Shifting Mindset to Shift Practice
Visions for a Liberated Crisis Response
Course Description
Many of the dominant approaches to mental health crisis response today are rooted in mindsets that can be unhelpful, or even harmful, to those we seek to support. These approaches can often be traced to our socialization within a society and culture shaped by white supremacy. For example, moments of crisis often perpetuate a sense of urgency, prioritizing “quick fixes” at the expense of exploring root causes or engaging in collaborative problem solving with the person in crisis. Individualized approaches to mental health crisis can lead to isolation and competition, rather than cultivating collective care networks. Operating in environments of fear and liability, mental health professionals often center their own right to comfort over the needs of the person in crisis. Paternalism is at play when the viewpoints or experiences of those in crisis aren’t centered in making decisions related to their care, despite growing understandings that outcomes improve when people with lived experience are treated as genuine partners.
This class invites participants to scrutinize these mindsets, noticing how and where they show up, in order to shift practice. We will discuss how to uproot the characteristics of white supremacy that guide our dominant model of crisis response, and antidotes that make people agents of change rather than passive recipients of care. Grounded in the experiences of faculty who have both been through crisis and helped others navigate it, we will introduce concrete peer support tools that can be deployed in the mental health system and wider communities. Join us to unlearn unhelpful and carceral mentalities and alongside a growing community of people who are committing to meet crisis head on with care, compassion, and understanding.
What you’ll learn:
How white supremacy culture is infused into dominant crisis response techniques
The power dynamics inherent to the roles of “professional” and “patient” in the mental health system and how to break them down
How to detect unhelpful and carceral mentalities and paradigms embedded in dominant crisis response methods
The power of peer support to shift mindset and practice
Alternative crisis response approaches that can be integrated into everyday practice
Faculty
Ysabel Garcia, Psychiatric Survivor, Educator, and Facilitator
Ysabel is a Dominican immigrant, psychiatric survivor, social justice educator, and skilled dialogue facilitator with a bold mission to dive heart first into raw conversations about mental health, equity, and suicide. She shows her endearing sense of humor and ability to talk openly about suicidal experiences through Estoy Aqui LLC, where she helps organizations understand the sociocultural factors that create risk and protection around suicide and mental health in the Latinx and Black communities. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Child Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Public Health from Bay Path University.
Stefanie Lyn Kaufman-Mthimkhulu, Neurodivergent Care Worker and Educator
Stefanie (they/she) is a white, queer and non-binary, Disabled, neurodivergent care worker and educator of Ashkenazi Jewish and Boricua ascent. They are rooted in a historical and political lineage of Disability Justice and Mad Liberation; and show up for their communities as the Executive Director of Project LETS, an organizer, parent, doula, peer supporter, writer, and conflict intervention facilitator. Their work specializes in building non-carceral, peer-led mental health care systems that exist outside of the state, reimagining everything we’ve come to learn about mental distress, and supporting care workers in building access-centered, trauma responsive practices that support whole bodymind healing.
“I loved all that I learned. It further opened my mind about this topic and I liked the practical questions at the end. I loved learning about the connection between mental health and white supremacy culture.”
What You Get
14 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
“The idea that there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution has stayed with me. The examples of very different crisis interventions given in the class and supplemental readings gave me inspiration for imagining where my own work might be in this field.”
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.