All posts by J S

What Racism in Medicine Takes from Us

Fighting racism will not be the central story of my personal or professional life. I’m discovering that Black doctors deserve peace.

  • Jennifer Adaeze Okwerekwu

By Jennifer Adaeze Okwerekwu, StatNews.com

During my freshman year of college, Cornel West, the renowned philosopher, had been invited to speak at a campus event. My Black friends buzzed with excitement and rushed to secure tickets to his lecture. When a friend offered to get me a ticket, I hesitated and noted that I didn’t know who West was.

As a Black psychiatrist, I often feel haunted by the prescriptions I offer my patients to salve the anxiety they feel in the face of police brutality or the uptick in hate crimes against Asian Americans. Yet agitation in the face of oppression is healthy. Racism is the disease.  

StatNews.com

“You don’t know who Cornel West is?” she asked, incredulous that I was unaware of him and his contributions to American culture. My friend went on to explain that West was one of the most brilliant intellectuals and political activists of our time. As Black students at Harvard, we were standing on his shoulders. 

The best $160 I ever spent: A session with a Black therapist

I hadn’t realized how important for my mental health it was to talk with someone like me.

From VOX, By Sarah Doneghy

Four years ago, during a sticky New York summer, I anxiously sat in the lobby of the clinic waiting to meet my new therapist. Glued to the torn pleather couch in front of the rattling AC (which did nothing to relieve the heat and I was convinced was only there for show), I wondered what this mysterious person would be like. Will they be nice? Will we get along? Will they really listen? ……………………………..

One of the top reasons relationships last

Is there one habit that makes a difference in
whether relationships endure?

People are drawn to each other for all sorts of reasons.
There are plenty of books, pamphlets, websites, magazines
and perfumes that are read in hopes of finding some
secret attractant. Lots of classes that run the spectrum from
bible study to pole dancing. And yes, more hair has been
bought, more eyelashes and fingernails glued in hopes of
attracting a man who will stay around longer than the
hair or the nails.

And by the guys: more fancy cars, weight lifting and high protein
drinks, money flashing and Caribbean trips offered and
practicing sweet talk. In short, singles spend a lot of time
trying everything, to attract a partner that they hope will
stay. But a lasting relationship is created by the connection
between your “inner selves”. The fact that you find the same
activities to be interesting and are truly able to laugh about
the same things. That you can both push and praise your
partner to achieve their desired goals creates an effective
team.

None of the distractions or embellishments listed above
can hold a relationship together. There are several other
behaviors that can. In this post we will talk about one:
Having a mutual interest and activity that you both
enjoy on a regular basis together.

Among couples that have been together more than
twenty-five years and those who can see their way to
being together that long, partners light up when they
speak of common activities. It can be bowling or running,
cycling or video games, season football tickets or even
political campaigning – anything where they can plan
ahead regularly to have the activity to look forward to.

Some couples rely on regular cruises or other group
tours that give them novel places to discover. These
experiences give them memories to share and common
friendships that develop with other couples that they
travel with. They grow their network of friends and
that network reinforces their image of themselves as
a couple. The activities they do with married friends or
committed couples are geared towards “safe” fun that
won’t encourage flirting and other temptations that can
occur when surrounded by available singles.

So think about what interests you share with your
partner and find ways to build them into you quarterly
or monthly schedules. Punctuate those events with
annual trips for conferences, retreats, sports events
and family reunions. Have you always wanted to
learn to play golf? Do you have a wish to visit as
many islands as possible? Do you both love jazz
festivals or local theater? Being a couple shouldn’t
mean being bored and it shouldn’t be the end of
your exploring new things in life. Do it together.
It may be the “glue” that keeps you together.

Current news in black mind health

Black doctors are challenged by racism in so many ways

What Racism in Medicine Takes from Us

Fighting racism will not be the central story of my personal or professional life. I’m discovering that Black doctors deserve ...
Waiting for my new therapist of color

The best $160 I ever spent: A session with a Black therapist

I hadn’t realized how important for my mental health it was to talk with someone like me. From VOX, By ...
Young black couple enjoying a walk in nature

One of the top reasons relationships last

Is there one habit that makes a difference in whether relationships endure? People are drawn to each other for all ...

Black mind health matters

Secrets & plain English answers to Black mental health concerns ...

Black lifestyle notes to keep you healthy

Black doctors are challenged by racism in so many ways

What Racism in Medicine Takes from Us

Fighting racism will not be the central story of my personal or professional life. I’m discovering that Black doctors deserve ...
Waiting for my new therapist of color

The best $160 I ever spent: A session with a Black therapist

I hadn’t realized how important for my mental health it was to talk with someone like me. From VOX, By ...
African American senior athlete stays in shape

Start forming your Alzheimer’s prevention strategies now

Pre-Senior Strategies For seniors and their children - preparation is the key to a healthy future New research indicates that ...

Start your new year of a new you

If the last year or two has left youwith a little more weight than whatyou had planned for this point ...
Black_parents_need_to_know_about_suicide_risks_for_young_children

How to help your black child deal with the pandemic

Suicide rates and risks for black children are rapidly rising during the isolation of the pandemic. Here's 5 things you ...
Weed, marijuana, cannabis - all names for a drug that has been legalized, but that doesn't mean that it's harmless.

Increase your fertility by speeding up your sperm

On the Discovery channel several years ago, there wasa film showing the activity of sperm on their way up thevaginal ...
A smoke ring in the shape of a heart symbolizing heart disease

Does marijuana cause heart attacks?

Marijuana is showing up in the bloodstream of heart attack and stroke victims. People are thinking that marijuana is harmless ...
Weed, marijuana, cannabis - all names for a drug that has been legalized, but that doesn't mean that it's harmless.

Marijuana miseries

It's not the same marijuana that you smoked as a kid.It's far more potent and can cause permanent damageto vulnerable ...
A hand holding up a lit joint

Marijuana miseries you can sidestep

Marijuana has been legalized and people are lighting up everywhere.A weekend stroll to the local town center on a Saturday ...

Add this to your healthy- black-self diaries

You want to be more than just a pretty face.....you want to bea healthy mind and body! We, black & ...

Take action!

We hear this everyday: "In these unusual times....." Unusual they are and they require from us, unusual participation to save ...

Protecting the Black Body through self-care

Covid 19 has exerted devastating losses on our communities. The vaccine has been a lifeline for many and a source ...