May is Mental Health Awareness Month

“Race, Place, and Policy” are critical components of our mission at Project for Pride in Living. We recognize that family plays a large role in “Place.” May is Mental Health Awareness month, and PPL recognizes that addressing mental health can be a barrier for individuals, families, and communities. PPL and its partners help connect those juggling mental health issues to supportive services.

One PPL partner is making a difference by focusing on family healing. Kamisha Johnson is a social worker by education who began focusing on the process of healing in 2013. Through her own journey, Kamisha became aware that she not only needed therapy, but also healing practices. At PPL, Kamisha provides a six-week parenting group series to assist our residents in navigating the healing process. She creates a nonjudgmental environment full of support, understanding, and guidance. Kamisha said, “Family healing is important because if there is one crack in the pot, the whole thing shatters.” She believes that when parents focus on their own healing, they will begin to see the benefits reflected in their children.

Kamisha is an advocate for all healing, but she emphasizes healing for Black and Brown people who have and continue to endure racial trauma. She listed some of these traumas as systemic racism, microaggressions, macroaggressions, and implicit bias. Creating a safe discussion place to address these traumas and experiences is important to Kamisha. “We can all heal,” she said.

Both family and community play important roles in all of our experiences. Encouraging people to take time to care for these aspects of our lives is foundational to creating stable environments for parents and families. PPL is proud of our partnership with Kamisha as she continues to guide our residents through healing. The parent healing group begins meeting again at our Camden Apartments on Tuesdays from 11 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. starting May 30.