https://thehappypapayaclub.com/

The Happy Papaya Club, Toronto, ON (2025)

03/08/2021

Happy Intersectional International Womxn’s Day. 💪🏽 Let’s reclaim this day and remind each other of ALL womxn.

Happy Intersectional International Womxn’s Day.

We repeat the term because we want to take this moment to celebrate womxnhood - but also to draw attention to the importance of intersectionality. Without this term, we are forgetting to acknowledge inclusivity and the complex diverse layers of identity.

For womxn, layers of oppression go deeper than just gender. There is also race, s*x, class, disablism, and more. Therefore, if we are celebrating womxn’s day, it needs to be intersectional so to acknowledge that womxn are intersectional identities.

🌹 Here are some beautiful intersectional quotes to live by:

“The only thing required to be a women is to identify as one. Period. End of story.”

“Never apologize for being our own version of a womxn.”

“A womxn’s place is where the hell they want it to be.”

“A womxn should be two things: who and what she wants. “

“Your feminism isn't feminism unless its intersectional feminism”

“Support your sisters, not just uour cis-ters”

“The future is intersectional”

👧🏽🧒🏿👩🏾‍🦰👱🏻‍♀️👩🏻‍🦳👵🏽👩🏾‍🦱👩🏿👨🏽‍🦲

02/25/2021

Thursday to do list: Unfollow or mute all of the accounts that make you feel like you’re not enough, cause you anxiety, and are unworthy of your energy. Instead, fill your daily feed with worthy stories, intriguing content, and stimulating information. Your soul needs to be nourished in more ways than you think. What you consume on social media is just as important to self-care.

We’ve compiled cool feminist and intersectional accounts to follow 💚

If you know of any other accounts to suggest, comment below! 🤗

02/18/2021

Infuse your water with superfoods and/or supplements to reap eclectic benefits for Spring & Summer for hydration🍋 💓

1. Increases nutrients
2. Encourages an increase in water consumption
3. Reduces consumption of high sugar or high-calorie beverages
4. Rids body toxins
5. Increases energy

Which one do you wanna try the most?!

⚡️

(recipes not recommended for daily use, 3x’s a week is enough!)

02/14/2021

Happy Valentine’s Day to you and yours!

🥂 It’s a day to celebrate all types of love. We are all worthy of real and unconditional love...and not limited to romantic relationship but also love for ourselves, friends, family, and more. Today is a day to celebrate them all 💖. All love is honoured 💫

Have a superb day xo

02/12/2021

Who finds joy in cooking?! 😍 we definitely do. If you’re looking for new inspiration we’ve collected 3 superb nutrition & plant-based books to add to your collection. 💖🙌🏽 Lets support these incredible Black nutritionists and recipe developers:

1. Vegetable Kingdom: the abundant world of vegan revcipes by

2. Swee Potato Soul: 100 easy vegan recipes for the Southern Flavours of smoke, sugar, spice, and soul by Jenne Claiborne

3. Black Girl Baking: wholesome recipes insired by a soulful upbringing by Jarrelle Guy

ENJOY🤤🍛🥙🍰🍩

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02/10/2021

Midweek self-talk: 🌸 Move mindfully, and do what feels right to your system. Good things will follow... Believe that💫

02/02/2021

Daily reflections💕💭: Part of growth is living in your truth. So when faced with unfair situations, toxic work environments, or unhealthy relationships...Speak your truth and stand up for yourself!

When external circumstances are happening, they're out of our control. The only thing we can control is how we handle it.

We are taught to submit, to stay quiet, to take a difficult situation and to "make it a positive” because "everything happens for a reason". We're taught that we shouldn't take up too much space with our "drama, nagging, confrontations". We’re taught not to be too “problematic”. Womxn don’t feel empowered by the toxic social norms that we're taught. Let’s change that.

The truth is, if we felt hurt in a given scenario no one can invalidate that. So shouldn’t we have the right to stand up for ourselves? The livelihood of our self-worth demands this from us.

Assert your value by facing and confronting the situation. SPEAK UP! Communicate your emotions to what is causing you pain, sadness, anxiety, or all of the above. Let them know your feelings, your boundary terms, and how you plan on moving forward. It’s important, not just for their sake, but for you to be able to move on and start forgiving, healing, and amending.

Through proper and healthy communication you might be able to close any “misunderstood” gaps, find common ground, solutions, and even suitable reparations. However, even if nothing immediately comes from standing up, the simple act of exiling that negativity from your body and mind through verbal communication, you’ll release weight from your shoulders.

Let’s start releasing ourselves from things which cause us harm so that we can start focusing on things that truly benefit us.

🧘🏽

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01/09/2021

Just a little Saturday self-love reminder: self-love can include relaxation techniques like a bubble bath or face mask, but it is also so much more than that. It's important to note that self-love looks different for everyone so reimagining self-love will give you new perspectives.

How are you practicing self-love today? 💖

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01/06/2021

Whenever you feel there is not enough (time, money, love, success, happiness, etc), pause and instead focus on all that you have to be grateful for. 💫

Did you know that gratitude can have such a powerful impact on your life because it engages your brain in a virtuous cycle? "Your brain only has so much power to focus its attention. It cannot easily focus on both positive and negative stimuli." Bsically, you literally can’t be grateful and anxious at the same time. To further prove this, research shows that gratitude stimulates the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that regulates anxiety.

🌞Therefore, gratitude is a great grounding technique. When you actively express gratitude you become present in the moment because you take note of all the small (and big) things around you (and within you) that make this life a beautiful thing.

You can try any form of gratitude, the above 4 journal prompts are just to get you started. If you practice rnoigh, it will get you in the habit of grounding yourself whenever you're feeling anxious. 🤗

12/25/2020

Merry Christmas from The HP Club to you and yours 🎄✨

12/23/2020

This year has changed our lives in more ways than one. Traditional celebrations were replaced by virtual birthdays, vow exchanges, and graduations. As we move closer to the holiday season, there’s a chance you won’t be able to spend it with the larger circle of people you are used to and love. This will cause many to feel emotional and that’s completely normal. These are not circumstances we have been used to. While psychologists say those feelings are normal and expected, it’s also essential to find coping strategies.

So what can we do to make December feel better?

Instead of saying you won't celebrate this winter, create a new tradition! Why not? Remember this is all temporary so let’s make it something to learn from and make new memories. Make the new tradition something you enjoy! Consider something that helps you celebrate in smaller circles or in solitary but still lets you feel the holiday cheer!

Here's a few ideas:
- Schedule a family holiday toast online
- Send heart-warming gifts or cards and open virtually
- Plan games that you can play virtually. (Christmas-themed bingo, secret Santa, or 20 Questions. For more ideas follow this link:
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/entertainment/g32098665/best-games-to-play-on-zoom/)

These three things can happen through zoom or even in a group chat! Sometimes zoom meetings are complicated so you can encourage everyone to send pictures of their holiday set up, gifts, and selfies to the chat. Either way, this small effort will bring you holiday spirit even if it's just virtual.

The point is, even if you're currently physically alone, you are not actually alone. Remind yourself and loved ones by finding ways to celebrate the holidays this year even if it seems uncomfortable and out of the ordinary. It's okay to allow for change. Step of out your comfort-zone and reimagine this holiday season. Who knows, you might even find something you like out of the whole experience and might become a new way to looking at things.

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11/29/2020

When we learn to put ourselves and our mental health first, we can achieve so much.✨

We had a chance to chat with Ajuki, community Event Producer, music Curator, creator of .to and , and mental health advocate living in Toronto.

✨ Ajuki talks about how she overcame and learned to live with a long journey of BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder) and the effects of it in her life.

💪🏽 She dives into the importance of putting yourself first regardless of the situation or person, understanding your mental health through independent research, and tips on how to maintain healthy or balanced interpersonal relationships while navigating a poor mental health.

Go read this raw, enlightening perspective, and educative interview. Check it out on our bio!

.to

11/25/2020

✨A grounding technique for moments of anxiety.💆🏽‍♀️

The most common grounding technique for anxiety or anxiety attacks is the 54321 method. Here is how:

Identify….

5. LOOK:
Look around for 5 things that you can see, and say them out loud

4. FEEL:
Pay attention to your body and think of 4 things that you can feel, and say them out loud.

3. LISTEN:
Listen for 3 sounds. Say the three things out loud.

2. SMELL:
Say two things you can smell. If you can’t smell anything at the moment of you can’t move, then name your 2 favourite smells.

1. TASTE:
Say one thing you can taste. If you can’t taste anything, then say your favourite thing to taste.

Regardless of how you approach this, the goal is to identify elements around you that are there to ground you back. As your mind begins to focus on these things, it will be less focused on the sudden rush of anxiety. This exercise will help slow your heart rate, control your breathing, and make you feel a bit better overall.🧡

11/20/2020

A Therapy Guide for you and yours💆🏽‍♀️⚡️
Today is our last post of this A Guide to Therapy series!

👏🏽We have compiled a list (in no specific order) of our favourite affordable (mostly Torontonian) Mental Health Services for the intersectional community. Click the tags for more info.

These centres and mental health agencies provide high-quality programs while ensuring inclusivity! They cater their program to all genders, races, ages, s*xes, social-economic status, and so forth. 🤗 Please save and share with someone who might be looking for a place to start.

✨Post 3/3 - Free/Affordable mental health services in Ontario:

💛 Across Boundaries: they provide a range of services to people from racialized communities in Toronto who are experiencing mental health problems. The centre operates within an anti-racism/anti-oppression framework to mental health.

💛Sheena's Place: is a mental health centre that supports 17+ folks affected by eating disorders to overcome barriers and provide professionally facilitated support groups & services free of charge.

💛Stella's Place: is a safe space for young adults aged 16 to 29 & the LGBTQIA community. They offer peer support, clinical, online, employment, wellness, & recovery programs.

💛Davenport Perth: is a neighbourhood health centre and multi-service agency located in Toronto’s West End.

💛Hard Feelings: is a low-cost counselling centre with 3 locations in Toronto offering individuals who are facing financial barriers to accessing mental health support through sliding scales or through insurance.

💛Mood Disorders Association of Ontario: is a free support centre that offers innovative programs to folks across Ontario who are living with depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder & their families.

💛Yorktown Family Services: is a community service agency, health centre, and shelter for women, infants, children, & youth facing violence.

💛Family Service Toronto: is a mental health centre serving the intersectional community. Ex: new immigrant families, people with disabilities, & seniors.

11/19/2020

A Therapy Guide for you and yours💆🏽‍♀️⚡️ part 2/3

OUR NEXT POST:
Tomorrow at 11 am, is our last post. We will provide you with specific Free or Affordable Canadian Mental Health Services for the intersectional community who might not know where to begin their search.

‼️ We encourage folks to follow this beginners' guide to therapy even if you think you might not need it (trust me, we all need a few therapy sessions...but also maybe someone you know might find this useful).

Today: ✨✨Post 2/3

~Tips to Financially Prepare for Therapy~

🔎Public Healthcare:
In Canada, the public health care system provides free or affordable mental health services. If this is the case where you live, contact your general family doctor or a walk-in doctor and let them know what you are feeling. Explain that you believe you need to be referred to a closer analysis or diagnosis. After the diagnosis of a psychiatrist, you will be referred to apply to receive free therapy.

🔎School Counselling:
University and college tuition usually has a flat fee included for mental health services. The institution can then offer these mental health services to all students for “free”. You may find counselling, therapy, coaching, and more. Contact your school’s or student services for more info.

🔎Insurance:
Do you have insurance that covers therapy? This may include your school, work, or training. Check with your insurance provider. Look for therapists or counselling centres that accept your specific insurance.

🔎Therapists Payment Options:
i) Sliding Scale Fees: means that the cost of therapy is based on your ability to pay and your income
ii) Pro Bono Services: means that the therapist does not require any payment from you. However, many Pro Bono programs require an application, interview, and acceptance process.

🔎Crisis Hotlines:
Some are online, remote, and free!

🔎Mental Health Charities:
These charities provide free support in a specific community. Many times they are part of community centres.

Conclusion: Although therapy is sometimes expensive, there are many options for you to find affordable services. Use this post as a guide to help you get started on your search. 💜

11/18/2020

A Therapy Guide for you and yours💆🏽‍♀️⚡️

🙌🏽OUR NEXT POST:
Tomorrow at 11 am, we will be posting part 2/3 on how to financially prepare for therapy along with specific examples relevant to Canada and the US.

‼️ We encourage folks to follow this beginners' guide to therapy even if you think you might not need it (trust me, we all need a few therapy sessions😌). It is a simple but effective 3-post series that we will be sharing this week to help you get started on your healing journey and to break the stigma on therapy.

Today: ✨✨Post 1/3

~ Four Steps to Prepare for Therapy ~

✅1. Research therapists; are they specialists or suitable for your needs? Schedule a consultation to find out. Things to consider during your search:
i) Does what they specialize in align with your needs? For ex; anxiety, eating disorders, mood disorders, relationships, trauma
ii) Would you want them to relate to you? For example, in race, age, s*xuality, or gender. It could determine how understood you might feel.
iii) Think about what type of format during sessions you prefer! For example, do you want the therapist to ask you the questions + take the lead, or would you like to take the lead + tell your story? There can also be a balance.

✅ 2. Feel comfortable to share your story. Understand that a therapist is there to help guide you, not judge you. Communicate your needs to ensure a solid bond evolves.

✅ 2. Have a therapy or writing journal for things you learn in a session and for therapy homework. Make a list of topics you want to talk about and things you want to work through. Keep this journal close for weekly journaling.

✅ 4. Reflect and decompress after your sessions. Keep an open mind but trust your instinct. If you don’t feel an alignment or connection with your therapist after three or four appointments, consider returning to stepone. Go over your journal to reevaluate what it is you may need.

❇️ Conclusion: Finding the right therapist will probably take some time and work, but it’s worth the effort. The connection you have with your therapist is essential! Put in the work and you’ll start to see magic happen! 🥰

11/06/2020

Thank you Organika for featuring our article! 💚
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We had a chance to write an in-depth piece on what collective empowerment means, how we can alter our views on potential and competition, and specific examples on how we can bring it into our personal and professional lives.💭
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The article is so important because it speak about inclusivity and intersectionality, especially during the current political landscape! To read more about Wellness & Collective Empowerment, click the link on our bio to read more!! ✨✨
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We also want to note that aside from ’s amazing products (their collagen works wonders😍), they have created a really welcoming and inclusive space through their platform. It was an absolute pleasure to write for them. Go check them out💚

11/05/2020

“Strength grows in the moments you think you can’t go on but you keep going anyway” -

Take as many much needed breaks this up coming weekend 🧡🧘🏽‍♀️

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The Happy Papaya Club