BIPOC Healing and Wellness Centre

Here at the BIPOC Healing and Wellness Centre, we stand in solidarity with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. We acknowledge that the protests being held around the country on September 20th are having an impact on our community, as these conversations can activate trauma, and increase the dangers faced by Two-Spirit and Trans folx and their loved ones.

As an intersectional organization, we acknowledge the importance of utilizing our platform and voice to speak up for trans rights. It is impossible to separate conversations around gender, sexuality, and bodily autonomy from culture and race. We recognize that those most impacted by discrimination are our q***r and trans BIPOC community members.

Fighting one form of discrimination with another is not progress. Here at the centre, we are working towards a world free of discrimination in all of its forms. We strive to create an environment where folx can be their authentic selves, and be celebrated for that! We see that through these protests, the safety to express one's authentic self is being challenged and compromised. We believe that the personal is political, and we are disheartened to see the political climate and agenda in this province do harm to folx in their daily lives instead of offer the protection needed. We each hold a piece of collective responsibility to co-construct a better world for all of us. This will require amplifying the voices of those most marginalized by systems and policies, while listening and learning from folx in their lived experiences.

We understand the importance of holding space for nuanced conversations about gender and sexuality amongst our BIPOC communities, and we are here to provide a safe place for learning and growth. We are also available to support anyone who is feeling the impacts of the protests occurring, who would like an environment of safety to process their feelings and experiences. Please reach out to us if we can be of support to you!

Did you know that you can access EMDR with one of our culturally informed therapists in a safe and representative environment. Check out the next few slides to figure out who to book with if you are wanting to decide if EMDR therapy is right for you! 🤎✨

Let's unpack how well-intentioned messages we receive from others can impact us.
There are cultural nuances within messages like "don't cry; don't worry, calm down, stay strong; everything happens for a reason" that will be received differently from person to person because how we express and communicate emotions will vary, depending on our cultural identities and family dynamics.

Although they are meant to be comforting these messages often carry weight that we tend to internalize and can reinforce the idea that:
- you are being the problem
- your weakness is failure
- you are being too much

When we feel like we are too much we tend to try to make ourselves smaller or focus cater to other people's needs so that we can maintain the status quo. Which can lead to inauthentic communication, avoidance of feelings and invalidation of lived experiences.

In the last side are some examples of what you would hear me say in session to hold space and invite perspective for different messages that can be re-affirming for one's healing journey 🤎

Hey friends, we are humbly and graciously asking for mutual aid support from the community to help keep our Centre running while Reena is taking time to rest. As a BIPOC owned business, we are finding there are a lot of systemic barriers to being able to attain business funding sources, especially within our colonial systems.

Your donation to the centre will help us meet our overhead operating costs, and run our no-to-low cost therapy and community initiatives.

Thank you for all of the donations that you have already sent, whether it was donating children's play therapy items, money or time; we are grateful to have the support of such a wonderful community! 🤎 If you would like to donate to the BIPOC Healing and Wellness Centre, please click the link in our bio, scan our GoFundMe QR code or submit a donation directly to [email protected].

Happy Pride Festival weekend BIPOC HWC community! We'll be at Pride Fest this Friday and Saturday, August 23rd and 24th between 12:00pm - 5:00pm.

Come out and support YEGs 2SLGBTQIA+ community, check out some awesome shows and meet some of our amazing team members!

🌈

Happy Pride Festival weekend BIPOC HWC community! We'll be at Pride Fest this Friday and Saturday, August 22 and 23rd between 12:00pm - 5:00pm.

Come out and support YEGs 2SLGBTQIA+ community, check out some awesome shows and meet some of our amazing team members!

🌈

An important announcement from our founder and director Reena Samra regarding her intentional three month sabbatical leave to care for herself and practice rest as resistance 🤎✨

Our team is growing! Welcome Matthew Adegbuyi to the BIPOC Healing and Wellness Centre team.

Matthew is a registered dietician who is passionate about providing culturally informed nutrition counselling and Education! His goal is to help his clients foster healthy relationships with food to promote their overall health and wellness, while also respecting their racial and cultural identities along with their unique lived experiences.

Matthews wellness services include free 15 minute consultations, individual nutrition assessments and follow up, as well as family nutrition coaching. Matthew is available Tuesdays, between 3:00pm to 6:00pm either virtually or in-person at our south-central Edmonton location!

To book with Matthew, call us at 587-760-1311, email [email protected] or check check out our Jane booking app.

Happy international Day for self care! One of the things we are trying to be more intentional about at our centre is taking the time to rest. Despite what hustle culture tells us, our value is not determined by our level of productivity, and as we are reminded by this quote from Tricia Hersey at The Nap Ministries, our bodies are not machines.

As you work through the rest of the week we encourage you to take time to rest. Take a nap, disconnect from your digital platforms, spend time in nature. Whatever "rest" looks like for you, be intentional about taking the time to pour back into yourself.

It has been a very difficult time of grieving for our communities. We are outraged and heartbroken at the continuous police brutality being experienced in our local and broader communities. We are committed to dismantling systems of oppression that target violence towards Black people.

In light of the fatal police shooting of Mathios Arkangelo by the Edmonton Police Service, we are offering free to low cost therapy to any BIPOC community members who may be directly or indirectly affected and distressed by this event, or any other event of police brutality. If you are looking for extra support working through this incredibly difficult loss, we are here for you.

When we witness violence that is so unjust and perpetrated through power and force, it can cause a traumatic reaction that can include emotional disturbances, nightmares, anxiety and fear. Whatever you are feeling, however you are coping, please know that you are not alone.

Please connect with us for support 🤎🤎

Announcing a new fundraising partner collaboration! 🤎✨

We are partnering with Rock Jungle Climbing as their charity of the month!

Starting Tuesday July 2, all proceeds from attending Rock Jungle Climbing’s Tuesday drop-ins between 11:00am to 3:00pm at any of their locations will be donated to the BIPOC Healing and Wellness Centre to support our community initiatives, including our low cost therapy services.

For a minimum $10 donation, you can help us make therapy and mental health support more accessible for some of our most vulnerable community members.

We are grateful to our community and to the team at Rock Jungle Climbing for their generous offer of support! Our work is made lighter by the support of allies in our community 🙏🏽

For many of us, summer is a time for fewer responsibilities, vacations, and outdoor activities.

For some of us, the change to summer weather can trigger feelings of insecurity, body dysmorphia, or increase anxiety and pressure to fit societal beauty standards. We might notice how our relationship with our body can impact our mental health.

Here are some affirmations that we can embody over the summer to foster self acceptance 🤎✨

Let's talk about lateral violence!

In order for our BIPOC communities to be well, we need to talk about the power dynamics that happen amongst ourselves that rank us, hierarchy us and pit us against each other. In recognizing and unlearning this, we are refusing to do the oppressor's work for them. We are refusing to collide with the systems that work to oppress us. We are empowering ourselves to be intentional about the spaces we hold in relationality with each other.

Solidarity will be our key to collective liberation ✨🤎

We invite community members to intentionally think about; how are you creating lateral kindness in spaces you occupy? How are you encouraging this in your day to day life?

As a mental health practice and activist group of all BIPOC, for BIPOC; it is very important for us to be clear about what we stand for.

We are not here to uphold the status quo of the mental health industrial complex. In fact, it is harmful to our marginalized communities for us to stay in the comfort zone of neutrality.

We stand firmly in human rights, and we believe the personal is political.

These are all inextricably linked and interconnected; common threads that connect us all to each other and to our common humanity.

We cannot support one without the other.

Solidarity means not leaving any oppressed group behind.

We are not free until we are all free.

We can heal ourselves, our communities and the world from the conditioning of cis-hetero-patriarchy, white supremacy, and colonialism.

Collective liberation is what we are working towards.

In honour of National Indigenous People's Day, our team member Shannon Cardinal shares some words from the heart 🤎 we are so grateful for this community and we encourage folks to consider honouring Indigenous Peoples and lands throughout the year, and not just on this day, as an ongoing commitment to unlearning settler colonialism and pursuing collective liberation 🤎✨

Today, we celebrate the resilience, strength, and love of fathers in racialized and immigrant communities, while also committing to supporting their mental well-being by creating inclusive environments that acknowledge and address their unique challenges. It's crucial to create safe spaces where men of colour can express their feelings, seek support, and prioritize their mental health without stigma.

Today, we also extend our empathy, love, and support to all BIPOC individuals who are grieving on Father’s Day. Your feelings are valid, and your stories and experiences matter 🤎

Let’s hold each other up and continue to strive for a world where all fathers and families can thrive in justice, peace, and love. Let's stand together in solidarity, advocating for racial justice and mental health resources that are accessible and culturally sensitive. By doing so, we not only uplift our fathers, but also build stronger, healthier communities for all of us.

Did you know that we offer couples counselling for in*******al couples?

In*******al couples can face a variety of challenges including judgement, discrimination and racist dynamics.

For those in an in*******al relationship, what other issues do you struggle with?

Reach out to us today for more support and to book an appointment! 🤎🫶🏾

*******al *******alcouple

Let's talk about the balance of self care and community care!

Self care has become a buzz word that is used to describe how we "should" be taking care of our mental health, but with the challenges of living in a capitalist society, it can be presented in a way that is individualistic and financially inaccessible. For BIPOC folks, we can experience struggles with taking care of ourselves when we feel a responsibility to our families or communities.

We explore reclaiming self care as a way to nurture ourselves while balancing having access to community care so that we do not have to do all of this on our own.

We invite folks to find what works for you regarding balancing self care and community care, and it's okay if you are still figuring out what this looks like! 🤎

NEW EPISODE RELEASE! Check out Episode 6 on Taking Up Space, Reena, Rehana, and Crystal go over foundational concepts by unpacking power, privilege, oppression, intersectionality, racial trauma and cultural bereavement. We define these terms, share some of our experiences, and discuss ways to acknowledge how these topics play into your life. As always, we hope you enjoy! 🤎

Happy Pride Month! Here are some important reminders about Pride! We invite folks to remember the role that QTBIPOC have played in the Pride movement.

Pride is political activism. How do we invite a Pride that honours intersections of identity and fights for the rights of all 2SLQBTQIA+ folks? Dreaming about collective liberation and the revolution ✨🌈🤎

Let's talk about politicized therapy! ✊🏽🤎

As politicized therapists, we do NOT take a stance of neutrality with social injustices. We believe the personal is political and as marginalized people, we are deeply impacted by the political landscapes around us. Our healing is political as we address the harm caused by historic and evolving systems of oppression. We are here to grieve with our clients the impacts of these colonial systems.

We believe that being mental health providers also requires us to stand up against injustices and to put our politics into practice. We are here to advocate for social change and stand up against colonial systems that harm our clients. It can be super powerful for folks in their healing to know that the practitioner walking alongside them in their journey not only acknowledges their reality, but is willing to take a stand and advocate against the harm that impacts them. Through our advocacy work, we strive to create safer spaces for marginalized folks to feel more welcome, seen and heard in our space 🤎

A quote by Adrienne Maree Brown 🤎🤎
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We have a new team member!!! Welcome to Alissa Takahashi, our Q***r and Gender Diverse Education Consultant!! 🙌🏽🤎

Alissa is a mixed race teacher with a passion for inclusive education! As a neurodivergent, non-binary, le***an of colour, they understand the unique challenges, joys and barriers that come from having an intersectional identity.

In their role, Alissa will offer consultations, educational workshops/professional development, and personalized supports for families regarding 2SLQBTQIA+ topics!

Follow Alissa 👏🏾

To book with Alissa, call 587-760-1311, email [email protected] or check out our JaneApp booking website! 😊

Update for our Ontario clients:

Linda Mensah is now a registered provider with IFHP / NIHB to make her counselling supports more accessible for folks!

To book with her, contact us at 587-760-1311, [email protected], or check out her online booking on our JaneApp website 🤎

Let's learn all about acupuncture! Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine practice that can support our mental and physical health.

Did you know that we offer acupuncture sessions at our centre? To book with our acupuncturist Kahn Lam, contact us today at 587-760-1311 or [email protected]! 🤎

Good news! It is not too late to access FREE therapy with Jasmeen Malhi, available to our South Asian community through our funding with the Baba Nanak Trust Foundation!

If you have been curious about trying out counselling but unsure if it would be right for you, this is the chance to explore and discover your pathway to healing. We are committing to providing culturally sensitive therapy tailored specifically for South Asian folks!

Reach out to us today to book your free sessions with Jasmeen 🤎

Calling all therapists and mental health professionals!! We are hosting a free networking mixer at the BIPOC Healing and Wellness Centre!! 🤎

Join us at our centre's south central location in the Garneau neighborhood of Edmonton, AB to mix and mingle with other mental health professionals this Friday May 17 6:30pm-9:30pm!

We will offer refreshments, appetizers, music, and plenty of connection! Come check out our healing space, meet our team, learn about our services and make some networking connections!

We are looking forward to connecting with our community! 🤎 Please RSVP through email to [email protected] so we can plan for attendance numbers!

We stand firmly in solidarity with student protestors for Palestine 🇵🇸

To the University of Alberta and University of Calgary student protestors, we see the violence being used against you and the attempts at silencing your voices. We stand with you and your right to stand up against oppression and protest a genocide and occupation.

We are offering low to no cost therapy for racialized protestors for Palestine struggling right now 🤎

For BIPOC folks who want to book a session to get trauma-informed support:

Please contact us at 587-760-1311, email [email protected] or use our online booking JaneApp website through selecting Counselling Sessions for Palestine Protestors and booking with Rehana Husain or Suhuur Faisal Abdi.

Pay what you can afford, from $10 to $60 per session. If you cannot afford to pay, please let us know and we will make a plan.

We are so grateful to offer community care as solidarity and support as we resist these oppressive systems together. We will keep each other safe and supported on our pathway to liberation and freedom for all 🤎

NEW EPISODE! Tune in to Episode 5!! 🤎🙌🏽 This week on Taking Up Space, join Reena, Rehana and one of our clinicians at the BIPOC Healing and Wellness Centre, JeeHye Choi, as we discuss BIPOC experiences in the workplace.

We expand upon the need for BIPOC spaces as we share stories and dive into challenges we have faced and that some BIPOC may face in workplaces, including workplace racism. As always, we hope you enjoy!

Find us on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, Audible, YouTube, Google Podcasts and iHeartRadio!

Today we honour the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit People, also known as Red Dress Day.

Today we remember those who are missing and murdered, we honour their loved ones, and honour Indigenous survivors of violence. We recognize the ongoing genocide that is happening to Indigenous peoples is a result of colonial violence. We acknowledge that the impacts of colonial violence creates an ongoing mental health crisis that impacts the lives and sovereignty of Indigenous peoples. We stand in solidarity and demand an end to this genocide.

Our centre exists to amplify marginalized voices, fight systemic racism and oppression, and create social change. We want to live in a just world where Indigenous peoples are safe and protected. We want to live in a world where Indigenous lives matter and are valued. We demand for Indigenous voices to be centred and heard, and to reclaim the stories of those who have been suppressed and silenced.

We believe that the pathway to liberation for Indigenous and racialized peoples means abolition. These systems were founded on colonial violence and continue to exist to uphold and perpetuate this harm daily.

The lives of our Indigenous communities depend on social responsibility and collective action. We can re-imagine care outside of these systems and each of us can and need to do better so we can achieve liberation for all peoples.

We are dreaming of a world where there are answers, accountability, and justice. We will fight for a future where Indigenous peoples do not have to endure more grief, loss and trauma, and we can break these cycles of pain.

As a starting point, please read Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. You can also contribute mutual aid to

For crisis support please call the MMIWG support line at 1-844-413-6649 for 24/7 support across Canada.

To access our counselling sessions, please call 587-760-1311 or email [email protected]