Alternative Care Approaches
Honoring Authenticity and Vulnerable Expression
Course Description
Mainstream “crisis care” in the United States is often practiced along a narrow continuum of services, particularly involving hotlines and psychiatric hospitalizations. Many of these programs and practices rely on an overburdened emergency infrastructure and are ensnared with the carceral state – often creating further harm for a person in crisis, rather than healing. Meanwhile, a growing number of alternative tools and practices (e.g. respite centers, warmlines, and peer support) are available to care workers to support individuals and communities experiencing crisis, while simultaneously uplifting their safety, autonomy, and dignity. These offerings help cultivate containers where authentic and vulnerable expression around complex and nuanced human experiences is honored, including those of suicidality and self-harm.
This class reviews and defines what constitutes an “alternative” care approach, and discusses what these have to offer in a field that tends to respond to crisis by diminishing rights, autonomy, and choice. Deeply rooted in the value of lived experience, the wisdom offered in this session is sourced from unfiltered perspectives from those who have firsthand experience being harmed while accessing clinical mental health services. Participants will leave this session with concrete strategies, tools, and possibilities to integrate into their life and work, particularly the power of peer support spaces.
What you’ll learn:
What constitutes an “alternative” or “transformative” mental health practice, locating the power of lived experience
The care approaches (e.g. peer support, crisis respite, warmlines) that exist to support people experiencing crisis, without compromising their autonomy
How clinical practices can contribute to further harm for those utilizing mental health services
Opportunities and approaches for mental health providers to engage in more affirming and supportive care practices
Faculty
Andres Acosta
Andres Acosta is a queer Colombian immigrant and US Navy veteran. He is a graduate of Valencia College and the University of Central Florida where he studied Industrial/Organizational Psychology. Andres was diagnosed HIV positive at 23 and is now devoted to the fight for HIV justice. He serves on the Central Florida HIV planning council and as the Chair of the community advisory board for the Phase 3 HIV vaccine trials in Orlando. He worked as the community relations manager for the Contigo Fund which is the largest funder of LGBTQ+ issues in Central Florida. He has lived experience with the mental health system and is diagnosed with bipolar II, struggles with depression, and has lived with bulimia since he was 14. He is now an education program specialist at the OnePulse foundation and a contractor for peer support space where he is leading the HIV stigma task force for Orange County.
Gina Ali
Gina Ali (they/she) is a queer non-binary, Muslim, Egyptian pre-licensed clinician and academic living on the occupied territory of Tongva land (Los Angeles, California). Gina's academic focus is in decolonial psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute. Their research highlights the functions of how both implicit and explicit coloniality as well as decoloniality exists within online technologies. Their focus has been on exploring oppressive algorithmic functions, liberatory online community building, and how our sense of self is bridged through a digital landscape. Gina runs @gigistherapyworld on TikTok and Instagram where they expand on the importance of deconstructing harmful ideologies in online mental health discourse. Gina is certified in both psychedelic-assisted therapies and EMDR. They are committed to utilizing an interdisciplinary approach which centers the wisdom of ancestral knowledge as well as an abolitionist and disability justice framework.
Dandelion Hill
Dandelion Hill is a Mad, Autistic, Asian American, Bisexual, Genderqueer peer supporter and abolition-centered social worker. They lean on their lived experiences as a survivor of trauma, childhood assault, and adulthood domestic violence as a compassionate framework as they engage with others in their care work. They are a co-founder of Peer Support Space, a collective centered around community care, a humble Advisory Council member of Blue Trunk Community Garden promoting community sustainability and food access, a parent, and enthusiastic gardener. Connect with them and their work on instagram @Dandelion.Hill
“I appreciated the intentionality and openness from the instructors, and everyone’s willingness to bring up un-formed thoughts and ideas. One of my main takeaways is that I have autonomy and can practice autonomy as a counselor myself. I don’t have to succumb to the system just because I am a part of it.”
What You Get
12 videos (2 hours of content) full of history, research, and unique perspectives
Exclusive readings and resources
Discussion with a creative community of professionals and advocates inside the course
A reference and resource list to aid ongoing learning and exploration on the course topics
Audience
This course is for:
Mental health and physical health professionals, including: clinicians, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, peer specialists, recovery support specialists, housing specialists, nurse practitioners, wellness support workers, coaches, holistic practitioners
Students
Activists
Family members and advocates
Anyone who works or plans to work with people experiencing mental health-related challenges
“I really appreciated the decolonization framework and how the topics were broken up into manageable chunks. This training helped reaffirm my understanding of current systems as carceral with really specific analysis and also expanded my understanding of potential resistance within these systems in addition to outside of them.”
Take the Class
This self-paced course is hosted on Mighty Networks, home to IDHA's School for Transformative Mental Health. This virtual community space supports sustained learning, engagement with other students, access to supplemental resources, and opportunities to interact with your faculty.
We provide the option of enrolling for at the general ($20) or supporter rate ($40) to ensure the sustainability of IDHA’s work and enable us to create more accessible, cutting-edge training content.
CLICK THE BUTTONS BELOW TO JOIN US ON MIGHTY NETWORKS!
If you already have an account, simply log in to proceed to the course.
If you’re new to IDHA’s Mighty Network, you will be prompted to create an account and then receive access to course content.
FAQ
When does the course start and finish?
This is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish.
How long do I have access to the course?
After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.
What if I am unhappy with the course, content, or platform?
We love hearing your feedback on what we can do to improve our efforts to bring transformative mental health to the public! Shoot us an email at contact@idha-nyc.org and let us know your thoughts. If you disagree with any of the perspectives shown in this course - that's great! We encourage differing perspectives, so feel free to leave a comment in the course - so long as your comments remain respectful and you speak from your own point of view.
I am a person struggling with mental health issues/a family member of someone who is struggling. Can I take the course?
Absolutely! Just note that this course is geared towards professionals in the field, and will speak mostly to those working in a formal support role. However, we welcome anyone who wants to join!
Are refunds available?
At this time, all sales are final, we cannot offer refunds after purchase.