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Just go to therapy Bey!

Fri, May 21st 2021, 12:00 AM
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By: Jhanae Winter

Therapy is a resourceful method to assist Bahamians in dealing with the challenges of life, but many are missing out because of cultural perspectives.
Going to therapy is still considered taboo in The Bahamas, even during conversation. This view has influenced the decision of many Bahamians when it comes taking therapy in one form or the other.
Teletherapist and School Psychologist, Jewel Taylor said: “I believe people are reluctant because of fear, judgement and being belittled. People think that mental health isn’t important because you can’t see or touch it. They don’t see the need to seek help because it isn’t tangible.”
The irony of it all is that mental health can easily be deemed the most important part of one’s health. In fact The World Health Organizsation in 2007 acknowledged mental health as the most significant feature of health.
UB alumnae, Andrea Darville went to therapy in her junior year at the university, while majoring in media journalism.
At the time, her responsibilities as a successful entrepreneur and serving various leadership roles at UB consumed her and she sought therapy as a way to regain balance of her academic, social and career life.
Andrea said, “I took into consideration the cultural stigma attached to seeing a therapist. This thought did cross my mind. I also processed that there was a possibility that I would be judged or labeled as being crazy.”
The decision to go to therapy was not as easy as it should have been for a person like Andrea who views mental health as a “compass to navigate life”, she said.
Instead of being ashamed, she stood in her truth and refused to let cultural practices dictate her life. She remained transparent and shared her advice from the sessions with family and friends.
She ignored what others would say because “when it comes down to doing what’s best for me, this decision is mine to make”, she said.
Many Bahamians question going to therapy because they don't think they need to “air out their dirty laundry.” or don't see the point in speaking with a stranger about their problems when this “stranger” has never gone through them, said Jewel.
In a Tribune article, RBPF statistics revealed suicides rose by 38% in 2020 compared to 2019. In 2019, the United Nations reported that the rate of suicide among men in The Bahamas is more than five times higher than women.
This aligns with the cultural norms in the Bahamas as it is less common for a man to ask for help or even seek professional help.
The power that therapy has is more than what people give it credit for.
Andrea is not diagnosed with any mental illness, disorders nor does she have any mental challenges. She became bombarded with life and needed to take back her power so she could be the best version of herself in every way.
For her, going to therapy was very helpful and she obtained her desired results.
“I believe that with the right information I can make better decisions and the sessions I had gave me just that: power over my life and all the affairs pertaining to me,” she said.
Along with cultural perspectives many Bahamians don't engage in therapy simply because they don't see the value in spending an exorbitant amount of money for such services.
Like many things in the medical world, some therapy services can be quite expensive.
But this is not true for all services.
“I would provide recommendations for free therapy services. There are therapists and mental health agencies that provide counseling services for free”Jewel said.
The affordable options are available for those who need it but the choice is still up to the individual.
Andrea is a perfect example of this. Attending UB gave her access to free therapy sessions, so finances was not an issue for her.
“Fortunately as a university student, therapy and counseling was a service offered freely so I took full advantage of this. I believe I got the best therapist for me at that time”, she said.
Therapy is not a “one fits all” thing, what works for one may not work for the other. This is because everyone's problems and perspectives on life differ tremendously.
Therapy is not for “crazy people”, but for everyone and anyone one who wants to better their life.
Just to name a few, therapy helps with self-love, emotional expression, creating healthier coping mechanisms, identifying negative thoughts and behaviors, fostering and building strong relationships, Jewel said.
To eradicate the stigma of therapy, sessions should be mandatory for all students. In the workplace, employees should have benefits that cover professional help and the government
should campaign for mental health in May, collaborating with the private sector to have fairs, seminars and webinars about mental health, according to Andrea.

Therapy is a resourceful method to assist Bahamians in dealing with the challenges of life, but many are missing out because of cultural perspectives.

Going to therapy is still considered taboo in The Bahamas, even during conversation. This view has influenced the decision of many Bahamians when it comes taking therapy in one form or the other.

 Teletherapist and School Psychologist, Jewel Taylor said: “I believe people    are reluctant because of fear, judgement and being belittled. People think    that mental health isn’t important because you can’t see or touch it. They   don’t see  the need to seek help because it isn’t tangible.”

 The irony of it all is that mental health can easily be deemed the most        important part of one’s health. In fact The World Health Organizsation in 2007 acknowledged mental health as the most significant feature of health.

 UB alumnae, Andrea Darville went to therapy in her junior year at the   university, while majoring in media journalism.

 At the time, her responsibilities as a successful entrepreneur and serving   various leadership roles at UB consumed her and she sought therapy as a   way to regain balance of her academic, social and career life.

 Andrea said, “I took into consideration the cultural stigma attached to seeing   a therapist. This thought did cross my mind. I also processed that there was   a possibility that I would be judged or labeled as being crazy.”

 The decision to go to therapy was not as easy as it should have been for a   person like Andrea whose mental health is extremely important to her.

 However, she ignored what others would say because “when it comes down to doing what’s best for me, this decision is mine to make”, she said.

Instead of being ashamed, she stood in her truth and refused to let cultural practices dictate her life. She remained transparent and shared her advice from the sessions with family and friends.

"I can remember proudly saying to them 'I have a therapist,' she said.

Many Bahamians question going to therapy because they don't think they need to “air out their dirty laundry.” or don't see the point in speaking with a stranger about their problems when this  “stranger” has never gone through them, said Jewel.

In a Tribune article, RBPF statistics revealed suicides rose by 38% in 2020 compared to 2019. In 2019, the United Nations reported that the rate of suicide among men in The Bahamas is more than five times higher than women.

This aligns with the cultural norms in the Bahamas as it is less common for a man to ask for help or even seek professional help.

The power that therapy has is more than what people give it credit for.

Andrea is not diagnosed with any mental illness, disorders nor does she have any mental challenges. She became bombarded with life and needed to take back her power so she could be the best version of herself in every way.

For her, going to therapy was very helpful and she obtained her desired results.

"One of the greatest lessons I gained through therapy is this, 'The best decisions are made with a wise brain. This means taking your emotions to feel and using logic from your brain together as a guide. Together you don’t just think but you feel it’s the right thing to do', she said. 

Along with cultural perspectives many Bahamians don't engage in therapy simply because they don't see the value in spending an exorbitant amount of money for such services.

Like many things in the medical world, some therapy services can be quite expensive.

But this is not true for all services.

“I would provide recommendations for free therapy services. There are therapists and mental health agencies that provide counseling services for free”Jewel said.

The affordable options are available for those who need it but the choice is still up to the individual.

Andrea is a perfect example of this. Attending UB gave her access to free therapy sessions, so finances was not an issue for her.

“Fortunately as a university student, therapy and counseling was a service offered freely so I took full advantage of this. I believe I got the best therapist for me at that time”, she said.

Therapy is not a “one fits all” thing, what works for one may not work for the other. This is because everyone's problems and perspectives on life differ tremendously.

Therapy is not for “crazy people”, but for everyone and anyone one who wants to better their life.

Just to name a few, therapy helps with self-love, emotional expression, creating healthier coping mechanisms, identifying negative thoughts and behaviors, fostering and building strong relationships, Jewel said.

To eradicate the stigma of therapy, sessions should be mandatory for all students. In the workplace, employees should have benefits that cover professional help and the government should campaign for mental health in May, collaborating with the private sector to have fairs, seminars and webinars about mental health, according to Andrea.

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