BE BECOM OMING BEL ING BELOVED C VED COM OMMUNITY NITY EMOTIONAL EMANCIPATION CIRCLES (EEC): A WAY TO COMMUNITY HEALING AND WELLNESS PREPARED AND PRESENTED FOR: UNION OF BLACK EPISCOPALIANS ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING & CONFERENCE NASSAU, BAHAMAS - TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2018 CARRIE A. BROWN, BSC, CERTIFIED EEC TRAINER, AYESHA MUTOPE-JOHNSON, JD, MACC, LPC UBE MENTAL HEALTH TASK FORCE
DEFY FYING THE LIE • The Community Healing Network, Inc. (CHN) and the AssociaIon of Black Psychologists (ABPsi) are working together to mobilize the Black community to overcome the lie of Black inferiority which has, for nearly four hundred years, jus[fied and fueled racism – both external and internalized.
GRAS GRASSROO OOTS NE NETW TWORK ORK • CHN and ABPsi are working to establish a grassroots network of self-help groups focused on emo[onal emancipa[on, healing, wellness, and empowerment for Black people, and has put into place key elements to build this network, including:
SK SKY BLUE UE DAYS • 1. The annual celebra[on of Community Healing/Wear Sky Blue Days on the third weekend of every October, designed to put “[me for healing” on the Black agenda and show our collec[ve determina[on to move “beyond the pain of the blues to the sky blue of unlimited possibili[es”
EMBRA EMBRACE T CE THE T HE TRUT RUTH PLEDG H PLEDGE • 2. The Defy the Lie and Embrace the Truth Pledge campaign, designed to raise awareness of the con[nuing nega[ve impact of the lie of Black inferiority and to encourage Black people to make personal commitments to emo[onal wellness
RE RESOU OURCE CES, TRAINING, TRAINING, EE EEC C • 3. The Community Healing Ins[tute, which brings together Black mental health professionals to develop resources and trainings to help local leaders establish and sustain emo[onal ini[a[ves; and • 4. the implementa[on of EmoIonal EmancipaIon Circles (EECs)
EMOTIONAL EMANCIPATION CIRCLES (EEC) • EmoIonal EmancipaIon Circles are safe, flexible spaces where we as Black people can: • 1. Share our stories • 2. Deepen our understanding of the impact of historical forces on our emo[onal lives • 3. Detoxify and free our minds and spirits • 4. Revitalize ourselves and our rela[onships with each other • 5. Arm ourselves and our children with essen[al emo[onal wellness skills to be our very best as individuals and as a people
EMOTIONAL EMANCIPATION CIRCLES (EEC) • We need EECs to DEFY THE LIE of 400 years that Black people are inferior and White people are superior • We need to THROW OFF THE BURDEN that the emo[onal legacies of enslavement and racism have leg on the Black community in emo[onal distress
DIS DISTRE RESS SIG SS SIGNS NS • Examples of DISTRESS SIGNS shown in the Black community: • Homicide is the leading cause of death for young Black males • Nearly 60% of Black women are obese. This is partly related to a chronic stress response and structural inequali[es • Only 52% of Black males graduate from high school • Blacks make up 34% of incarcerated (while being 13% of popula[on); and are incarcerated 5 [mes the rate of Whites
DISTRESS AND STRESS AFFE FFECT PHYSICAL HEALTH • The distress plaguing the Black community is the result of past and con[nuing emo[onal trauma. • Higher levels of chronic physical health problems, such as hypertension, heart disease, obesity, depression, and lower life sa[sfac[on are related to the chronic stress of racism (Ins[tute for Social Research, U. of Mich.) • In other words, racial stress nega[vely affects our health
DISTRESS AND STRESS AFFE FFECT MENTAL HEALTH • Racism and racial discrimina[on adversely affect mental health by diminishing the vic[m’s self-image, confidence, and op[mal mental func[oning (American Psychiatric Associa[on) • Centuries of living with the burden of the life of Black inferiority (which fuels internalized racism) create psychological and emo[onal distress that, leg unamended, can have serious long term mental health and physical health consequences
CO CONTINUING TRAUMA • Con[nuing oppression and feelings of helplessness from: • Mass shoo[ngs • Urban stress • Extra-judicial killings of Blacks by law enforcement officers • Micro aggressions and subtle acts; demeaning and discriminatory acts
RE RESPONS PONSIVE RE IVE REACTIONAR TIONARY BEHA Y BEHAVIOR VIORS • What are some of the non-produc[ve behaviors caused by genera[ons of oppression? • a. Anger • b. Self-Hate • c. Anxiety
RE RESPONS PONSIVE RE IVE REACTIONAR TIONARY BEHA Y BEHAVIOR VIORS • Some addi[onal non-produc[ve behaviors are: • d. Low self-esteem • e. Lack of trust • f. Domes[c abuse and Violence • g. Lack of respect and self-respect • h. Hyper-vigilance
RE REACTIVE BEHA TIVE BEHAVIOR VIORS -- PS -- PSYCHOL CHOLOGICAL OGICAL • Psychologists describe several condi[ons (unproduc[ve responses): • a. Intense psychological distress • b. Psychological reac[vity • c. Marked diminish interest or par[cipa[on • d. Feelings of detachment or estrangement
RE REACTIVE BEHA TIVE BEHAVIOR VIORS -- PS -- PSYCHOL CHOLOGICAL OGICAL • Some addi[onal unproduc[ve responses … • e. Restricted range of affect • f. Sense of foreshortened future (don’t expect a long life) • g. Difficulty falling or staying asleep (depression?) • h. Irritability or outbursts of anger • i. Difficulty concentra[ng
THE PILLARS OF F AN EE EEC • How do EECs work? • 7 Keys and Corresponding Ac[on Steps • 7 Ground Rules to govern behavior within the Circle • 7 Cultural Principles and Values for Living that have empowered and guided African people for centuries
WHA WHAT A ARE T RE THE 7 K HE 7 KEY EYS? S? • The 7 Keys are affirmaIons of the work required to free ourselves from the psychological and emo[onal bondage of centuries of racism. • They are based on African principles , and are represented by Adinkra Symbols (Ghana)
WHA WHAT A ARE T RE THE 7 K HE 7 KEY EYS? S? (C (CONT ONT’D) ’D) • The 7 Keys are conscious reminders of: • a. what we must understand, • b. what we must tell ourselves, • c. what we must seek out, and • d. what we must do in order to free ourselves.
WHA WHAT A ARE T RE THE 7 K HE 7 KEY EYS? S? (C (CONT ONT’D) ’D) • The 7 Keys can serve as sources of support in moments of stress, challenge, strain, and whenever we are at risk of slipping into old habits, outdated thinking and unhelpful pamerns
EXAMPLE OF F ONE OF F THE 7 KEYS • Key 1: African Spiritual Origins • We recognize that as children of God, our power – personal and communal – is boundless • Ac[on = Awareness: • I awaken to the reality that something all knowing, all powerful, all mighty is always with me
CO CONCLUSION • The collabora[ve of the Community Healing Network (CHN) and the AssociaIon of Black Psychologists (ABPsi) has found prac[cal and evidence-based success in developing and applying these principles. • EmoIonal EmancipaIon Circle (EEC) trainings and workshops are, being conducted all over the country. You can bring one to your chapter, town or community, and begin the work of healing. For the mental well-being of our people, let us do this work. • Thank you from the UBE Mental Health Task Force
REFE FERENCES • Community Healing Network (CHN) hmp://www.communityhealingnet.org/ • Associa[on of Black Psychologists (ABPsi) hmp://www.abpsi.org/ • To bring an EEC training to your town or community, email: circles@communityhealingnet.org • To contact today’s presenters: • Carrie Brown: cab_bfy@yahoo.com • Ayesha Mutope-Johnson: agmutope@gmail.com • For informa[on and ar[cles from the UBE Mental Health Task Force, go to hmp:// www.ube.org/dfc/newsdetail_2/3186206
Recommend
More recommend
