Collective Mental Wellbeing + Anti-Oppressive Practice Consultant
Registered Mental Health Nurse + Breathwork Facilitator, Mentor & Trainer
Personal Coaching | Corporate + Organisational Consultancy | Private & Public Sector | Mentoring | Public Speaking | Workshops & Training
ANTI-OPPRESSION AND ANTI-RACISM
FOR SOCIAL CHANGE
Collective Healing, Health & Social Change
Exploring the impact of racism, oppression and colonisation on our health, wellbeing and communities
My work sits at the intersection of mental health, community wellbeing, anti-oppression and social change.
As a mixed-heritage woman and mental health nurse, my understanding of health has never been separate from the social, cultural and historical worlds we live within. Our experiences of racism, colonisation, migration, displacement, belonging and exclusion can shape how we understand ourselves, our relationships, our bodies and our communities.
Through my work, I create spaces to explore these connections with honesty, curiosity and care. This is not about positioning people as broken or in need of fixing. It is about developing a deeper understanding of the systems, structures, histories and stories that shape our experiences, while recognising the knowledge, resilience, culture, creativity and wisdom that already exist within individuals and communities.
From individual wellbeing to collective change
My work has grown from years of working within mental health and the NHS, alongside my own lived experience of navigating systems that have not always recognised or made space for my own and others' difference. Stepping away from the NHS gave me the opportunity to reflect more deeply on what I had witnessed: the ways racism, inequality and structural oppression can influence people's access to care, their experiences within services and ultimately their health and wellbeing.
It also strengthened my belief that individual wellbeing cannot always be separated from the environments and systems in which we live. When we understand this, we can begin to move beyond simply asking individuals to become more resilient to difficult circumstances. Instead, we can ask different questions:
- What is happening around us?
- Who is being heard and who is being overlooked?
- Whose knowledge is valued?
- What needs to change?
- And how can we create healthier communities together?
Creating spaces for learning, reflection and action
My training, workshops and community work bring together lived experience, mental health practice, somatic approaches, cultural understanding and an anti-oppressive and anti-racism lens. I work with individuals, communities, public sector, healthcare and wellbeing professionals, carers, organisations and public services to explore how we can create healthier and more equitable ways of working and relating.
Depending on the purpose of the work, sessions can be designed for mixed groups or spaces specifically for melanated or non-melanated people. These bespoke spaces offer an opportunity to explore shared experiences through an experiential and educational perspective of racism, migration, diaspora, cultural identity and belonging without having to continually explain or translate those experiences or code-switch. Mixed spaces can create opportunities for shared learning, accountability, allyship and meaningful dialogue across difference, when transparency and openness without too much judgement is present. Each have an important role to play in creating social change.
Areas of exploration
Racism, culture and health
Exploring how racism, cultural erasure, colonisation and systemic inequality can influence mental, emotional, physical and communities and health.
Cultural and racial trauma
Understanding the individual and collective impacts of racism and oppression, including how these experiences can be carried through families, communities and generations.
Diaspora, identity and belonging
Exploring the experiences of displacement, migration, mixed heritage, cultural identity and the search for belonging, while recognising the strength and wisdom held within diasporic communities.
Recognition that every person has experience of a diaspora, the experiences of individuals are unique and there are many variables to consider
Finding voice and reclaiming power
Creating space to recognise internalised oppression, challenge limiting narratives and reconnect with our own voice, agency and capacity for change.
Anti-oppressive practice in public sector, health and wellbeing
Supporting professionals, practitioners, teams and organisations to recognise how power, privilege and systemic inequality influence the way care is delivered and experienced.
Community healing and reparation
Exploring what it means to build communities rooted in connection, accountability, reciprocity and collective wellbeing rather than individual survival.
This work is about more than awareness
Anti-racism cannot simply be a conversation we have once a year, a training course we complete or a statement we publish. It asks us to continually notice, question and change the ways power operates in our relationships, organisations, communities and systems. For me, this work is about creating practical opportunities for people to understand more, feel more connected and act differently.
Sometimes that begins with an individual finding their voice.
Sometimes it is a practitioner recognising how their own practice is shaped by systems of power.
Sometimes it is a community coming together to reconnect with culture, history and belonging.
And sometimes it is an organisation being willing to look honestly at what needs to change.
Health is collective. Healing is relational. And social change begins when we are willing to see what has been hidden, listen differently and imagine something healthier together.
"Our cells cannot grow whilst they are healing"
A quote by Alexis Pauline Gumb on Prentis Hemphill's "Becoming The People Podcast"
Suggested Reading
These books are written from a variety of perspectives, each offering unique insights into topics such as healing, mental health, identity, race, and systemic oppression. My recommendation is that you read and reach your own conclusions about why I have suggested these particular works. Equally, my suggestions are just that—suggestions. I’ve shared them with you based on my personal and professional preferences, as these books have significantly shaped my understanding of these issues (one way or another!). Some have left me feeling angry, exhausted, motivated or enlightened, and everything in-between! I recognize there are countless other incredible books out there, some which I have read but have not shared here, that deserve attention. Most of these books are available as hard copies, audiobooks and Kindle, and I recommend you buy from a Global Majority or Independent bookstore, if this is viable for you. If you think there are others I should add to this list, drop me a line—I’d love to hear your recommendations!
Highly Recommended Book!!
- "Inflamed: Deep Medicine and the Anatomy of Injustice"by Rupa Marya and Raj Patel
This book explores the links between health and structural injustices, offering a new perspective on healing our bodies and the world.
Mind, Body, and Spirit
Books exploring personal healing, self-love, and holistic wellness.
- "The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love" by Sonya Renee Taylor
A powerful exploration of radical self-love and the cultural standards that often alienate marginalized communities from embracing their full selves. - "My Grandmother's Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies" by Resmaa Menakem
A transformative guide to understanding and healing racial trauma, with a focus on somatic practices. - "You Are Your Best Thing: Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and the Black Experience" edited by Tarana Burke and Brené Brown
A collection of essays by BIPOC authors exploring vulnerability and resilience in the context of healing and community care. - "What It Takes to Heal: How Transforming Ourselves Can Change the World" by Prentis Hemphill
Hemphill offers a visionary guide on the principles of embodiment, illustrating how personal healing can lead to collective change. - "Loving Corrections" by Adrienne Maree Brown
A collection of essays that provide a roadmap towards collective power, righting wrongs, and true belonging through the practice of loving correction.
Mental Health & Emotional Wellbeing
Books offering insights and tools for mental health, resilience, and trauma recovery.
- "Soothe Your Nerves: The Black Woman's Guide to Understanding and Overcoming Anxiety, Depression, and Stress" by Angela Neal-Barnett
Practical tools and culturally relevant advice for managing mental health. - "Homecoming: Overcome Fear and Trauma to Reclaim Your Whole, Authentic Self" by Thema Bryant
A healing-centred guide by a leading psychologist that addresses trauma and helps readers rediscover their authentic selves. - "Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We're Not Hurting" by Terrie M. Williams
A ground-breaking look at the hidden mental health struggles within Black communities. - "Living While Black: The Essential Guide to Overcoming Racial Trauma" by Guilaine Kinouani
A guide to understanding and overcoming the mental and emotional toll of racism and discrimination. - "The Pain We Carry: Healing from Complex PTSD for People of Color" by Natalie Y. Gutiérrez
A comprehensive guide addressing the unique experiences of complex PTSD in BIPOC individuals, offering tools for healing and resilience.
Food, Nutrition, and Wellness
Books celebrating ancestral foodways and holistic health.
- "Decolonize Your Diet: Plant-Based Mexican-American Recipes for Health and Healing" by Luz Calvo and Catriona Rueda Esquibel
A celebration of ancestral foodways that connect BIPOC communities with their heritage while promoting health and wellness. - "The Afro-Vegan: Farm-Fresh African, Caribbean, and Southern Flavors Remixed" by Bryant Terry
A vibrant cookbook combining plant-based recipes with cultural storytelling and health insights. - "Heal Thyself for Health and Longevity" by Queen Afua
A holistic health manual rooted in African traditions and practices for physical and spiritual wellness.
Cultural and Systemic Insights
Books examining historical and systemic oppression and their effects on communities.
- "The Politics of Trauma: Somatics, Healing, and Social Justice" by Staci Haines
This book delves into the interconnection between personal healing and social transformation, emphasizing somatic practices as tools for addressing trauma and fostering social justice. - "Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present" by Harriet A. Washington
A detailed history of medical exploitation and its ongoing impact on Black communities' health. - "Policing the Womb: Invisible Women and the Criminalization of Motherhood" by Michele Goodwin
A deep dive into reproductive justice and the ways healthcare systems impact BIPOC mothers. - "Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race" by Reni Eddo-Lodge
An essential read that explores the history of racism in the UK and its ongoing impact on society. - "Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire" by Akala
A compelling memoir and analysis of race and class in the UK, offering insights into the legacy of Britain's racialized empire. - "Black and British: A Forgotten History" by David Olusoga
A comprehensive history that reveals the long relationship between the British Isles and the people of Africa and the Caribbean. - "Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women White Feminists Forgot" by Mikki Kendall
A critical examination of the modern feminist movement, highlighting its failures to address the needs of marginalized women. - "The Psychosis of Whiteness: Surviving the Insanity of a Racist World" by Kehinde Andrews
A provocative exploration of whiteness and its impact on society, exposing how systemic racism is upheld by denial and psychosis.
Spiritual and Ancestral Healing
Books exploring ancient wisdom, environmental knowledge, and spiritual balance.
- "The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down" by Anne Fadiman
A poignant exploration of cross-cultural healthcare, spirituality, and the intersections of tradition and modern medicine. - "Sacred Woman: A Guide to Healing the Feminine Body, Mind, and Spirit" by Queen Afua
A seminal guide for women seeking to connect with ancient wisdom and holistic health practices. - "Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants" by Robin Wall Kimmerer
A poetic blend of Indigenous knowledge and environmental science that speaks to holistic health and balance.
Memoirs and Fiction
Stories of self-discovery, identity, and community.
- "How to Say Babylon" by Safiya Sinclair
A lyrical and poignant memoir about Sinclair’s journey of self-discovery and breaking free from a strict Rastafarian upbringing in Jamaica. - "Sweetness in the Skin" by Zara Dinnen
A novel exploring themes of belonging, family, and identity, centring the experiences of BIPOC individuals navigating life in the UK. - "Mother Country" by Safiya Sinclair
A collection of poetry that reflects on motherhood, migration, and identity, connecting personal and political themes in powerful ways.
Centring Decolonial Practice for Mental Health
Books focusing on decolonized approaches to healing and therapy.
- "Decolonizing Therapy: Oppression, Historical Trauma, and Politicizing Your Practice" by Dr. Jennifer Mullan
A transformative guide advocating for decolonized approaches to therapy, centring the experiences of marginalized communities.
Contact Me to Find Out What Practice and Training Spaces I am Offering Right Now
LET'S TALK
CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN COLLABORATE AND SUPPORT HEALTH PRACTITIONER TO BETTER SERVE OUR COMMUNITY
Copyright © Amanda Davis, Liminal Connections Ltd, 2024. All Rights Reserved
