUST LENDING THE EAR, YOU KNOW, NORMALIZING IT, YOU KNOW, HEY, I’VE BEEN THROUGH THAT, TOO. OR, YOU KNOW, I CAN HEAR THAT THAT MIGHT BE DIFFICULT. YOU KNOW, IF SOMEONE TELLS YOU THAT THEY’VE SOUGHT OUT CARE, BEING SUPPORTIVE, NOT BEING JUDGMENTAL, YOU KNOW, SAYING, OH, I APPRECIATE YOU TELLING ME THAT SOMETHING LIKE THAT JUST NORMALIZING IT BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT I TELL PEOPLE, IF YOU’RE SICK AND YOU HAVE A COLD OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU GO TO THE DOCTOR, NO ONE BLINKS. SO IF YOU’RE FEELING UNCOMFORTABLE, SAD OR ANXIOUS AND YOU COME INTO A THERAPIST, WHAT’S THE BI
Thriveworks Baltimore speaks on Juneteenth and the importance of focusing on Black mental health
Xiomara Arrieta speaks on the importance of Juneteenth and Black mental health
Updated: 6:05 PM EDT Jun 17, 2023
Xiomara Arrieta, a licensed clinical social worker with Thriveworks Baltimore, speaks on Juneteenth and why it is so important to focus on Black mental health.
BALTIMORE —
Xiomara Arrieta, a licensed clinical social worker with Thriveworks Baltimore, speaks on Juneteenth and why it is so important to focus on Black mental health.
