BLACK SUPERHEROES ARE AGENTS OF SOCIAL JUSTICE
Stan Lee once said, "Hatred, intolerance, and bigotry are the only things we cannot tolerate."
Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a huge comic book fan. Reading comics as a kid helped shape me into who I am today. Once I became an adult, I understood the depth of comic books. Stan Lee, the co-founder of Marvel Comics, created several comic characters, including the X-Men, which stories highlight the struggle during the Civil Rights movement. And like the characters in those comic books, I believe everyone has a "superpower" that they must discover, harness, and apply toward the good of humanity.
X-Men was arguably the most overtly political of all the Marvel comics published in the 1960s. Two main X-Men characters were metaphors for the most prominent Civil Rights activist during that time. Professor X's ideal of peaceful human-mutant cohabitation represented Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s vision. Magneto's inflexible stance toward the defense of mutant-kind represented Malcolm X's philosophy. Lee reinforced the ideas of acceptance and tolerance while opposing bullying and demonization by telling tales of people that the general public saw as less-than, maybe even scary. Using his comic book platform to describe his characters' experiences, Lee showed a parallel world, with the same equality issues as our own. He showed that huge risks are needed to achieve incredible things on the page, the screen, and in real life.
Black lead characters from Marvel Comics, including Black Panther, Storm, Sam Wilson, and Luke Cage, (and other minority characters whose superpowers were as varied as their racial and ethnic backgrounds) were first presented to a generation of comic book readers under Stan Lee's direction. To defeat villains, they battled right alongside white superheroes. Children from minority ethnic origins may feel invisible or insignificant because of a lack of representation. Lee not only recognized how important it was for minorities and women to be represented in comic books, but he also found a way to share the importance of the equality movement to an audience who, at the time, might otherwise have been reluctant to listen.
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Cyril Davis, RN
DBT Administrative Consultant
and Lakes Center Program Director
Lakes Center Mental Health Network
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Why Work-Life Balance Is So Important – and How to Nail It
Does it ever feel like your job is taking over your life? Or do you seem to have so many personal obligations that you can’t give 100% at work? We know we need work-life balance, but finding harmony between your professional and personal life isn't always as easy as it sounds.
Work plays a major role in our lives. It takes up much of our waking hours during the traditional workweek. That’s why it’s so important to make sure that we are also taking care of the areas of our lives that keep us healthy and happy.
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Welcome Becky to Lakes Center!
Congratulations to Becky Jordan, PMHNP on joining the Lakes Depression Center in a new clinical liaison role! She is a psychiatric nurse practitioner and is bridging care between Dr. Lyons, the nursing team, and other providers. We hope this will further enhance the care of for our SPRAVATO® patients.
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Lakes Center Turns 10!
Lakes Center Mental Health Network proudly celebrates 10 years of serving our community with compassionate mental healthcare. Since 2014, we've empowered countless individuals and families through therapy, medication management, and innovative new treatments such as SPRAVATO and EMDR.
We celebrate our dedicated staff, as well as all our courageous patients who entrust us with their well-being. As we look ahead, we remain committed to providing hope and understanding for those brave enough to ask, and stability & growth for those willing to try.
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Our New Suite is Now Open!
Our new suite #2140, (also called Lakes Center “Suite B”) is now open in the Lakes Medical Center on 2300 Haggerty Rd. in West Bloomfield! It will be used for therapy and medication management for children and adolescents, as well as therapy and EMDR treatments. Come on by and say hello!
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Mental Health Tip:
Speak Positively About Yourself
Hype yourself up. OUT LOUD! It’s not enough to just think it. Repeat positive mantras over and over every morning -– or, whenever you need a boost. Here’s an example: I am worthy. I am loved. I am doing the best I can. I am stronger than what ails me. I am getting better every day.
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Mental Health Tip:
Avoid Bright Lights Before Sleep
Some ways to help reduce your blue light exposure is to wear blue light blocking glasses - especially if you use a computer or other digital screen for long periods of time - and to avoid digital screens for 30 minutes to an hour before going to bed.
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We provide comprehensive psychiatric and psychotherapy services for a vast array of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, psychotic illness, borderline personality disorder, substance abuse/addiction, trauma related issues, relationship difficulties, life transitions, and behavior problems. Call (248) 859-2457 to set up an appointment.
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Did you know? SPRAVATO® can have a rapid antidepressant response and is added on to an antidepressant and the rest of your regimen. It is the first new mechanism of action to treat depression that has come out in over 30 years.
There is hope for treatment-resistant depression. Call (248) 859-2457 to set up an appointment.
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We provide comprehensive DBT services to provide effective treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and other disorders involving emotion dysregulation, including co-occurring substance use disorders, major depressive disorder, and individuals with history of trauma. At Lakes DBT Center, we believe that with effective evidence-based treatment and a caring and coordinated treatment team, clients can create a life they love.
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Groups Starting Every 8 Weeks
Choose between:
Mondays 11:00 am - 12:30 pm, or
Wednesdays 10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Lakes Center, 2300 Haggerty Road, Suite 1170, West Bloomfield, MI 48323
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Ginger Blair, LMSW, CAADC
Clinical Social Worker and Certified Addiction Specialist
Ginger Blair is MSW and a Certified Addictions Counselor. Her undergraduate training included a first in the country program for a BA in Social work. (Waverly, Iowa) Her graduate training is from Wayne State School of Social Work. Ms. Blair has over 40 years of experience in behavioral medicine. She takes pride in her 30 years of service within public health settings. She has also four years of training in Bioenergetic analysis.
Ginger has developed her skills as a Certified Addiction counselor and addresses issues of addiction, adult children of alcoholics (ACOA) trauma in the addicted family, co-dependency, and dual diagnosis. Our goal is to work together to break the chain of addiction and pain.
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Sydney Walley, LMSW
Clinical Social Worker
Sydney received her Master of Social Work from Michigan State University with specialized training in evidence-based trauma treatment and significant clinical practice in outpatient, community mental health and medical settings. As a mental health provider, Sydney has treated diverse populations of all ages utilizing trauma-informed interventions and collaborating with health providers and top tier specialists in Michigan. She has also received endorsement in infant and maternal mental health.
Repeatedly recognized for excellence in trauma-informed care and psychotherapeutic treatment, Sydney strives to assist each person in their personal growth and restoration within their systems through purposeful work established in the therapeutic relationship.
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