| |  | Onyx Monthly Newsletter May 2021 |  | Welcome to May!What a year 2021 has been so far, and we at Onyx thank you for your continued support of the work that we’re doing for our community. April brought the showers, but we are excited for the flowers as we show love and gratitude for the special ones in our lives, and in May, that means our mothers! Onyx prides itself on being a 99% Black women populated therapy group and of course that means a number of our therapists are mothers. This month we want to make sure to highlight ALL of you who see yourselves as mothers - to whomever or whatever you choose to nurture. Motherhood does not have just one face, it doesn’t come in one form and we appreciate all of it. Along with May 9th being the celebration of Mother’s Day, May is also National Foster Care Month, a month that acknowledges foster parents, family members, volunteers, and community members who help children and youth in the foster care system. The past year has shown that we all need support on different levels and the youth of today are experiencing an insurmountable amount of challenges, so we want to make sure they feel nurtured as well. | |  | Still at the forefront of the mental health conversations within media and the community, the Onyx team continues to bestow upon the public their extensive knowledge of mental health as it pertains to sibling rivalry, sexual assault, how to transition out of quarantine into the public, and of course, how to address mental health within the Black community. Take a look at some of the ways we thrived in April and be sure to follow us at @OnyxTherapyGroup for upcoming events. |  | March 29th: The Cut - The Expanding Shrink LandscapeHighlighting Onyx’s partnership with community organization Ethel’s Club, the piece speaks to how places like EC are bringing mental health into the mix to ensure their members have access to resources and personalized therapists. The Onyx team has helped with educational sessions for the community as well as therapist pairing for those members in need. | |  | April 1st: Rambling w/ Egypt PodcastDr. Plummer joins the Rambling podcast where she reminds us to reinforce our boundaries, not for others but primarily ourselves because our boundaries are OUR priority, and provides alternatives of quality time with others, dating during quarantine, and efficient ways to stay grounded. Check out this link to listen on Spotify! |  | April 8th : Spillin the Tea with Dr. P and guest Melva Lajoy JonesIn honor of April being Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention month, Dr. Plummer sat down with local DC event Planner, Melva LaJoy to talk about her personal experience with rape and assault, and how she was able to access therapy to help her heal. Read the article here! |  | April 26th: Good Housekeeping - Sibling RivalryRead the article here! |  | April 28th: Sunday Edit - How To Set Mental Health Goals This SpringCheck out the article here! | | MENTAL HEALTH AND BLACK MOTHERHOOD..“I want to turn my pain into power!” ~Anternitia O’Neal, mother of Dontez O’Neal who was killed by police in Cincinnati Over the past couple of years, motherhood as Black and indigenous people of color has looked more different than ever. These mothers need our support as their spirits are dying just as their children are, and now, more than ever, is a great time to reevaluate our support for them. How are you showing up for the mothers in your life? How are you nurturing those that nurture you or nurture others? And most importantly, how do you support the way that you nurture or mother yourself? Over the past couple of years, motherhood as Black and indigenous people of color has looked more different than ever. These mothers need our support as their spirits are dying just as their children are, and now, more than ever, is a great time to reevaluate our support for them. How are you showing up for the mothers in your life? How are you nurturing those that nurture you or nurture others? And most importantly, how do you support the way that you nurture or mother yourself? Say their names - George Floyd Philando Castile Dontae Wright Adam Toledo Ma’Khia Bryant To honor of the Black motherhood experience, Onyx’s very own Founder, Dr. LaNail R. Plummer and Onyx’s Director of Training & Education, Ayana Malone, have shared what motherhood and mental health looks like for them in their lives as Black women.
“Motherhood is where emotional and intellectual evolution takes place. It’s where we break generational trauma and create a future of healing. Although it starts off as a one sided relationship, it evolves to a reciprocal interaction in which our children teach us about life, from their perspective, and reflect us, like a mirror that allows us to look deeply at ourselves. People prepare us for the emotion and stress of motherhood, but rarely do they prepare us for the full acknowledgment of truly changing the world via small interactions with our children, like a smile, a hug, a sense of safety that becomes the springboard for courage, security and success. As a woman who comes from a family in which child conception is not guaranteed, having experienced 2 miscarriages in my 20s and a required hysterectomy in my 30s, I am blessed to be the mother of Alyssa and Bradshaw Jr... and I do not take it for granted... by any means. Ashé.” Dr. Plummer
|  | “A regular, challenging, and beautiful dance. I am highly conscious of the need to understand my own wellbeing and how it can/will affect my kiddo. But you also have to be conscious that your children are able to see you as human and experiencing the range of human emotion. Being able to describe it to them, let them know that it's okay to be sad, angry, tired, silly and that these are not permanent states but feelings. Feeling sad? Let's do something to make us feel better. Do we need a rest, a snack, a nap, a walk? I want to raise a healthy and joyful black child- THAT will take a lot for your mental health for sure!” ~ Ayana Malone
|  | |  | May 4th: Powerup DC Summit with Dr. Plummer 11:15am - 12:00 ET Dr. Plummer is set to speak at the upcoming Walker’s Legacy PowerUP DC summit for a session on “Moms Who Hustle.”With the havoc of the pandemic on the economy, women were one of the hardest hit populations in the workforce, especially moms. With schools closed and jobs being remote or furloughed, an even greater number of women are reconsidering pivots from employee to Mompreneur. The session will focus on the mom’s grit and grind to really shine as a Mompreneur. This is perfect for any mom who has made the transition to launch a business and for those still in deep consideration. Learn what pitfalls to avoid, what resources to embrace and how to live guilt free. May 6th: Spillin’ the Tea w/ Jessica Brown at 3:45pm ET |  | For the May episode of Spillin’ the Tea, Dr. Plummer is set to sit down with Jessica Brown, the CEO of College Gurl Foundation, to discuss the stresses of students making college decisions (May 1st is National Decision Day), and some tips & tricks to applying for scholarships and financial aid. | |  | Congratulations to our counselor Jada L. Pannell Ms.Ed., LPC, NCC, BC-TMH! |  | She is officially a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Pennsylvania and we are so proud of her. | | Major shout out to our counselor Kemah Gbolokai who is now certified in EDMR therapy! Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychotherapy treatment that was originally designed to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic memories. She received this training from the Institute for creative Mindfulness. |  | | Convos from the Couch with Dr. Plummer |  | This month for Dr. Plummer’s “Convos from the Couch” she will be addressing trauma from mother-based relationships. Not all “mom-child” relationships are positive and Mother’s Day can be triggering. Let’s create an atmosphere to heal! BE SURE TO FOLLOW US ONLINE @ONYXTHERAPYGROUP AND SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL TO STAY UP TO DATE ON ALL OF THE IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS ONYX IS A PART OF! | | Contacts for CrisisNational Suicide Lifeline: 1-800-273-8355; or dial 988 National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY) Mental Health Crisis Hotline (DC): 1-888-7WE-HELP Mental Health Crisis Hotline (MD): 301-429-2185 Mental Health Crisis Hotline (PA): 1-888-796-8226 | | Follow us! | | |  | Based in Washington DC, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, Onyx Therapy Group is dedicated to cultivating and strengthening the community through mental health practices. With a focus on direct clinical work, professional development/training, and sourcing, Onyx Therapy Group incorporates the values of integrity, respect, loyalty, community, culture, and excellence. As an organization, Onyx Therapy Group has over 15 years in mental health work and 20 years of education and skill-based practice that has positively impacted individuals, educators, and organizations nationally. Onyx Therapy Group is a Black, Woman, Veteran-owned business that believes in and designs transformative healing | |
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