#RallyUp2SaveLives
Mental Health Magazine
HELLO
HOW ARE YOU REALLY? AMANDA FLUDD, LCSW-R, CCTP
WARRIOR ZONE:
DONVINNIE BOYKIN NIEISHA DEED
MHCA:
SHERVONNE
GROSE
SPECIAL FEATURE:
MAD:
ANTOINE ALLEN
PAMELA DAVIS
KELLENE DIANA
A LETTER OF
LOVE
MR. & MRS.
WILLIAMS WINTER/SPRING 2022 $11.99
THERAPIST, BRAND EXPERT AND OWNERS OF WHEN WHENLOVEALIGNS
TM
Photo Credit: Jackie Hicks- Fond Memories Photography
BY: LEX MORGAN
WINTER/SPRING 2022
OUR FIGHT "the strength comes from being tested by life's unpredictability" ~Matt Lauer
“She is clothed in strength & dignity and she laughs without fear of the future" ~Proverbs 31:25
*The fight of our founder is to save her daughter and anyone else; especially teens who are suffering in silence. As well as her daughter’s journey to survive Bipolar Disorder, her fight against suicide ideations, and the fight for all others who are living with a mental illness.
RALLYUP & SEE WHAT'S INSIDE FOUNDER'S LETTER
08 ONCE SUICIDAL, Now PureSpark NEISHA DEED
10
COTTMAN
07
JADA GUERRA
FASHION
25
12
Dr. Maria Banks | Pamela A. Davis Katy Parker | Alicia-Ann Samuel Dr. Nicole Cammack
I LOVE MYSELF, DO YOU?
18 YOUTH ZONE
Meet the Contributors
A Letter of LOVE LEX MORGAN
22
POETRY CORNER MY PEACEFUL NOISE
COVER STORY
SUICIDE WATCH
LESTER GREENE, THE CONNECTOR
26
FAITH & MENTAL HEALTH
27
THERAPY IS DOPE
29
YOU BEEN SAD AND DON’T KNOW WHY?!?
PAMELA A. DAVIS
AMANDA FLUDD, LCSW-R
NICOLE L. CAMMACK, PH.D
MR. & MRS. WILLIAMS
24
19
WARRIOR ZONE
DONVINNIE BOYKIN
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
KELLENE DIANA
PAMELA A. DAVIS | MAD
MAD
38
36
SELF-CARE
KENDRA HATHAWAY
ALICIA-ANN SAMUEL, LMHC, NCC
MAKING A PRIORITY YOU! SherVonne Gross
42
MHCA
SherVonne Grose
32
DREAMS, GOALS & MENTAL HEALTH!
37
33
50
SPECIAL FEATURE
52
HEALTH & WELLNESS
49
ANTOINE ALLEN
41
BEAUTY SECTION
THE BENEFITS OF ESSENTIAL OILS
DR. MARIA BANKS, OTD, OTR/L
46
POSITIVE THINKING: CAN IT CURE YOUR ILLNESS? KATY PARKER
RESOUCES
56
MENTAL HEALTH MAGAZINE
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Vol. 5 Num. 1
Winter/Spring 2022
Founder & Editorial Director Nikita Powell-Cottman Managing Editor: TJ Woodard Asst. Managing Editor: KeErica Brown Associate Editor: Paul Cottman Fashion Director: Kena'I Hollingworth Beauty Editor: TJ Woodard Associate Editor: Vanity Dawson Youth Zone Editor: Lex Morgan Media & Correspondent: Lester Greene Comic Illustrator: RJ Sterling Therapy is Dope Editor: Amanda Fludd, LCSW-R Contributer Writers:
Lex Morgan Vanity Dawson Andrae Hayden Lester Greene Kendra Hathaway SherVonne Grose MFT
TJ Woodard Talona Smith Tynesha "Tyi" Flood Kena'i Hollingsworth Torre "Tor" White KeErica Brown
Youth Contributing Writers: Nina Hollingsworth Calaeh Henneghan Intern Ebony Columbus Copyright © 2021 RallyUp Magazine No portions of the publication can be transmitted, reproduced, or distributed in any form without contacting Editorial Director Nikita Powell-Cottman. All articles have been reviewed and approved by Nikita Powell-Cottman and her editorial team. tt
FOUNDER'S
Thoughts
As we move out of winter into spring, many of us are moving into new seasons. Spring represents new beginnings. This can look different to everyone but the end goal is to embrace something new. A time to let go of those things that no longer serve us any good and embrace the promise that everything can begin again! The ability to become unstuck, heal from brokenness, past trauma, abuse and start again. Yes, for some there is new love in the air, but for our warriors, it can be finally finding light in their darkness. I encourage you to embrace life as you watch the browns from the Winter turn green, the new life abounding; the babies, butterflies, birds, tulips, cherry blossoms and other flowers blossoming. For our mental health, Spring brings so many mental health benefits too! Here comes the Vitamin D, now most of us are likely to be in better moods and saying, “Good-bye winter blues!” Vitamin D deficiency is a real thing! Its symptoms include dark moods, depression, brain fog, among other things. Spring signifies rebirth, awakening, purity, growth, change, life, hope and among other things. Bottom line, this time of year is full of transformation so I want you to be intentional about creating positive areas in your life. This magazine issue is full of so much inspiration that will help you embrace your new beginning and Spring into good mental health. Now let’s be clear, the beauty of this changing season does not always bring the relief and newness we hope for. If this applies to you, do not hesitate to get help. We have resources located in our Green Pages.
Blessings & Love, Niki Powell-Cottman Editorial Director
LESTER GREENE
Media & Correspondent
Lester Greene is an award-winning actor/producer. He has worked with the likes of 50 Cent, Omari Hardwick and RZA. Lester produced two films: Raw Footage & Driving Force that screened on ABC and CBS. Lester is a National Radio Broadcaster for his show "Out On The Front Lines" on iHeartRadio via WDRBmedia, which airs every Thursday at 6:30am EST. Lester writes music reviews/articles for Medium.com; he is the proud author of his book: "Act Like You Love Yourself," and he launched his own film production company: "Lubey Jube Productions." He acted in the sequel female boxing film Lola 2 produced by Antoine Allen/Monica Floyd and another movie called "A Screenshot to Santa." Lester is also in pre-production for feature film Driving Force directed by Antoine Allen. Fun fact: I love country music.
ROMA
New Contributing Writer
Roma mostly known by my pen name "mypeacefulnoise" Creator of poetry journal "Peaceful Noise, My Inner Voice" Website: Peaceful Noise, My Inner voice (mypeacefulnoise.com)
RALLYUPMAGAZINE.COM | 7 | WINTER/SPRING 2022
MEE T T HE C ONT R IBUT ORS. Dr. Maria
Banks OTD, OTR/L
is the owner of The Health Mamas; a company started to help pregnant and postnatal women safely meet their health and fitness goals. Maria is a Doctor of Occupational Therapy with over 10 years experience helping adults achieve their functional goals and a Certified Pre and Post Natal Fitness Specialist certified by AFPA. Maria is also a mom of one. Maria combines her personal experience and professional knowledge to provide a holistic approach to help new and expectant moms meet their health and fitness goals. She helps moms prepare their bodies for labor and safely recover post birth through health coaching, nutritional support, personal training and group fitness classes. Her goal is to build and support a community of women who take charge of their health and help to improve maternal health outcomes.
Alicia-Ann
Samuel, LMHC, NCC
Hailing from sunny South Florida, owner of Therapeutically Beautiful LLC, Alicia-Ann Samuel is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Nationally Certified Counselor, Infant Mental Health Clinician, doctoral candidate but most importantly a mom. The many hats she wears, her Caribbean heritage, interest in mental health prevention and the love for children are the driving forces behind Alicia-Ann’s passion for wanting to improve the mental well-being of all but especially the minority communities. She’s a lover of art, books, music, an advocate for living in one’s value and a strong believer that chaos is inevitable, Alicia-Ann Samuel has dedicated her career in helping others find beauty amidst their chaos!
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Pamela A. Davis the Founder of Queen of Resilience (QOR), Inc. believes to be a true Queen, God must be the center of your life. With labor, tears, and personal challenges QOR was birthed out of a need for women, especially women in college to receive quality support with acknowledging, managing, and being self-aware of the mental illness of anxiety, and depression.
Katy Parker is a wellbeing writer, blogger and mental health advocate who lives in England (UK). She has worked hard to overcome her trauma, and she writes about her experiences to help others in similar situations. She is the founder of the PTSD: My Story Project, a safe place for trauma survivors to share their stories in order to raise awareness of PTSD and inspire others. She continues to share her journe on her Journeyofsmiley
Blog.
Dr. Nicole
Cammack a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of Maryland. She received her bachelor's degree from Howard University and her master’s degree and PhD, in Clinical Psychology from The George Washington University. Throughout her career, Dr. Cammack has focused on identifying ways to address the culture and systematic issues that impact Black mental health and wellness.
because we’ve attached particular meanings to what it means to say we are not ok or need help. That can include thoughts like others will judge me, people will think I’m weak or inadequate, they will minimize how I feel, I’ll be a burden, they can’t help me anyway, there is no space for that at work, and similar thoughts. There may be some truth to the idea that the people in your circle are not equipped to help you. Still, it isn’t true that help isn’t available somewhere or that you have to maintain high-performing standards when you don’t feel up to it. It’s like trying to push a Porsche to its max, but the check engine light has gone off in the car. The car needs attention, and even as it receives help, and the crew works to figure out what’s wrong, it is still a high-performing car. Getting help does not negate your value.
value people for who they are, and not just their achievements, so they feel welcomed despite their experiences.
the emergency room if concerned for their safety their safety.
As we work to create space for hard conversations, check on your strong friends. Ask them how are they doing, come straight out about any changes or symptoms you’ve noticed, and even even ask: Are you thinking about committing suicide? It can seem like such an uncomfortable question, but someone is
You’re imperfect, and you’re wired for struggle, but you are worthy of love and belonging ~Brene Brown
We must also be willing to seek out the help of licensed professionals who have the tools to assist through talk therapy and even medication. As a therapist with a diverse mix of clients, I have to tell you they are the strongest people I know, and they never regret seeking help. ¨¬®¯ °©© ¨¯± °¨²² ®
Sometimes the intensity of an experience like depression or anxiety can make it difficult to assess the truth of our experiences. Our instinct is to primarily isolate and withdraw, which only complicates the experience further.
waiting for anyone to reach out and ask them, are you ok? How can I help? You may not have all the answers, but you can still listen and support.
How to talk to your loved ones about depression?
How to help a person suffering from high functioning depression?
We are all human and go through it sometimes. As a society, we have to begin to change our language around asking for help and see it as empowering. We also have to
Listen unconditionally and ask them what support they feel that they need. Offer assistance in getting to services like their primary care doctor, a psychotherapist, or
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Stage
Recovery Clothing ®
By: Nicole L. Cammack, Ph.D. or many people, the transition from summer to fall is an enjoyable time due to the shift in seasons, the changing colors of the leaves, pumpkin spice flavored EVERYTHING, cooler weather, and comfy sweaters. However, for approximately 5% of adults (of which 75% are women), in the United States, the change of seasons represents the beginning of Seasonal Affective Disorder also known as SAD.
F
Seasonal Affective Disorder is a type of depression that is typically triggered during the fall and winter months and the symptoms naturally improve with the arrival of the spring months. There is a much less common form of SAD which occurs in the summer and has a different pattern of onset. There are many factors that contribute to a person experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder including shorter days and less sunlight during the winter months, which may be linked to a chemical imbalance in the brain. An important characteristic of Seasonal Affective Disorder, which is different from other types of depression, is that the individual experiences and onset of depressive symptoms and improvements from the depression around the same times each year. So, for example, someone may experience a decline in their mood and begin to re-experience depression symptoms every November and begin to feel happier around March of the following year. Common Symptoms of SAD: Feeling sad, depressed, or hopeless Changes in sleep, usually indicated by increased sleep Low energy, feeling tired and drowsy during the daytime Loss of interest and pleasure in activities that you used to enjoy Withdrawal from others and increased isolation Irritability Feelings of guilt and shame Decreased sex drive Difficulty focusing, concentrating, or making decisions Trouble thinking clearly, feeling like you are under a fog Increased appetite Weight gain Physical problems, such as headaches or body pains Thoughts of death or suicide What Can You Do? Get active! Move your body. Exercise, go to the gym, take a walk in a local park or around your neighborhood, or even play your favorite sport with your friends.
Connect with other people. Do not spend a lot of time in isolation as this helps to maintain the symptoms of SAD. Be intentional about spending more time with friends or close family to help improve your mood. Do an activity that is fun or rewarding. Take a few minutes to think of something that always helps you to feel happier or that you once enjoyed and do it! Doing something nice for others such as a volunteer activity can also help to improve your mood. Participate in activities that are inspirational such as attending a church service, listening to positive music or a podcast, meditating, yoga, or even journaling outside in nature. Set small realistic goals for yourself. This means that instead of setting a goal of saying that you will work out every day in a week, you can set a smaller goal of working out at least 2 days per week to start. You can always add more days of working out to your goal as your mood and energy gets better. As a reminder, it is important to break larger tasks into smaller more manageable tasks to help you meet your goals. This is also a great time to identify priorities and shift your focus to only those things at the top of your priorities list. Treatment:
If you think that you may be experiencing SAD, first seek an evaluation from a licensed mental health professional or a medical professional.
Exposure to sunlight. Find a way to get more sunlight. This can include taking a walk, sitting outside, or even opening the blinds in your home to allow the sunlight in. You can also sit near a window while working or spending time at home.
Light therapy. In cases where it may be hard to get a lot of direct sunlight, artificial light through a light box is another great option. Light boxes mimic sunlight and require you to sit in front of the box for an identified amount of time per day (e.g., 30 minutes per day). Research shows that over time, light boxes can help to boost your mood and improve the symptoms of SAD. Psychotherapy. Treatments such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and strategies such as behavioral activation, are effective at teaching you how to cope with difficult feelings and allow you to learn direct strategies to improve your mood. Antidepressants. Medication can be prescribed through a psychiatrist or your primary care doctor to help improve your mood.
Remember that change and improvements in the symptoms of SAD will not be instant, it is a gradual process. Over time taking action to improve your mood, you can expect to feel a little better and better.
PERSONAL STORY
S
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RALLYUPMAGAZINE.COM | 44 | WINTER/SPRING 2022
DEAR AMANDA
Society has made it okay to discard a man's emotions.
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO A MAN WHO FEELS HIS FEELINGS & EMOTIONS? DON’T MATTER? Anonymous from Forestville, MD Cultural norms and gender stereotypes have been toxic to our men and as a result emotions have not been passed on as an essential skill and important to fully enjoy life, yet today emotional intelligence is seen as an effective tool for change and is taught within corporations as a strength. So when the man in your life doesn't see the value, validate that, the world taught him that, but let him know people now get paid to tell you how valuable your emotions are. I want to give our brothers credit too. Men know emotions. They laugh and kick it with their boys (joy), start yelling when their favorite team loses a game (frustration), feel down and get quiet when things don't go the way they expect (disappointment/sadness) and buy us chocolates for valentines (love and compassion). We have passed on this idea that men don’t have space to share how they feel or that they don't show it at all, or that it's a weakness and shouldn't be acknowledged. Well, how about we celebrate when we see it and make space for it? Let's do things with them like travel or cook together, and talk about our experiences without the cellphone at the table. Pick up cards that encourage conversation if you don't know how to express yourself either (most of us don't). Encourage men to develop hobbies and connect with other men like Black Men Run or 100 Men in Suits to allow themselves a chance to build deeper connections and feel safe with their emotions. There are some amazing men doing work on this in our community: James Harris @ men_to_heal on IG
Photo by: Stanley Morales from Pexels
Amanda Fludd, Licensed Clinical Therapist in NY, Mental Health Consultant and international women in business Empowerment Coach. She helps professional women master limiting mindsets, achieve work life balance and live their lives in confidence. Her passion is working with people affected by trauma, particularly people of color (POC), and she is excited by the opportunities to reduce the stigma around mental health and improve healing amongst Black and Caribbean communities. Her coaching programs focus on work-life balance during crisis situations, understanding trauma in the workplace, tackling negative thinking and productivity and self-care
through mindfulness. Find her at: www.amandafludd.com and follow her on Instagram @therapyisdope
Thank you guys for another great question and we hope this interactive answer was helpful to guide you towards meaningful change. Amanda Fludd Therapist & Mindset Coach for Minority Women In Business. RallyUp Magazine
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THE GREEN PAGES
Resources Saundre Allen, LCSW
Shamanda Burston Therapist/Cinematherapy Shamanda.Burston@gmail.com www.ShamandaBurston.com
ATLANTA
CALIFORNIA
DR. NEKESHIA HAMMOND
Online community providing information for those looking for a place to find healing. www.myeverydaybeing.com mjones@myeverydaybeing.com 202-957-7499 Founder, Marisa Jone
Psychologist and ADHD Specialist Hammond Psychology & Associates, Supports parents of children dealing with ADHD. DrNekeshiaHammond.com Dr.NHammond@gmail.com
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist. www.empirecounseling.net
CALIFORNIA
Therapeutically Beautiful LLC
FLORIDA
FLORIDA
Individual Counseling, Infant and young children mental health + family counseling, Child-Parent Psychotherapy, Parenting training, Circle of Security. www.therapeuticallybeautiful.com : @therapeuticallybeautiful
TAKE MY HAND
WE FIGHT FOUNDATION
DESIGNED FOR ROYALTY
A nonprofit providing mentorship for at risk male and females youth and young adults to nurture their mental health in hope to reduce the risky behaviors, self-harm, selfmedicating or sadly suicide. www.wefightfoundation.org
(Queen/King/Princess Series) A mentorship program for women and men between the ages of 7-25. For more information: info@tamikawoodard.com www.tamikawoodard.com
MARYLAND
PATRICE N DOUGLAS, LMFT, CAMS-I
Alicia-Ann Samuel, LMHC,NCC
Everyday Being
COLORADO
MARYLAND
Queens N' Therapy, LLC Queens N' Therapy offers a place for black women to heal from anxiety, depression and trauma. We understand that race and gender create different stressors and needs for Black women. We specialize in making therapy sessions conversational and down to earth. Our goal is to help black women curate and sustain a life they love. www.queensntherapy.com IG @queensntherapy
Help clients heal from trauma and empower them to tap into their infinite God-given potential. www.vanitydawson.com Info@vanitydawson.com Founder: Vanity Dawson
MARYLAND
RALLYUPMAGAZINE.COM | 57 | WINTER/SPRING 2022
YOU
ARE
ENOUGH.
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#faithandmentalhealth www.wefightfoundation.org