BIPOC Healing from Oppression
A Black, Indigenous, & People of Color (BIPOC) Healing Community
In October 2019, the Center for Disease Control indicated that six in ten adults in the US have a chronic disease and four in ten adults have two or more.
The 10 most common chronic health conditions (2018) and the National Health Impact percentage:
- Hypertension, 12.5%
- Major Depression, 9%
- High Cholesterol, 8.6%
- Coronary Artery Disease, 7%
- Type 2 Diabetes, 5.5%
- Substance Use Disorder, 3.4%
- Alcohol Use Disorder, 3.3%
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), 3.3%
- Psychotic Disorder, 2.9%
- Crohn’s Disease/Ulcerative Colitis, 2.7%
Reducing High Risks for BIPOC Chronic Health Conditions & Weakened Immunity
Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) are 1.5 to 2.0 times more likely than White people to develop many of the major chronic health conditions. Diabetes, lung diseases, and serious heart conditions have been particularly relevant to COVID-19 risk (Price, J.H., Khubchandani, J., McKinney, M., & Braun, R., 2013). A 2020 study by John Hopkins found that chronic stress can weaken immunity, making BIPOC communities more vulnerable to diseases like COVID-19 (and the underlying health conditions that increase the risk of COVID-19). Unresolved emotional pain and trauma further contribute to chronic stress and the associated health risks.
Oppression & Systemic Racism: Chronic Stress, Emotional Pain, & Trauma
Historic, transgenerational, and present-day oppression has contributed to BIPOC stress, duress, and trauma. Daily life includes socio-economic, work-life, partner, family, social/community, and environment-related stressors. Experiences of income disparity, inequality, injustice, prejudice, discrimination, violence, and systemic racism as well as cultural and ancestral-transgenerational trauma add to these stressors. This adversely affects emotional wellbeing and contributes to hormone and metabolism imbalance, inflammation, and weakened immunity. Research has shown that unresolved or unhealed emotional pain and trauma also increase chronic health condition risks for future generations.
BIPOC Healing, Relationship, & Ancestral-Indigenous Culture
Ancient cultures understood the holistic nature of emotional pain, wounding, and trauma and created interventions to regularly release experiences that would otherwise impact the health of the person and the community. Healing space was regularly created in relationship via ritual and ceremony. Personal lineages, family ancestors were included in the work for healing across past, present, and future generations. This was spiritual; but in the context that the mind, body, and heart-soul are spirit manifest, spirit as form. Relationship, (i.e., heart to heart, nature) maintained balance and restored the community. Health, wellbeing, and vitality/prosperity was dependent on healing relationship.
Introductory Class
The past year has made it more crucial than ever to heal from oppression! The work to eradicate systemic racism and other oppressive structures is multilevel across local-global institutions, governments, society, and personal beliefs and actions. This talk provides an overview of how oppression disrupts physiological functioning and immunity contributing to chronic health conditions and weakened immunity. Simple, natural and ancestral-indigenous ways will be offered to help strengthen the mind-body spirit and build our immunity. There also will be time for Q&A.
Course, Part I: Healing the Transgenerational Pain & Trauma of Oppression
4 Weekly Classes (8 hrs) + 2 Support Sessions (1 hr)
Course, Part II: New Narrative: Truth, Purpose, & Creative Prosperity
Professional Development & Ancestral-Indigenous Culture
4 Weekly Classes (8 hrs) + 2 Support Sessions (1 hr)
Course, Part III: Resources for Cultivating A New Narrative
Liberation: Personal & Community Renewal
6-BiMonthly Classes (12 hrs) + 3 Support Sessions (1.5 hr)
These courses provide BIPOC safe space holding heart and humanity for balancing stress and emotions as well as healing personal and transgenerational trauma that affect daily experiences and overall quality of life. Contact us to learn more or to participate in the next life group series. Each course includes individual sessions to provide personalized support; additional 1:1 online sessions are available.