Summayah Poonah joins us today to talk about an important resource to assist our Muslim teens’ mental health needs. She is Head of Operations at Naseeha Mental Health, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting communities and individuals in their journey towards positive mental health and wellbeing. Did ya’ll even know that there is a hotline for Muslim teens to call or text a counselor 7 days a week no matter where they live? Yes, that’s Naseeha! Why is a safe space like this necessary, and what can we do to support our teens? Research has shown that mainstream resources often cannot understand the cultural backgrounds of our kids’ families of origin, and what they don’t know can hurt our kids.
Muslim teens have indicated they’re FIVE TIMES as likely to feel depressed this year, but only about 20% are accessing mental health care in person or electronically. They’re FOUR TIMES as likely to hurt themselves—this is a Muslim public mental health emergency.
We talk coping, crisis, confidentiality, and continued support that Naseeha has been offering since 2007. It’s a gem in our midst we need to grow, especially during these times when our older sets are suffering, some in silence.
Break the silence. Break the stigma. Help our teens use Naseeha’s free phone-based peer support counseling, group counseling sessions, and psychoeducational workshops for racialized youth.
Links:https://youtu.be/NrB8Iamo0OA
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