Mental Health ACCESS

Mental Health ACCESS For more information, visit www.thementalhealthaccess.org

The Mental Health Advancement of Culturally Competent Education to Stop Stigma (ACCESS)

Mental Health Career Exposure, Education, Stigma Reduction, Community Awareness.

🌟 Week 6: Shattering Stigma, Amplifying Voices!
This week, our youth advocates took courageous steps to de-stigmatize me...
08/18/2025

🌟 Week 6: Shattering Stigma, Amplifying Voices!
This week, our youth advocates took courageous steps to de-stigmatize mental health. It all began at the Massachusetts Mental Health Center with a powerful screening of Breaking the Silence (created by 2B‑EPIC), where they bore witness to the impact of psychosis through storytelling and reflection.
Then, they became the stars—leading STEAM labs at the Cambridge Community Center for campers from kindergarten through middle school. Our youth guided hands-on explorations into DNA, hearts, neurons, and brain lobes—owning the moments, teaching with confidence, and inspiring curiosity.
At ACCESS Boston, they dove deeper into Breaking the Silence, connecting symptoms, unpacking psychotic disorders, and exploring how identity intersections like race, gender, and age shape mental-health experiences.
And to wrap up this unforgettable summer? Service in action. Youth joined forces with the Cambridge Community Center’s food pantry, working alongside community members to pack, organize, and distribute food to those in need.
What a summer of empathy, empowerment, and impact! Thank you for staying tuned—this is just the beginning. Keep your eyes peeled for more

Week 5 ‘Stop’: A Week of Reflection, Debate, and Team Building! 🌟This week, our youth dove deep into the Nature vs. Nurt...
08/11/2025

Week 5 ‘Stop’: A Week of Reflection, Debate, and Team Building! 🌟
This week, our youth dove deep into the Nature vs. Nurture debate, challenging themselves to pick a side and back it up with research. It was all about critical thinking, reflection, and personal growth.
A huge thank you to Maryanne Chow, MS, Manager of Clinical Training , for sharing insights about career opportunities in psychology. Your guidance is invaluable!
We wrapped up with a fun and challenging team-building day at Level99 in Boston, where our youth tackled escape rooms and physical challenges that pushed their limits and strengthened their teamwork.

Excited for what’s next! Week 6 is right around the corner. Stay tuned! 👀

✨ **Week 4: Education & Growth!** ✨This week was full of inspiration! We kicked off with City Councilor Ayesha M. Willso...
08/04/2025

✨ **Week 4: Education & Growth!** ✨

This week was full of inspiration! We kicked off with City Councilor Ayesha M. Willson, MSW, who shared her journey growing up in Cambridge and how education shaped her path. 🌟

We also spent time at the **Moses Youth Center**, collaborating with **Boys 2 Men** and **Blooming in Womanhood**. After ice-breakers and kickball, we dove into real-life scenarios, giving everyone the chance to share perspectives beyond their own. 🤝💬

We wrapped up with **Zian Perez**, Clinical Counseling graduate from **William James College**, who talked about embracing cultural identity and navigating bias in education and psychology. 🙌🏽

For our STEAM activity, we built neuron models out of playdough and raced to see who could make the longest one! 🧠✨ Zarriah kept us moving with a fun relay tic-tac-toe game, including trivia from Weeks 1–4! 🏃‍♀️🎯

This week was about growth, learning, and community. 🌱

Mondays Are for Memories! A huge shoutout to **Dr. Sasheen Hazel, PsyD**, Executive Clinical Director and Licensed Psych...
07/28/2025

Mondays Are for Memories!

A huge shoutout to **Dr. Sasheen Hazel, PsyD**, Executive Clinical Director and Licensed Psychologist of Hazel Approach Psych Services, for leading an unforgettable and interactive workshop with our incredible Youth Advocates! 🙌

Dr. Hazel didn’t just talk *to* us—she brought us into the action. Our youth stepped into the shoes of students, teachers, principals, and caregivers through dynamic role-play exercises that sharpened their clinical thinking, boosted their confidence, and opened up powerful, thought-provoking conversations. 🎭🧠

Even more inspiring? Dr. Hazel shared her personal journey—how education, community, and resilience led her to a career in psychology. Her story reminded us that no dream is too big and no path too challenging when you’re driven by purpose.

Our Youth Advocates left the workshop energized, empowered, and one step closer to their own goals. Thank you, Dr. Hazel, for turning out time together into memories of insight, growth, and lasting impact! 💥

✅Week 3: COMPETENCE – and our Youth Advocates are raising the bar!We’re only halfway through the summer, but our teens a...
07/26/2025

✅Week 3: COMPETENCE – and our Youth Advocates are raising the bar!

We’re only halfway through the summer, but our teens are already making big moves! 💥 This week, ACCESS Boston kicked things off at Freedom House with a powerful personal branding workshop led by Dr. Charmain Jackman, PhD, helping youth tap into their strengths and define their impact.

Over in ACCESS Cambridge, youth took part in an interactive workshop with Dr. Sasheen Hazel, PsyD, stepping into roles like client, principal, parent, and teacher. Using teamwork, communication, and empathy, they navigated real-world scenarios to design person-centered solutions. 🙌

🧠 In another engaging session, Dr. Shirley Yen, PhD, worked with both cohorts to explore how research drives the field of Psychology. Students made it personal by creating intersection maps, examining how overlapping identities—like race and socioeconomic status—shape their lived experiences and advocacy.

To round out the week, youth continued their deep dive into equity and access through:
✨ Physical activity with Zarriah
⚙️ STEAM labs with Donju
🎨 Exploratory projects with Capryce

These teens aren’t just learning — they’re leading. And the future? It’s looking bold. 🌟

✅Week 2 Culture: This week was jam packed with Presentations from , Founder of and Director of the African and Caribbea...
07/19/2025

✅Week 2 Culture: This week was jam packed with Presentations from , Founder of and Director of the African and Caribbean Mental Health track ; comedian/entrepreneur ; energizing games of capture the flag with Zarriah, DNA and Brain STEAM labs with Donju, a Social Psychology workshop with and a trip to the to visit the Community Inistice Exhibit. Our Youth Advocates and Scholars engaged with these activities, workshops and professionals in the community to expand their understanding of the impact Culture, disparities, community in Mental health interpersonally and structurally.

Thank you to everyone that joined is this week! Your insight, humor and support is greatly appreciated!

Program Director, Capryce Browne, led ACCESS (Boston) Scholars in a hands-on lesson on the human brain and its functi...
07/19/2025

Program Director, Capryce Browne, led ACCESS (Boston) Scholars in a hands-on lesson on the human brain and its functions

Scholars learned about the anatomy of the human brain during STEAM lab led by Program Director, Capryce Browne!
07/19/2025

Scholars learned about the anatomy of the human brain during STEAM lab led by Program Director, Capryce Browne!

It’s a Family Affair! Cousins, Dr. Shani Turner, Clinical Psychologist, Founder of , Professor and Director of the Afri...
07/17/2025

It’s a Family Affair! Cousins, Dr. Shani Turner, Clinical Psychologist, Founder of , Professor and Director of the African & Caribbean Mental Health Concentration , AND Cambridge’s own Comedian, Entrepreneur, and Public Social Media Figure, share their insight and expertise on mental health, disparities, their personal and career journeys, college and career paths, marketing, branding, networking, overcoming fear, entrepreneurship, and much more with and

Today, learned about Attribution Theories, Biases, The art of persuasion, and the power of ‘group think’ as part of ou...
07/16/2025

Today, learned about Attribution Theories, Biases, The art of persuasion, and the power of ‘group think’ as part of our lesson on Social Bases of Behavior. led several activities that challenged us to think about the ways we engage with our social environments. Freedom House Scholars will be conducting their own Social Psych Experiments all week!

✅ Week 1 Advancement: This week we laid a strong foundation and pushed ourselves to broaden our understanding of theorie...
07/11/2025

✅ Week 1 Advancement: This week we laid a strong foundation and pushed ourselves to broaden our understanding of theories of learning, and met professionals in the fields of Psychology and Social Work. Through a series of workshops youth demonstrated initiative, leadership and critical thinking. We are looking forward to the weeks to come! Stay turned for week 2!

Thank you to our Youth Advocates, ACCESS staff, Cambridge Community Center, 2B Epic and Freedom House for a successful first week of ACCESS Year 6!

Happy Mental Health Awareness Month! This year we are celebrating our 5th year of summer programming. At ACCESS we belie...
05/22/2024

Happy Mental Health Awareness Month! This year we are celebrating our 5th year of summer programming. At ACCESS we believe Mental Health Awareness goes beyond the month of May. We thank our community for supporting us and growing with us. It is an honor to uplift youth advocates within our community and we couldn’t have done it without you. 🧠🤩☀️

Welcome to year 5

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