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Understanding the Need for Culturally Responsive Mental Health Care

There are many reasons why culturally responsive mental health care is needed. One of the most important is stigma around historically underrepresented populations, which can lead to feelings of isolation and shame. Some people may avoid seeking help because they don't want others to know about their struggles or feel like they don't deserve help. This can have serious consequences on their physical and emotional health as well as their relationships with family members, friends, coworkers and community members.
Stigma also prevents people from accessing culturally competent mental health services in general; there's a lack of providers who understand how culture affects mental health issues like depression or anxiety disorders (and vice versa). Reconnect's emphasis on providing services for these communities is an effort toward reducing this barrier by providing culturally competent care that acknowledges how race/ethnicity intersects with other identities such as gender identity/expression or sexual orientation when treating clients from diverse backgrounds

The Founders of Reconnect

Jarvis and Cymone Sams are the co-founders of Reconnect Marriage and Family Counseling. They have a passion for meeting the needs of their clients, who are diverse in age, race, gender identity and sexual orientation. They provide culturally responsive mental health care to help families thrive despite challenges such as poverty or racism.

The Benefits of Reconnect

Reconnect is a culturally responsive mental health care model that helps individuals, couples and families to:

  • Feel seen, heard and included in the counseling process. The counselor will listen carefully to you and use your words to help you understand yourself better. You will be asked what is important to you so that we can work together on goals that fit your needs.

  • Change or modify undesired behaviors in order to improve mood and relationships at home or work. This may include helping children learn how to manage their emotions more effectively so they don't get into trouble at school; assisting parents with their concerns about their children's behavior; helping couples talk about how they want things done around the house (such as chores), etc.; helping families learn how each person contributes positively toward achieving common goals such as improving communication between family members, managing stress levels/overall happiness levels within each family member individually which leads towards greater satisfaction within each relationship overall (i..e., marriage).

The Qualifications of Reconnect's Therapists

At Reconnect, we believe that mental health care is a collaborative process. Our therapists are trained to listen and understand the needs of each client, and they work hard to establish a real connection with them. We also believe that therapy should be culturally responsive--that means our therapists have various life experiences outside of the textbook, which allows them to better meet clients where they are at in their lives.
Our counselors have experience working with all kinds of people from different backgrounds, cultures and ethnicities throughout their careers as marriage and family therapists or social workers. They know how important it is for you as an individual or family member feel safe when seeking help for yourself or loved ones who may be struggling with disorders such as depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Reconnect's Approach to Mental Health Care

Reconnect's approach to mental health care is rooted in the belief that all people have strengths, gifts, and resources. We work with each client to create a safe space where they can explore their feelings and thoughts without judgment. We utilize modalities such as Systemic-based therapies, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Psychodynamic Therapy, Narrative Therapy, and more to help process trauma or past experiences that may be impacting your current life. Our goal is for you to feel empowered by your journey towards healing so that you can live an authentic life free from shame or guilt about yourself or others.

The Impact of Culturally Responsive Mental Health Care

  • Reducing stigma: Stigma can be defined as the negative beliefs, attitudes and behaviors that result from the social construction of mental illness. A culturally responsive approach to mental health care is one that acknowledges the impact of stigma on people of color and seeks to reduce it by increasing access to care and normalizing feelings associated with mental illness.

  • Increasing access to care: Culturally responsive approaches are designed to increase access for people who have traditionally been underserved by mainstream services due to language barriers or other factors related directly or indirectly (e.g., racism) with race/ethnicity/culture.* Normalizing feelings: Culturally responsive therapists help clients understand their emotions so they can better manage them.* Improving quality of life: Culturally responsive therapy helps individuals identify ways they can improve their lives by providing opportunities for growth, healing and breakthroughs.* Finding clarity & understanding: Culturall competent therapists help clients find clarity about situations that may be causing distress in their lives.* Healing: Culturally competent therapists provide support during difficult times such as loss; grief; trauma; abuse etc...

The Benefits of Working with Reconnect

Reconnect is a safe space where you can explore your feelings and thoughts. We want to help you create a real, empathetic connection with your therapist so that they can meet you where you are. We believe in culturally responsive mental health care as well as meeting clients where they are, recognizing strengths and creating a safe space for processing trauma.
We utilize modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Psychodynamic therapy to process trauma, build self-esteem, relieve depression/anxiety symptoms, manage anger issues & improve communication skills within relationships. Our therapists also work outside of sessions (group therapy) so that clients have the opportunity to engage in meaningful activities that promote healing & growth outside their weekly sessions with us!

Conclusion

Reconnect Marriage and Family Counseling is dedicated to providing culturally responsive mental health care to historically underrepresented populations. We help clients reconnect with the version of themselves they want and desire, while also helping them understand what it means to be a part of their community.
If you or someone you know could benefit from our services, please contact us today!

Let’s Work Together

1812 W. Burbank Blvd

Unit 853

Burbank, CA 91506

Tel: 626-283-9680

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