Will You “MAKE SOME NOISE”?

On last evening, I had the pleasure of speaking virtually on the topic “Trauma, Violence, and Social Justice Advocacy among the Black Community” to the DC and Virginia Chapters of the National Black MBA Association.

While it was a great opportunity to share my knowledge, I will admit I was saddened that such a conversation has to be had.

The continued perpetuation of violence and senseless killings of African Americans (both male and female) as well as other social injustices by powerful institutions is overwhelming, uncalled for and traumatizing to minorities, both directly and indirectly.

As I did on last evening to the many members of DC and Virginia’s Black MBA Association Chapter members, I am IMPLORING minorities as well as our Allies to begin “MAKING SOME NOISE” about the continued yet unnecessary social injustices plaguing minorities…. especially African Americans!

Now, more than ever, we should be taking action to bring awareness along with holding our institutions (judicial, criminal justice/law enforcement, educational, political) accountable for their actions. We MUST STAND for JUSTICE by Advocating and Demanding Change!

Are you Willing to “MAKE SOME NOISE”?

When The Going Gets Tough….

As a clinician in the field of counseling, every day is not a good day.

We find ourselves working with clients that are challenging and being assigned clients that seem to be beyond difficult, leaving us to wonder if we really know how to provide services and help them to improve.

I want to remind each of you that on days like this, “When the Going Gets Tough….. Continue EMERGING”!!!!!

We are never going to be the perfect clinician.

We are always going to walk away from session wondering what we could have done different.

Better yet, we are going to question if we are even cut out to do the work required of a clinician.

Always remember, each experience is a learning experience.

What you learn from the experience and how you apply it to yourself and the work you do as a clinicians, is what is the most important.

Trust me, I was once in your shoes and experienced some of the same anxieties, fears, and doubts as you have and/or currently are. Believe it or not, I have days when I still have these experiences. It is human nature. It is in these moments we grow, evolve, and EMERGE the most.

Take some time out of your day to breathe and remind yourself that you are “EMERGING”.

EMERGE On!

Life Is Really All About…..

What is life is really all about?

Ultimately, it’s about FEELING the way you want to feel.

Grateful.

Confident.

Excited.

Inspired.

Joyful.

HAPPY.

It’s about knowing who you are and what you were created for.

It’s about being in alignment and walking in your purpose so that you can inspire others to do the same.

The secret is that you can BE all of that and FEEL all of that right now, as you are, with what you have.

Call To Action….. Let’s MAKE SOME NOISE!

As counselors, the work we do on a daily basis extends far beyond the clinical setting. Considered human/social service professionals, our most important work is that of advocating on the behalf of our clients; ensuring their well-being and overall quality of life is at its best.

Recently the world became familiar, almost 3 months to late, with the untimely, uncalled for, and senseless murder of Mr. Ahmaud Arbery in Brunswick, Georgia.

Hunted down while jogging, the perpetrators had no compassion and/or regard for this young African American man’s life and up until the evening of May 7th, 2020, when arrested by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and booked into the Glynn County Jail, had remained free to continue living their lives as if Ahmaud’s life did not matter.

So many times, we are faced with hearing about and watching the news of other African Americans being senselessly killed, yet we don’t necessarily think that we will ever have to experience such in our own neighborhoods and/or surrounding counties.

While this case hits home for me, as I was reared and have resided in Coastal Georgia for 38 years of my life, I am well aware that this case resonates with so many more, directly and indirectly.

The violent, unjust, and oppressive acts perpetrated upon ethnic minorities has become all to common in our lives and there comes a time when we as human/social service professional, more specifically: counselors, social workers, marriage and family therapist, psychologist, and other behavioral providers, can no longer be complicit and begin to bring awareness not only to the social injustices and/or oppressive acts but also the the psychological impact these acts have on ethnic minorities and their allies.

With that being said, I am issuing a CALL To ACTION for the many Counselors, Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapist, and Psychologist to come together and MAKE SOME NOISE!

It is time that we not only offer our clinical services to our community, but that we begin to ADVOCATE for and STAND alongside our communities.

Let’s MAKE SOME NOISE in the name of Multiculturalism, Social Justice, and Advocacy for not just Ahmaud Arbery but all of the African American men and women who have been unjustly killed.

Lets Rally, Use our Social Media Platforms to Educate, Empower, and Call out Injustices, Write our Local/State/National Legislative Leaders, Publish Op-Eds, Write and Sign on to Petitions demanding Justice!

Current Petition Campaign(s)

In order to Effect Change we must DEMAMD Change!!!!

Please sign this Petition to the State Bar to hold Jackie Johnson accountable for her gross diligence and Prosecutorial Misconduct!

Petition for J. Johnson Resignation

Dear Black Men…..

Dear Black Men:

I know, many have said they love you but that’s just not enough anymore.

I can only imagine what you are feeling inside….

Anger…..

Rage…..

Disgust….

Hurt….

Frustrated….

Upset….

Tired…..

Exhausted….

Fearful….

Scared….

….. and I am sure the list of emotions could go on and on.

I shared in this pain with you.

My heart aches at the thought of this world being so damn cowardly.

Your skin tone and your body stature is not intimidating, yet, there are some who menace at the idea of your black masculinity.

Black Men, you deserve so much more.

You deserve to be honored and revered for the amount of strength you display day in and day out in a world that continues to perpetrate harm upon you and doesn’t believe your life matter.

Black Men, your life matters to me and so many others and we stand beside and in front of you ensuring that everyone else know that we are in this with you.

We will fight these injustices and oppressive acts until we can’t fight anymore and when we are done know that the torch will be passed on to others that will continue the fight.

Black Men, you will get the the respect and justice you deserve. Trust and Believe we will make sure to see that through.

Black Men, I am here with you so never feel you are alone.

Black Men: you are my son, my brothers, my cousins, my uncles, my grandfathers, my nephews and my friends.

~Dr. Karla Sapp

May is Mental Health Awareness Month…..

Do You Know Your Tools2Thrive?

While 1 in 5 people will experience a mental illness during their lifetime, everyone faces challenges in life that can impact their mental health. The good news is there are practical tools that everyone can use to improve their mental health and increase resiliency – and there are ways that everyone can be supportive of friends, family, and co-workers who are struggling with life’s challenges or their mental health.

This May is Mental Health Month we are highlighting #Tools2Thrive – what individuals can do daily to prioritize their mental health, build resiliency in the face of trauma and obstacles, support those who are struggling, and work towards a path of recovery.

One of the easiest tools anyone can use is taking a mental health screen at mhascreening.org when they need answers. It’s a quick, free, and private way for people to assess their mental health and recognize signs of mental health problems.

This May, we are also exploring topics that can help you build your own set of #Tools2Thrive – recognizing and owning your feelings; finding the positive after loss; connecting with others; eliminating toxic influences; creating healthy routines; and supporting others – all as ways to boost the mental health and general wellness of you and your loved ones.

When it comes to your feelings, it can be easy to get caught up in your emotions as you’re feeling them. Most people don’t think about what emotions they are dealing with but taking the time to really identify what you’re feeling can help you to better cope with challenging situations. It’s ok to give yourself permission to feel. We also know that life can throw us curveballs – and at some point in our lives we will all experience loss. It may be the end of a relationship, being let go from a job, losing a home, or the death of a loved one. It is natural to go through a grieving process. By looking for opportunity in adversity or finding ways to remember the good things about who or what we’ve lost, we can help ourselves to recover mentally and emotionally.

It also is true that connections and the people around us can help our overall mental health – or hurt it. It’s important to make connections with other people that help enrich our lives and get us through tough times, but it’s equally important to recognize when certain people and situations in life can trigger us to feel bad or engage in destructive behaviors. Identifying the toxic influences in our lives and taking steps to create a new life without them can improve mental and physical health over time. And we know that work, paying bills, cleaning, getting enough sleep, and taking care of children are just some of the things we do each day – and it is easy to be overwhelmed. By creating routines, we can organize our days in such a way that taking care of tasks and ourselves becomes a pattern that makes it easier to get things done without having to think hard about them.

For each of us, the tools we use to keep us mentally healthy will be unique. But we are wanting everyone to know that mental illnesses are real, and recovery is possible. Finding what work for you may not be easy but can be achieved by gradually making small changes and building on those successes. By developing your own #Tools2Thrive, it is possible to find balance between work and play, the ups and downs of life, and physical health and mental health – and set yourself on the path to recovery.

For more information, visit www.mhanational.org/may.