Multiculturalism Is Essential in Mental Health Treatment
From a cultural perspective, we express our humanity in diverse ways. And yet, we are all equally human. I take the contexts of culture seriously in my work and provide an empathetic approach in treatment to empathize and honor individuals from diverse backgrounds.
Mental Health Concerning Gender
Mental health concerns can be unique in regards to gender.
In treatment of women's issues, it is important to develop an empathetic understanding, as a man, to perspectives and experiences that I do not experience. It is the practical understanding and work to help empower a woman in recognizing her stresses, worries, and wounds. It is instilling a disposition of the development of confidence and self-esteem through assertion and the development or the maintaining of the confidence in "rising up" to be respected and treated fairly as a woman. Treatment involves the ability for a woman to embrace her own "masculine" side and to know that she can do anything that a man can.
Treatment for men involves an understanding of male empowerment. Which includes a recognition and the embrace of a man's emotional world. Learning the dialect of his emotional self outside of the natural male focus on logical, rational, and reasonable mentalities. Male empowerment involves the ability to "bring it down" and the ability for a man to embrace his "feminine" side.
In essence, each individual, male and female alike, can develop and maintain positive mental health by finding balance in their passive and their aggressive sides; their harder and softer sides.
Mental Health and The LGBTQ Community
Individuals in the LGBTQ community are 17 times more likely to develop symptoms of trauma and depression. And are just as highly likely to deal with suicidal ideation and attempt suicide.
While we currently live in a time where marriage has expanded its definition and standards, there are still concerns needing addressed for individuals in this community. This includes discrimination that exists for transgender people.
Treatment regarding individuals within the LGBTQ community involves the empowerment of the individual to develop or maintain confidence in who, in their heart and soul, they know themselves to be. And to drown antagonizing and apathetic external voices that, unfortunately, still exist.
Empowerment for this community also involves myself and others outside of the community developing or maintaining empathy and to know how each can learn, through connection, the need to come out of our own proverbial closet.
Mental Health Concerns in Communities of Color
As a caucasian man raising a young man of color, it is important for me to empathize and be vigilant of situations that he may experience that I am privileged enough not to.
In my professional life, it is also important for me to empathize and respect others from all of the different racial and cultural backgrounds that exist. It is my humble ability to allow folks from diverse backgrounds to continue to teach me. And to empower each individual to develop and maintain pride for who they are, culturally.
Religion and spirituality are also components of multiculturalism when providing the spiritual component to treatment. I also take seriously the need to empathize with one's unique religious and spiritual beliefs when incorporating spiritual direction.
Empowering communities of color also empowers myself and others outside of these communities to recognize ways in which we are oppressed as well. And for each of us to persevere and keep our eye on our own prize.
