Experts offering their best advice, research, how-tos, and insights.
White all Right, Black Get Back While dark skin denotes acceptance and a sense of belonging on the African continent, light skin raises questions of authenticity and a conflicted sense of identity. A division of individuals based on the difference of appearance began with slavery and colonialism and has led to discrimination and violence. It […]
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This blog is an outlet for individuals to discuss and to provide possible solutions for mental health issues in our community. The topic of Black and Brown students’ race- based traumatic events continues to erode the consciousness and mental health of our students. As a former school administrator in a school district of predominately Black […]
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Mental health issues are prevalent in Black and Brown Americans, however, the historical dehumanization, oppression, trauma, and violence against Black and Brown people continue to fuel the ongoing mental health crisis. Black and Brown communities are more inclined to say that mental illness is associated with shame, embarrassment, and a sign of “weakness.”
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Mental health is full of misconceptions, the most common of which is that mental illness is rare when, in fact, about 1 in 2 people will experience a mental illness in their lifetime according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the CDC. Another is that living with a mental illness in a […]
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What do actors Ryan Reynolds and Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson, NFL wide receiver Brandon Marshall, Cleveland Cavaliers’ Kevin Love, Princes William and Harry, musician Logic, Olympian Michael Phelps, and comedian Wayne Brady have in common? They are champions of increasing awareness of mental health issues and decreasing mental health stigma specific to men. Each has […]
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Last September, we discussed the work of researcher, social worker, and storyteller Dr. Brené Brown. That post summarized concepts from Dr. Brown’s TED talk titled The Power of Vulnerability, which can be found here. In that TED talk, Dr. Brown also touches on the subject of shame — or the belief that we’re not enough […]
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Anyone can help prevent suicide — you don’t have to be a mental health professional. There are countless examples of silent heroes who recognize emotional suffering in people, respond compassionately to someone in distress, and then take action to promote healing and offer hope. Listen to just one inspiring example. When an empathetic stranger confronted […]
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The recent release of13 Reasons Why season 2 is prompting an essential dialogue in our communities related to bullying, depression, sexual assault and harassment, self-harm, suicide, and substance use. Because many of13RW’s central characters are teens, much of this conversation is taking place in middle and high schools, where many administrators are concerned about the […]
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In this post, we want to share an empowering strategy taught in WISE’s Honest, Open, Proud program. For more information about HOP, click here. It is called the 5 step strategy for challenging our hurtful self-talk. Hurtful self-talk is a form of internalized stigma or shame, which occurs when we come to believe the negative, […]
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One of the biggest concerns that many who wish to help others face is the difficulty of bringing up and discussing various challenges. Mentioning private or sensitive subject matter may make you—or your family member, friend, or peer—feel awkward, shameful, uncomfortable, or vulnerable. Too often, fear of experiencing these feelings stops us from communicating and, […]
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At WISE, we talk a lot about the importance of self-care, or the providing of care by you and for you, and its importance in improving your compassion resilience, or CR, and maintaining your overall well-being. Click here to read WISE’s previous post about self-care. One common form of self-care that is practiced cross-culturally is […]
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In previous posts, we discussed stigma change processes and the use of TLC4 as a planning model for framing stigma change efforts. In both of those posts, we explored the effectiveness of contact-based strategies for decreasing stigma and offering realistic hope to those facing similar challenges. The success of contact-based strategies exemplifies that stories are […]
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As a young adult whose professional experiences have been limited, it never occurred to me to think about the extent that my own emotions are present in the workplace and how they do or don’t affect my work. This goes to show just how much our emotions are permitted in these areas — a.k.a. […]
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In February, we discussed the TLC4 Model, which explains how WISE reaches various populations and produces tangible change throughout Wisconsin. Click here to reread that article. In that post, we also said that the best way to reduce stigma is to share our own mental health challenges and story of recovery with others. However, […]
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In July, we learned about “public stigma” – the stigma that people express towards others. Click here to read that article. In this post, we will examine one type of public stigma that can have a devastating psychological impact on people who are recovering from abuse. Victim-blaming is the tendency to view victims as responsible […]
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In December, we discussed several stigma change processes, including protest, education, and contact. Of these, contact with those with lived mental health experience is the most effective. Hearing about the mental health challenges and the recovery efforts of others is the best way to decrease stigma and offer realistic hope to those facing similar challenges. […]
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Becase of their unique, stylistic elements, rappers pride themselves on their narratives, which often address current issues and/or popular trends. However, topics related to mental health have been noticeably absent from the rap genre. That is… until last April when the rapper, singer, and songwriter known as Logic released 1-800-273-8255, a song named after the […]
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Back in July, we discussed what stigma is and where it comes from. Click here to read that article again. While this information is useful, the most important thing to know about stigma is that, in a perfect world, it wouldn’t exist. In this post, we’re going to discuss how we can reverse and eliminate […]
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In October’s post, we talked about what compassionate boundaries are and listed six tips for setting compassionate boundaries with others. Incorporating these into your routine will help you build compassion resilience, or CR, and will allow you to do your best work and establish healthy relationships. If you need a reminder, review them here. […]
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Social media is immensely popular, particularly the powerhouse Facebook, which boasts 1.2 billion daily users and is now worth over 500 billion dollars according to Zephoria.com. No, you didn’t read that wrong— that’s billion with a b. Due to Facebook’s immense following, as well as the subsequent rise of similar platforms such as Twitter, […]
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In September’s post, we discussed compassion resilience, or CR, and how to move from compassion fatigue toward wellness. We also discussed the 7 C’s of CR that we can apply in our work with others to ourselves. Review them here. So far, we’ve talked a lot about what CR is and why it’s so important […]
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In August’s post, we “pounced” on the subject of compassion fatigue and its harmful path by illustrating Eric Gentry’s research with the help of some cats. Need a reminder? Review it here. Compassion fatigue can result in feelings of depression, anxiety, sadness, exhaustion, and irritation. Knowing what compassion fatigue looks like is key in understanding […]
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If you’re a social worker, you’ve likely heard of Dr. Brené Brown, a self-described “researcher and storyteller” who studies topics such as shame and vulnerability. Dr. Brown’s personal background is in social work, so these topics are obviously relevant to those in that field, but they’re also valuable and potentially life-changing to those who aren’t. […]
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We all know about the usage of certain substances like tobacco and alcohol. Knowing the risks, you’ve probably even used them yourself, as both are legal and/or socially acceptable. However, illicit drug use is a different issue and often flies under the public’s radar. This is especially true with a substance that’s gaining popularity in […]
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In our previous posts, If We Want To vs. If We Can and Self-Stigma: Internalizing Trauma, we considered the many, multilayered connections between trauma and compassion. Now, we’ll discuss compassion fatigue, or the gradual lessening of compassion over time, and how this can be a barrier to our experiences in and out the workplace. What […]
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Learn about what stigma is and where it comes from, as well as whether stigmatization is decreasing and at what rate.
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Weigh the pros and cons of Netflix’s “13 Reasons Why” and consider the importance of being aware of and discussing suicide.
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Learn about how trauma is internalized differently by adults and children, as well as the possible long and short term effects and how this can lead to self-stigma.
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Explore the 7 Promises of the Safe Person Decal, created with WISE in order to provide more spaces for those in need of an open ear and support.
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Compare the pros and cons of the current Affordable Care Act and how proposed changes by Republican leaders may or may not benefit you.
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Examine how we give and receive motivation and the difference between the “do well if they want to” and “do well if they can” mentalities.
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Learn about WISE, including who, what, when, where and why WISE is so important, and how you can get more involved in WISE’s work.
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