Happening at Looking Glass:
Looking Glass Counseling Program received a grant from MHS 20 Funding through Lane County HHS and Oregon Health Authority (OHA) health equity grant funds that funded Black, Indigenous, and persons of color (BIPOC) support groups, which allowed us to host 10 sessions of hourly long Zoom Telehealth meetings. Both facilitators identify as BIPOC, to help assist in cultivating an inclusive environment. This support group is open not only to Looking Glass clients, but to community members, as well.
Facilitators, Alexandra & Sarai
Of these 10 sessions, five were held in Spanish and the other five in English. The support groups welcome individuals ages 18-30, and caregivers of young children. The purpose of these groups is to aid in processing the experiences for people who identify as BIPOC.
One of the common themes that frequently came up in conversations was life in the middle of a pandemic. Spanish speakers reported that this has been a good time to spend together as a family, but after a while it felt more like “okay maybe it’s time to do other things without each other.” With the English-speaking group, participants discussed the effects of police brutality and the aftermath of George Floyd’s death. There were also conversations about how police brutality and systemic racism has been an ongoing struggle, noticing that after George Floyd’s death, these topics became much more prominent, as demonstrated by the Black Lives Matter movement. Participants were able to share how traumatic these situations are and how deeply it impacts people’s personal lives.
Participants noted having experienced vicarious trauma because of these disturbances. These BIPOC support groups serve purpose by helping create a safe space for individuals to process their experiences. These specific support groups were not necessarily a form of “therapy” as much as they provided the time to have difficult conversations with topics such as, “what are some things going on within your family system” or “what are current events that have been contributing to your mental and physical health?”
A participant shared that one of the biggest takeaways from these support groups was “being able to connect with others who may have had similar experiences is a strong connection and knowing that you are not alone in your struggles.” – Facilitator, Sarai Barrera (She/Her/Hers) Bi-lingual Mental Health Therapist and BIPOC Outreach Coordinator
Second facilitator, Alexandra Reyes, (Ella/She/Her) – Bi-lingual/Bi-cultural Mental Health Therapist stated, “One of the individuals was able to acknowledge how hard it is to be honest in a therapeutic setting. When they have a therapist who identifies as white, it can be difficult to lay your emotions and feelings on the table. Something they discussed was how to find a therapist who identifies at POC and identifying common factors to help feel comfortable within a therapeutic setting.”
What about individuals who do not have insurance?
Looking Glass receives grant funding to provide services to those without insurance, which includes the initial intake and mental health assessment, with up to nine free sessions to follow. Uninsured youth and young adults are also able to access substance use treatment though grant funding. Staff are available to help support clients receiving this service is accessing insurance, when possible, for ongoing services, or clients can be referred to outside agencies that may serve their financial needs, once they have met the maximum limit. Looking Glass also provides a sliding scale where services begin at $75 per session. Sessions with the interns at our program can also be accessed at the low cost of $10 per session. For our Spanish-speaking clients without insurance, who need further treatment beyond what is covered through grant funding, a common referral we make is to Centro Latino Americano (Centro), a nonprofit organization that serves the Latinx community. While this agency serves as a great resource, it also offers mental health services. Another common referral source for individuals who do not have insurance is the Center for Healthy Relationships at the University of Oregon, who work with couples, families, and individuals on a sliding scale fee.