Depression, Anxiety and Stress Management

Biography

Biography: Maxine Outerbridge

Abstract

Experiencing domestic violence and sexual abuse is commonplace within black and brown communities, especially when committed against women of color, while acknowledging and collectively addressing the residual mental health effects of trauma are not. This keynote presentation will provide a powerful testimony of the inevitable succumbence of post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD), anxiety and depression following the rampant ailes of physical and sexual abuse, teen pregnancy and familial isolation. A completely holistic treatment approach saturated with the principles of Self-Love and coupled with psychological counselling debunks the often misconceived notion by untreated parties that acknowledgement or identification of mental health disorders is also acceptance and submission to narcotic intervention. Fundamental self-love practices can improve mental illness related symptoms due to increased interest and accountability over one’s own mental health, establishment of realistic expectations, adequate management of adversity and prioritization of acceptance, compassion, forgiveness and care of oneself among others. This keynote presentation will also highlight a personal attestation to psych level limitations that result from sexual abuse including obsessive attachment, co-dependency and intimacy deficiencies. As a call to action, there is an opportunity within the Psychiatry industry to increase targeting of vulnerable communities, such as communities of color and to mitigate the cultural hesitancy and cynicism that often exist.