This month sheds light on the distinct struggles underrepresented groups face with mental illness in the United States. Statistics show that Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color experience significant differences in the accessibility of quality mental health care. Check out these resources + links here.
Flower Girls Meet is always here if you need community in Chicago and online.
Getting our hands in the dirt relieves stress, minimizes depression, lowers our blood pressure, and makes us happier! This is why we’re so excited to team up with Elizabeth Berkeley at Chicago Grows Food, a collaborative project devoted to expanding and unifying the food-growing community in Chicagoland, who will teach us how to grow herbs! She’ll provide grow kits including a variety of herbs and teach us how to grow them inside or outside our homes!
We’ll also be listening to moving poetry about the healing process with the lovely Tanae B, a spoken word artist, singer, and community organizer. The purpose of this event is to help you create a more sustainable and healthy relationship with food. Everyone in attendance will walk away feeling more informed and empowered when it comes to gardening and wellness.
Herby Pop, a Black-owned and woman-owned business will be our sponsor providing delicious flavored popcorn! Melina Morales will capture us beautifully! You don’t want to miss this event! Come alone or bring a friend. RSVP here.
Tix will cover grow kits (you’ll get to bring them home), snacks, drinks, venue, and photography.
Got questions? Please email us at flowergirlsmeet@gmail.com
First of all, we are wired as humans to connect with one another, and doing so helps our mental and physical health.
So how do we connect with people? By finding commonalities, being vulnerable and honest about who we are, sharing what we know, and remaining professional at all times.
If you’ve just uprooted yourself to a new city or country, for example, where do you begin? Some tips here and here.
Building connections also allow us to extend our reach. This is helpful when we’re looking for a new job or needing help with something we don’t have expertise in. Using social media to find people can be very effective in connecting with people who work at companies you’re interested in. If you’re looking for a career change, check out this career coach recommended by Side Hustle Guru Jessica L Williams.
While you’re working to build connections professionally, make sure you have your elevator speech down and that your resume looks good. Here’s an example of a resume that is guaranteed to wow potential employers. Thanks for sharing, Gloria! More tips from Deena McKay’s Black Tech Unplugged: Ep. 022: Deena + Friends Unplugged.
Check out these must-reads/ resources on building meaningful connections. Remember, it all starts with you:
Finding the right therapist takes time and patience. It’s actually a lot like dating! See below for tips and be sure to download this PDF with more tips from Michelle, Janese, and Daisy who spoke at our last event – Thank you so much ladies for sharing your time and knowledge!
Take a moment to reflect on what you need in your life right now and what is important for you to address. For example: Do you want to work on your anxiety or a recent life change? Michelle suggests thinking about what type of relationship you desire to have with a close friend. What makes them important to you? How do they make you feel when you are around them? Ask yourself these Qs too: What are you hoping to gain through your therapy journey? How do you envision yourself a year from now? What about your life looks different?
Time to do your own research! Ask people you trust for referrals, then double-check everything online to ensure the therapist you’ve been recommended fits the bill. Janese suggests looking for therapists who are local to your area or those who offer teletherapy, then read their online profiles and reviews to get an idea of their credentials, specialties, and approach to therapy. Daisy suggests seeking a therapist who specializes in the issue(s) you’re struggling with and hoping to address. Often a therapist’s bio will list their specialties, and the therapist may note they have completed specialized training in certain conditions. Examples include depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, substance abuse/addiction, eating disorders, personality disorders, grief, relationship issues, and women’s mental health, etc.
The process is a lot like dating – you may have to go through a few therapists until you find the right one. Janese says “Many therapists offer free consultations to help you determine if they are a good fit for you. Take advantage of this opportunity to ask questions and get a sense of their personality and approach.”
More things to consider:
Are there any identities that you feel are important for your therapist to hold? These include race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and religion.
Specializations: If you have a history of trauma, you may want to seek out a “trauma-informed” or “trauma-sensitive” therapist who has trained to better understand and address the impacts of trauma on mental health.
Modalities: There are many models and approaches to therapy. Some therapists may primarily train in and use one modality, while other therapists may incorporate multiple modalities into their work. Again, these approaches will often be listed on a therapist’s website. Examples include psychodynamic, psychoanalytic, CBT, supportive, ACT, DBT, relational, EMDR, somatic experiencing, etc. Some modalities may work best for different people, so be sure to research which ones you’d like to try/ work with your new therapist to see which would be best for you.
Setting: Therapists can practice in many different settings, including at a solo practice, in a group practice with multiple therapists, in a combined clinic with psychiatrists and therapists, at a community medical center, or at a large hospital. You could even try group therapy. Ultimately you’ll want to think about the experience you want out of therapy as Michelle mentioned in the beginning and then make your decision accordingly.
Insurance/ Cost: If you do not have insurance, ask about self-pay costs. Some therapists offer sliding scale services, meaning that they can adjust their costs depending on your income. Some clinics have training programs where you may be able to pay a low cost per session to see a therapist trainee.
Finally, please trust yourself and know that you have the ability to choose the right therapist for you, even if it takes years! Janese says “Trust your gut. Ultimately, you want to feel comfortable and safe with your therapist. If you don’t feel a connection or sense of trust, it’s okay to keep looking until you find the right fit.”
At 28, Karen Spears is a calm and collected individual with so much insight into the world of entrepreneurship. Karen shared her budding, enterprising journey with us which began as early as middle school when she created craft books for teachers, and later painted signage quotes for friends going to college. She clearly had a gift and honed it, until it blossomed into her very own business. Here are some amazing tips and tricks Karen has learned over the years:
The people around you matter. You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.
Running your own business is no joke. It takes serious commitment and time. The greater the risk, the greater the reward.
You have to plan out the life you want. Planning is what leads to success. If you want to become an entrepreneur, don’t quit your full-time today without an action plan.
If you’ve been granted a gift or talent, you have a responsibility to nurture it.
You can save money by doing your taxes quarterly, not yearly.
Don’t make decisions based on our emotions saying less and doing more.
Find a mentor, and advocate for ourselves. You are the bag!
More: – Never assume other people’s motives. – Identify what inspires the people you work with and connect with them based on those things. – Pace yourself and manage your time wisely to avoid burnout. – Practice clear communication and boundaries.
Here’s a beautiful phone screensaver from Karen. Thank you!