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Mental Health Center

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

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geriatric mental health

By Ashley Barnes What is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day? Each year on June 15th, World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is observed with the purpose of providing an opportunity for communities across the globe to promote a better understanding of elder abuse and neglect; this is done through education and raising awareness of the social, cultural, demographic, and economic situations that impact elder abuse and neglect.  Elder abuse. An elder is anyone age 65 or older and elder abuse describes any intentional act or failure to act that causes a risk of harm to an older adult (CDC, 2021). A sad truth about elder abuse and neglect is that it often occurs at the hands of a caregiver or person the elder trusts. Elder abuse is a serious problem in the United States with about 1 in 10 older adults over the age of 60 having experienced some form of …

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PTSD Awareness Month

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By Ashley Barnes What is PTSD Awareness Month? June is PTSD Awareness Month and aims to spread awareness about the disorder, its causes, and its symptoms while also supporting and empowering those who experience it.  What is PTSD? Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is described by the American Psychological Association as a disorder that “may result when an individual lives through or witnesses an event in which he or she believes that there is a threat to life or physical integrity and safety and experiences fear, terror, or helplessness” (2021). Hallmark PTSD symptoms as outlined by the American Psychological Association include: reexperiencing the trauma in painful recollections, flashbacks, or recurrent dreams or nightmares; avoidance of activities or places that recall the traumatic event, as well as diminished responsiveness (emotional anesthesia or numbing), with disinterest in significant activities and with feelings of detachment and estrangement from others; and chronic physiological arousal, leading …

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LGBTQ+ Pride Month 2022

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By Ashley Barnes What is Pride Month? LGBTQ+ Pride Month is celebrated in the United States to commemorate the Stonewall riots, which transpired in New York at the end of June 1969. Resultantly, many pride events are held during this month to recognize the positive impact LGBTQ+ people have had on culture and society as well as accomplishments they have achieved. Further, Pride Month commemorates the ongoing pursuit of equal rights and justice for the greater community as well as sub communities within the LGBTQ+ sphere.  Messages from our team. The Mental Health Center supports and appreciates the LGBTQ+ community, not only in the month of June but every day. Our company strives to make the treatment experience inclusive and sensitive to patient needs, honoring all identities. Dino Gonzales, one of our valued administrative assistants, shared that “as an employee of the Mental Health Center, I appreciate our thoughtfulness to …

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LGBTQ+ Mental Health 

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By Ashley Barnes The LGBTQ+ community. Before understanding LGBTQ+ mental health, we must understand the community and their needs. The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersexed, asexual (LGBTQIA+) community describes a diverse range of identities and expressions of gender and sexual orientation; oftentimes, this larger community is also referred to as the LGBTQ+ community. There are many sub communities which have unique experiences and challenges. In addition to these various identities and expressions, a person’s intersectionality (the overlapping aspects of a person’s identity such as race, ethnicity, nationality, and religion) impacts how they experience the world. LGBTQ+ mental health. It is important to note how different aspects of our identities relate to our mental health; for those belonging to the LGBTQ+ community, gender expression and sexual orientation may greatly influence mental health. Though not all identities’ mental health has been researched, studies have found that LGB adults are more …

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