WITH MENTAL Health Awareness Week happening this week (9 to 15 May 2022), we are being all encouraged to seek support and rebuild meaning connections with friends, family and the wider community.
One organisation that is actively playing their part is ‘Inside Out Well-being – a leading provider of culturally-informed well-being support in the UK.
Founded in 2017, Inside Out Well-Being is on a mission to support persons from racialised communities with mental health issues. Their main purpose is to directly address the UK’s lack of diversity and inclusive mental health and well-being support.
The Voice spoke to their Founder and CEO, Vanessa Boachie who said: After my first degree, I started working in a Rehabilitation Recovery Home with persons who had been diagnosed with severe mental health difficulties such as Schizophrenia and Psychosis and one of the things I noticed was the high number of black people requiring treatment. It made wonder why so many persons in our community wait until things are so severe to seek expert help and support for their mental health conditions”.
As an award-winning social entrepreneur and qualified therapist, Vanessa has been working in mental health for seven years. She is interested in using culturally sensitive approaches to work with individuals who are experiencing depression, anxiety, social anxiety, low self-esteem, life transitions, hardships and trauma.
Her focus is on supporting people to overcome psychological barriers by exploring the underlying factors that are hindering their peace and by implementing practical strategies and techniques to enhance their quality of life through one-to-one sessions and group workshops.
She has worked with universities and leading corporates such as JP Morgan, Virgin Group Ltd, BBC, NHS, HMPPS. Tesco and Victim Support, to facilitate creative mental health educational workshops.
“Our drive to do things differently fuels everything we do – our services, our communities, our reasons to exist as a social enterprise. We pay attention to aspects of mental well-being that others neglect, particularly identity and culture”.
Vanessa also shared that one of mental health issues that black people have to deal with is racial trauma.
“Many mental health practitioners are not trained in this area and it was not covered as part of my initial university degree. I had to seek out my own training to better understand how to support victims of racial trauma. My team often partners with other community based mental health advocates to share knowledge and practical solutions in this area”.
Inside Out Well-being combines experiential and evidence-based knowledge to facilitate safe spaces to have uncomfortable conversations, improve awareness and to develop practical actions for wellness. They support people to overcome their psychological barriers by exploring the underlying factors that are hindering their peace and by implementing practical strategies and techniques to enhance their quality of life through one-to-one sessions and group workshops.
Recognising the work of mental health advocates
On May 26 in London, Inside Out Well-being will host the UK’s first awards ceremony honouring mental health advocates from ethnically minoritized backgrounds.
Many people, groups, and organisations such as Inside Out Well-Being have created innovative ways to increase awareness of mental health and positive well-being within their communities. Workshops, services, campaigns, podcasts, music, and artwork are just some of the ways that individuals are providing guidance, resources, and support.
The Inside Out Well-being Awards ceremony will honour mental health advocates from ethnic minority backgrounds who have made significant contributions to underserved communities.
The awards event will be attended in person by mental health and well-being advocates, influencers, well-being experts, grassroot organisations supporting people from ethnically minoritized communities.
For more information on how to attend and buy tickets, visit their website at www.insideoutwellbeing or check them out on EventBrite:
*Watch full video interview with Vanessa Boachie: https://youtu.be/yJ_wgM_EcME
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amazing work well done !
It is very hard to stay positive mental awareness with so many factors into consideration. Wellbeing factors are necessary and so is the right support for people different needs and social economic groups . People have to deal with difficult situations and decisions making. When you have some inspiration thoughts and prayers for yourself and others. And healings within society has got to be prioritized. So every can apply forward Civil Strategy. It takes a lot positive people within society to maintain positive strategy for various age ranges. Role modells, within family unit is essential, especially with black cultural background. Love yourself and others have compassion and healing is essential. Love , Not to encourage negative statement and stay focus on real relationship, and healing . Love , forgiveness, support . Love – people and leave trustworthy reliable status on people lifestyle. Love Iris Notice