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ECDA Newsletter

Making Your Mental Health a Priority 


May is mental health month in the U.S, and it’s a moment to explore the importance of your mental health. It is easy to get lost in the routine of our everyday lives; caring for loved ones, going to work/school, finishing household chores, etc. The actions of our daily lives overshadow and engulf the importance of caring for your mental health. It feels like there isn’t the time or ability to exercise, journal, take time off, or do all the “good for you.” Caring for your mental health can start slowly, match your schedule, and there is no right way. 
 
What is Mental Health? 
 
In all the discussion of mental health, what does it even mean? The World Health Organization defines “mental health” as a “state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life…” In other words, mental health is the foundation of your daily self; it encompasses your emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It determines how you may handle stress, relates to others, and make decisions. 
 
How do you know if your mental health needs some more immediate attention? Some signs include increased irritability, feelings of sadness, difficulty concentrating, thoughts of suicide, difficulty completing day-to-day functions (eating, showering, going to work), and isolation. If you or someone you know is experiencing any of these symptoms or more, mental health services may be needed to address the concerns. 
 
Four Short Tips for Making Mental Health a Priority on a Busy Day
  1. Take Small Moments
For those with a busy workday taking small moments may include taking a 5-minute walk on your break, singing or listening to your favorite song on your commute to work, taking your lunch break, dancing while cleaning, and watching a funny video. Take one minute to close your eyes and take a deep breath. 
 
Most importantly, there is always time to go to the bathroom. So take a short moment to meet your basic needs (drink some water, eat a snack, stand up, take necessary medications). 
  1. Choose one thing to start your morning. 
City life makes it difficult sometimes to engage in a morning routine, particularly for those who have children, early workdays, and long commutes. Choosing one activity or item to start your morning can assist in starting your day. This may include choosing a soft song for an alarm sound, a morning stretch, drinking and finishing your cup of coffee or tea before driving, washing your face, petting your pets, etc. 
 
Morning routines are often listed as long activities, but choosing one action to complete your day can help start your day and give you a sense of success early in the morning. 
  1. Take the easy wins
Find activities that you can commit to completing. Sometimes searching for tips for mental health, you will see items that include exercise for 30 minutes, journal for 15 minutes, etc. and we might not have time to complete those activities. Taking the easy wins just means completing any small activity. 
 
Such as making your bed, eating your lunch, walking your pets, taking a break, finishing an item on your to-list, making your breakfast, finishing your show, contacting a friend, put your shoes away. The little things that take up your day are everyday wins, and they deserve to be celebrated! 
  1. Ask for help
Asking for help can be jarring and scary. We are often raised to do things independently, but asking for help can reduce your overall stress and worry. Asking for help can be as simple as asking a friend to talk, asking your partner to complete a house task, or stating no to adding another work project. Learning to recognize when your cup is too full is important for your mental health. 
 
Making your mental health a priority can be difficult. It calls for you to put yourself first, carve time out and focus on your needs and sometimes we don’t have the time. The reality is that your mental health is the basis and foundation for your everyday life; it dictates your decisions, activities, and overall mood. So giving yourself 5 minutes, taking those small wins, and finding the things that are important to you are small ways to prioritize your mental health. 

If you or someone you know is interested in speaking to a therapist give us a call at (818) 898-0223 to schedule an appointment with our intake department. 

UPDATES

Registration opens for ECDA Culture, Equity, & Race in Mental Health
Virtual Conference on May 11
Special Message from Supervisor Sheila Kuehl



El Centro de Amistad announces its free virtual conference on, Culture, Equity & Race in Mental Health, taking place online on May 11, starting from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. with an interactive workshop streaming live on YouTube and Facebook pages.
 
To control the spread of COVID-19, lockdowns were enacted across the world, causing challenges for many, such as isolation, joblessness, and childcare severely affecting their mental well-being.  Some people were able to cope with the anxiety and stress of the different lockdowns individuals experienced, while others struggled. 
 
“The pandemic’s negative impacts weigh most heavily on those who were vulnerable, to begin with. The Covid-19 pandemic surfaced some serious mental health issues,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl. “The caring staff at El Centro de Amistad provided essential therapeutic services that families and communities so desperately need. The pandemic created a moment where we all had to look out for each other.”
 
The organization's Mental Health Conference on Culture, Equity & Race in Mental Health will bring together mental health experts to advance knowledge and skills related to some of today's most relevant mental health topics.
 
Key conference speakers include Dr. Sherry C. Wang, a licensed counseling psychologist, an infant, child, and early childhood mental health specialist; Jenny López, a licensed clinical social worker, and Sunny Cho, a licensed marriage and family therapist, and Child Therapist Alina Gonzalez, an associate marriage and family therapist. Also, special appearance videos by Kuehl and Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez will be featured as they share touching messages of her support for mental health.
 
Other key conference highlights include:
  • Participants will learn to identify how their privilege may be affecting interaction and service to community members.
  • Participants will be informed and empowered to know ways of helping face Anti-Asian Racism.
  • Participants will be guided into brave dialogue around exploring power and privilege, and discerning its impact on our beliefs, attitudes, and community practices. 
  • Together, we will review historical contexts, self-reflect on our own implicit biases, and practice integrating evidence-based strategies to consciously address our implicit biases. 
  • A Q & A after each presentation for participants.
Interested participants, please register at http://ecda.org/conference-registration/. For event information, contact Flaviola Garcia, Community Relations Supervisor, at 818-898-0223 or email Flaviola.g@ecda.org. To learn more about ECDA, visit http://ecda.org/.
 

Thankful for Our Wonderful Team of Social Workers

 
Having come from a low-income family and relied on the numerous helpers in the community, Misty Farber was inspired to become a licensed clinical social worker. In her 20s, her mother was in the hospital when they received support from a social worker “who helped us through things and processing when we lost her.”
 
Today, Farber, recounting this memory as her turning point, said, “It’s these difficult life events that help me to help others better.”
 
Farber, a Clinical Training Program Manager for El Centro de Amistad (ECDA), a mental health nonprofit in San Fernando Valley, chooses to take her life mission of helping as many children, families, and individuals as she can and apply it to her everyday role as a supervisor. “I’m inspiring the next generation of therapists and teaching students what I have learned to put their own spin and then practice it.”
 
Recognizing its social workers during National Social Work Month, ECDA has five social workers and four student interns from California State University, Northridge (CSUN), and the University of Southern California (USC), who are deserving of being celebrated for their mental health therapy and the advocacy they provide children, families, and individuals.
 
Prioritizing their clients’ mental health treatment, oftentimes “the most challenging area of being a social worker is taking care of themselves,” said Farber, who focuses first on checking in with the therapists and the interns and asks, “How are you doing?” She is well aware that how they are doing will impact how they deliver mental health services to their clients.

To finish reading the article, click this link. 

How Therapy Helped Pamela Turn Her Life Around

 
Pamela is a 29-year-old Latina female who began therapy to deal with unresolved childhood issues, grief and loss, substance use, and having her three children removed from her custody due to neglect. At the onset of therapy, she presented as a highly anxious person who seemed overwhelmed with her life circumstances and responsibilities.
 
As a young adult, Pamela’s mother was diagnosed with Diabetes and would die from the illness, which affected Pamela’s coping skills and made her more anxious. Pamela had many unresolved issues that she had difficulty dealing with day-to-day responsibilities.
 
At the age of 27, Pamela found herself in a precarious situation; she had three children and a longstanding relationship. She and her partner were abusing alcohol. She and her partner’s drinking and carelessness would turn Pamela’s world upside down. Her children would soon be removed from her custody in June of 2021 by the Department of Children and Family Services due to alleged neglect.
 
Therapy was something that was mandated and which Pamela sought out immediately. Her goal was to get sober and regain custody of her children. Her partner was also on the same track, and they began their journey toward sobriety and wellness. On November 16, 2021, Pamela began therapy at El Centro de Amistad with MHC Puri. As Pamela told her story and started seeing patterns of dysfunction, she gradually began to process her history and realize the impact of her childhood on her current situation. Along with therapy, Pamela and her partner attended AA and other substance use meetings and have been sober for over one year. They both have secure employment and are frequently praised by their employers for their excellent work skills.

To finish reading the article, click this link. 

FEATURED VIDEO

El Centro de Amistad celebrated Mental Health Awareness Month with their virtual conference titled 'Tools 2 Thrive' on May 12, 2021. Mexican-American Hollywood Actor shared with us a touching message on the importance of seeking mental health support and checking in on loved ones. To learn more about El Centro de Amistad and its free mental health services please visit www.ecda.org.

SUPPORT & RESOURCES

 
 

 



Register Today for Our Free Mental Health Conference!

Join us in May for Mental Health Awareness Month when El Centro de Amistad will be hosting a free virtual conference, Culture, Equity & Race in Mental Health, to offer support and education for mental health professionals and the community.

The virtual conference will be on May 11, 2022, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. You can register today by visiting https://ecda.org/conference-registration/.

For more information, please contact Community Relations Supervisor, Flaviola Garcia at (818) 898-0223 or email at flaviola.g@ecda.org.

 

                     


 

 


Call to Make an Appointment Today!

We are currently accepting children and adults with Medi-Cal and no insurance. To see if you qualify for services, please call our San Fernando Intake team at (818) 898-0223 or our Canoga Park Intake team at (818) 347-8565. Our Intake representatives can also assist in Spanish.

We are currently offering Telehealth services during COVID-19. To learn more about the services we provide, please visit www.ecda.org .


 

 


Join Our Team!

Looking for a career in mental health? Our ECDA team is growing! We are looking to expand our dynamic team with more passionate individuals.

To learn more about our job openings and great benefits, visit and apply now at https://ecda.org/careers/.


 

 
Useful Links and Resources:

COVID-19 Testing: covid19.lacounty.gov/testing
COVID-19 Vaccine Appointments: 
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/reporting/vaccinefinder/about.html

Mental Health Support: (800) 854-7771 or text “LA” to 741741 or visit  

https://dmh.lacounty.gov/covid-19-information/

For additional resources please dial 2-1-1

 

WAYS YOU CAN HELP

 
 

 

 
Ways to Donate!

Please consider making a tax-deductible gift this year. It's easy to donate. Go to https://ecda.org/donation/.

When you shop via Amazon, Amazon Smile will donate a portion of your purchase total to our non-profit. It's really easy.
 
Go to smile.amazon.com and select El Centro de Amistad as your charity of choice and Amazon will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases at no cost to you. 
                     





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El Centro de Amistad

West Valley Offices
7038 Owensmouth Avenue 
Canoga Park, CA 91303 
Phone: 818-347-8565 | Fax: 818-347-0506

8399 Topanga Canyon Blvd. | Ste. 303
Canoga Park, CA 91304
Phone: (818) 593-4246 | Fax: (818) 593-4297


East Valley Office 
566 South Brand Boulevard  
San Fernando, CA 91340 
Phone: 818-898-0223 | Fax: 818-361-5384


Visit us online: www.ecda.org

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