VSC Podcast Episode 46 - Mental Health within Black Communities - a podcast by Victim Service Center

For Black History Month, the VSC, as part of their table talk grant award from the Central Florida Foundation, is launching a mini-podcasting series this month: the Healing Begins Here Series!

This series will have 4 episodes focusing on issues affecting Black and African American Communities and ways we can advocate for Black survivors of Trauma and Sexual Violence.

On the first episode of this mini-series, VSC Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell sat down with Family Nurse Practitioner Dr. Latoya Wells and VSC Victim Advocate Monique Bennett to chat about Mental Health within Black Communities. Come learn about stigmas surrounding mental health within these communities, barriers that BIPOC individuals have when accessing resources, how external societal factors can affect mental health, what advocating for the self looks like, and what mental health providers and health practitioners can do to help support BIPOC and Black Survivors.

Dr. Latoya Wells uses she/her pronouns, is a Family Nurse Practitioner, and has a Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree from Loyola University of New Orleans. She has over twenty-four years of nursing and healthcare experience which also includes nursing and healthcare education at both the undergraduate and graduate level. She holds a full-time leadership and management position with one of the largest insurance carriers in the nation.  Dr. Wells is the owner of Wells Legacy Health & Wellness LLC. She is passionate about educating her community.

Monique Bennett uses she/her pronouns and hails from the University of Central Florida where she earned her Masters in Social Work and Certificate in Marriage & Family counseling, and a Bachelors in Psychology. She has several years of experience working with Women, Children & Families in addition to our homeless population. She is passionate about helping others overcome barriers and navigate through life’s obstacles using solution focus techniques and motivational interviewing. She is adamant about empowering others so that they are living life and not just surviving. She serves her clients with eyes of compassion, a heart filled with love, by providing education, motivation, and emotional support. Monique believes you can make a difference in this world by just helping one person at a time

You can also listen to this episode on our Youtube Channel: https://youtu.be/yAhliAPJbFY

Here are links to the resources Monique mentions on this episode: 

https://nami.org

https://www.nimhd.nih.gov/programs/edu-training/byomm/toolkit.html

https://www.beam.community  

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Trigger Warning: In this podcast we will be discussing sensitive topics such as Sexual Assault. It's important to take care of yourself while listening. Some suggestions are listening while you're in a healthy head space or knowing who you can reach out to if you become upset. Our 24/7 helpline for crisis calls based out of Central Florida is 407 500 HEAL. By contacting the National Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 you can get support and learn about your local resources. There is always someone ready to help.

Further episodes of VSC Podcast

Further podcasts by Victim Service Center

Website of Victim Service Center