by JoAnna Fernandez Fernandez | Sep 10, 2026 | Mental Health, Thought Leadership, Trauma
“I got shot before… I just didn’t want that to happen again. Rather be safe than sorry.” For Patrick, a 25-year-old man from Chicago, carrying a firearm had nothing to do with him wanting to hurt someone. It was about what he had already experienced....
by JoAnna Fernandez Fernandez | Jul 31, 2026 | Uncategorized
“He’s been called angry, resistant, and unmotivated. What if those labels missed the real story?” A young Black man walks into his first therapy appointment after years of surviving community violence, financial hardship, and personal loss. He...
by JoAnna Fernandez Fernandez | Jul 16, 2026 | Mental Health, Thought Leadership
For generations, many people in Black communities have heard some version of this statement. It reflects one of the most persistent forms of mental health stigma in Black communities: the belief that therapy is only for people experiencing a crisis, a mental...
by JoAnna Fernandez Fernandez | Jul 7, 2026 | Mental Health, Thought Leadership, Youth
When a teenage boy doesn’t come to school, we notice his absence — but not that he was up all night caring for younger siblings while his mom worked the late shift. A young boy shuts down when asked how he feels because he’s used to being told to...
by JoAnna Fernandez Fernandez | Jun 30, 2026 | Mental Health, Thought Leadership
For some, turning 21 is a milestone celebrated with dinner, a night out, or a gathering of family and friends. For others, it is a life goal. Not because of college plans, career ambitions, or excitement about the next chapter of life. It is because, somewhere along...
