May 9

May 9 Centering Mental Health

Announcements, Director's Blog, Events, GGOC Education, GGOC Wellness, Jacqueline Plante, LGBTQ, Therapist, Therapist Life Tips, Traci Medeiros

Dear Gather and Grow community,

May marks an important time for two significant observances: Mental Health Awareness Month and Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month.

We want to take this opportunity to remind everyone about the importance of mental health. We urge you to take care of yourself and those around you, and remember it's okay to seek help when needed.

Additionally, we celebrate AAPI Heritage Month to honor the histories, cultures, and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States. We stand with our AAPI community members and continue to support their voices and contributions.

Stay tuned for more information about these observances and how you can get involved.

Warm regards,
The Gather and Grow Team

GGOC Announcements

We're seeking Licensed and Associate Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Clinical Counselors to join Team GGOC and help us uplift and celebrate diversity within our communities. You're not just an employee at GGOC, but a vital part of our vision. If you align with a growth-based working and learning environment, we'd love to hear from you! Learn more HERE.

Stephanie Gast (She/Her) is an Attachment-based therapist, who utilizes a heart-centered approach to gently guide clients through inner child work and provide a safe space for self-understanding and growth. Stephanie is a CA Associate Marriage & Family Therapist (CA AMFT#117339), supervised by our Clinical Director Jacqueline Plante (CA LMFT # 91084). As well as supporting children, individuals, relationships, and families, Stephanie is also the host of the Lightcast Podcast which works to normalize mental health and shine a light on the shadows of human experience.

Learn more about Stephanie and reach out for support HERE.

Community Announcements

The SPARCC Lab (Supporting Practices for Autism through Research and Community Collaboration) at California State University San Marcos (CSUSM, led by Dr. Allison Jobin in the Psychology Department, is seeking participants for a study aimed at improving the understanding of stress and mental health in parents of autistic and gender diverse adolescents.

All parents of adolescents in the United States are invited to participate. They are looking for parents of adolescents in one of these four groups: (1) autistic, (2) gender diverse, (3) both autistic and gender diverse, or (4) neither autistic nor gender diverse.

Eligible participants will receive a $15 Amazon electronic gift card for participating. Contact SPARCC Lab at sparcclab@csusm.edu or take their eligibility survey for more info HERE.

The Asian Mental Health Collective is taking applications for their Asian Student Organizers Fund to provide aid to Asian student organizers involved in encampments, demonstrations, and/or protests.

If you're a therapist looking to offer time-relevant mental health support to AAPI individuals this month you can join Gather & Grow OC in donating directly to the fund HERE and/or you can apply to be included as a therapist on the list for participants HERE.

More info and all links can be found directly through AMHC's email blast HERE.

Looking for community and want to kick off Pride Month with a local event? Come join us at Mission Viejo Pride! We'll be there enjoying the June weather and giving away goodies from the Self-Aware Store including our Tote Bags!