By Pamela Dozois

Contributing Writer

Chloe Redmond, a Chopra certified instructor, and owner of Vino Vaquera Consulting, has partnered with Kovena “Kay” Avila, founder of Yo Soy Retreats LLC, to create an immersive one-day workshop, “Enlightenment — Santa Ynez Valley.” 

The workshop will focus on mental health awareness and self-love in honor of Mental Health Awareness month. The event is scheduled for Saturday, May 20, at a private estate in Santa Ynez. The workshop will feature healers from Santa Barbara County who will focus on providing a variety of tools to implement on your own personal journey to enlightenment.

“In 2019 a colleague of mine had recommended my marketing consulting services to Chopra Global,” said Redmond. “I was hired in February 2020 and worked as the social community manager and marketing coordinator until April 2022. With the birth of my third child, I felt I needed to slow down and focus on my consulting business. I wanted to integrate one of the practices I had learned, Primordial Sound Meditation, into my work with my marketing clients.”

Redmond explained that the Primordial Sound Meditation technique comes from the ancient Vedic tradition of India and has been used for thousands of years. The mantra (which attendees will receive) is the vibration the universe was creating at the very time and place of your birth, and is calculated following Vedic mathematic formulas. When you silently repeat your mantra in meditation, it creates a vibration that helps you slip into the space between your thoughts, into the complete silence that is sometimes referred to as “the gap.” It is in this silence where creativity and pure potentiality thrive.

In December 2022, Redmond and Avila began putting together this full-day workshop which will feature a number of healers from Santa Barbara County. Their goal together is to create wellness workshops and retreats on the Central Coast.

“There is an individual healing process that takes place while on the road to reaching a state of enlightenment,” said Redmond. “Every roadmap is unique, and often times we reach out to our community of professional healers for additional guidance on our path.”

The enlightenment event will include yoga, reiki, meditation, breathwork, and dance with instructors such as Redmond, a Chopra Certified Meditation instructor and Ayurvedic practitioner; Avila will guide attendees to navigate healing and enlightenment through trauma-informed yoga, reiki, and sound healing; Darci Brown, creator of Soul Boost Meditation, will provide techniques and tips on how to receive messages from the universe while strengthening personal intuition; Kiki E, the keynote speaker, is a mindset and beauty curator, influencer, blogger and author; and Christi Belle, the founder of Art Spot on Wheels, will teach others to continue to grow and creatively thrive through art. 

A farm-to-table lunch and local wine will be provided, along with mindful vendors, swag bags, and a fire ceremony by Yo Soy. DJ Peetey will demonstrate how to heal with dance.

“I want people to leave with a new set of tools, that they didn’t know existed, to incorporate into their journey of getting to know their authentic self,” concluded Redmond.

A portion of the workshop proceeds will be directly donated to the Move with Kindness Foundation in honor of the late Stephen “tWitch” Boss, the dancer, choreographer, actor, and television producer and personality who passed away in December 2022.

If you are you not able to attend but would like to participate, every individual who donates to the Move with Kindness Foundation during the months of April and May will receive a Enlightenment E-book, providing personalized tools, tips, and messaging from healing professionals. 

“There is no amount too small as every dollar is incredibly impactful to help strengthen the platforms for mental health awareness,” said Redmond.

To donate, visit https://www.every.org/move-with-kindness/f/enlightenment-santa-ynez

General admission for the workshop is $250 per person. Tickets are limited as their intent is to keep this a “truly intimate” experience for attendees. For tickets, visit eventbrite.com/e/enlightenment-santa-ynez-valley-tickets-572049765247.

For more information, email thevinovaquera@yahoo.com

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The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office has been awarded grant funding by the United States Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act (LEMHWA) Program. 

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office plans to use the $123,596 in grant funds to establish a peer support program and an “in-house” support resource for employees and their family members in the event of a professional or personal crisis. 

“The law enforcement profession is a profoundly noble one — but often comes with a cost,”  said Dr. Cherylynn Lee, co-founder of the Peer Support team. “Cumulative stress and symptoms of post-traumatic stress are becoming better recognized within law enforcement as a major component of police work.” 

Lee continued that peer support is a well-recognized best practice for the first responder community that allows for specially trained peers to have a formal role of supporting personnel. 

“Peer support programs have shown to improve emotional and psychological well-being, reduce stress, improve relationships, and improve overall quality of life for first responders,” Lee said. “We are grateful to have secured this funding to offer this resource to members of our department.” 

Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act funds are used to improve the delivery of and access to mental health and wellness services for law enforcement through the implementation of peer support, training, family resources, suicide prevention and other promising practices for wellness reform. The 2021 LEMHWA program funded projects that develop knowledge, increase awareness of effective mental health and wellness strategies, increase the skills and abilities of law enforcement, and increase the number of law enforcement agencies and relevant stakeholders using peer programs. For more information about the LEMHWA program, please call the COPS Office Response Center at 800-421-6770 or visit the COPS Office website at cops.usdoj.gov .

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Staff Report

With the support of California’s ACEs Aware Initiative, the “Bridges to Resilience” conference is designed to link regional healthcare providers with community partners and build resiliency-focused networks of care throughout San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties. Due to COVID-19, the free conference will be held virtually from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, June 9. Information and registration is online at bridgestoresilience.com. 

The term Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) comes from the landmark 1998 ACEs Study, conducted among more than 17,000 adult patients by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Kaiser Permanente. 

When capitalized, the term ACEs specifically refers to 10 categories of adversities in three domains – abuse, neglect, and household challenges. ACEs are strongly associated with some of the most common, serious, and costly health conditions facing our society today, including nine of the 10 leading causes of death in the United States.

This virtual program is intended for those who serve children, youth and families interested in understanding, preventing and addressing childhood trauma, and want to help make the coastal tri-counties a resilient region. Cross-sector participants include physicians and other health care professionals, educators and early care providers, social workers and therapists, police and probation officers, philanthropists and community agencies, faith leaders, parents and foster parents. Attendees will learn tools and techniques for addressing ACEs, and they will connect with local resources for referral and collaboration.

The live, virtual conference features a keynote and community panel with Robert Anda, MD, MS, co-founder, co-principal investigator of the landmark ACEs Study. The program provides 14 sessions on a variety of topics by physicians, field experts and facilitators including: “Ripple Effects of Transgenerational Trauma and Racism on Families of Color”; “Road to Resilience: Connecting Pediatrics and Community Service Providers”; “Shifting from the Stress System to the Wisdom System, Disrupting Fragility to Create Opportunity”; “The Importance of Youth Resilience in Overcoming Adversity”; and “Trauma-Responsive Family Engagement Practices for Early Childhood.”

KIDS Network and the Bridges to Resilience conference gave rise to Santa Barbara’s growing ACEs initiative, Resilient Santa Barbara County. Through the ACEs Aware Provider Engagement Grant, KIDS Network led a tri-county planning process for this year’s conference to engage new partners and strengthen care networks in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties.

The event offers continuous opportunities to network and discover community resources through the digital Resource Hall. Registration is free to attendees; pre-register by midnight (PDT) June 3. Continuing Education credits are available for healthcare professionals; fees apply for CE. 

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Parents, teachers and Santa Barbara County professionals who work with youth ages 12-18 are encouraged to participate in a free, upcoming Youth Mental Health First Aid training session, which teaches participants how to support youth struggling with a mental health or substance abuse problem.

Free online training will be offered from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 20; June 3 and 15; July 8 and 20; and Aug. 10 and 19.

Just as CPR teaches community members to help when a person is having a heart attack, Youth Mental Health First Aid training gives people the tools to identify when a young person might be struggling with a mental health or substance use problem.

Mental health first-aiders learn a five-step action plan that guides them through the process of reaching out and offering appropriate support. They also learn the impact of traumatic experiences on adolescent development. Participants receive a three-year certification from the National Council for Behavioral Health.

“It’s been a traumatic year,” said Annmarie Cameron, CEO for the Mental Wellness Center. “Youth have been impacted by school closures and social distancing guidelines, and they may not be forthcoming about any difficulties they are experiencing.

“Adults can make a huge difference by getting trained on how to respond to mental health concerns in a young person. Our goal is to train 500 additional community members this year.” 

The classes are provided by Family Service Agency, Mental Wellness Center, and the Youthwell Coalition. For more information, visit BetheDifferenceSB.org or call 805-884-8440.

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Noozhawk Staff Writer

A growing number of people are facing mental health challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to two prominent Santa Barbara County-based organizations.

It has been estimated that up to one-third of the community is experiencing symptoms of anxiety and/or depression since the pandemic began earlier this year, according to representatives from the Mental Wellness Center in Santa Barbara. It represents a huge increase compared with those affected by mental health struggles in the pre-pandemic days, organization officials said.

“Right now, so many more of us, if not all of us, are dealing with some sort of mental health struggle,” said Amanda Conroy, the Mental Wellness Center’s development and marketing director. “Now, more than ever, we need to normalize mental health.”

Conroy added that reducing stigma will allow people to access the support they need.

People’s mental health and well-being have been challenged since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis, Mental Wellness Center CEO Annmarie Cameron said in a statement to Noozhawk, adding that “some are faring better than others.”

Those with a pre-existing vulnerability to mental health or substance use disorders are experiencing an increase in challenges to their well-being, according to Cameron.

Loneliness, isolation, fear and economic despair also are far more prevalent as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cameron said.

“And, with COVID-19 cases still growing, and the uncertain future of the pandemic, many are stressed, making it more difficult for people to recover emotionally,” Cameron said. “What’s also been hard during this time is that in order to maintain public health measures, which ensure public safety, we’ve had to limit and/or remove social connection and in-person interaction, which has been difficult for many since social connection to our community helps to reduce stress and anxiety.”

While these times have been challenging, Cameron said, the community is resilient.

“We will get through this together,” she said.

All Mental Wellness Center services and programs have transitioned to a new way of connecting with people, and the community-based nonprofit organization continues offering support and education, Cameron said.

“Most of our programs are experiencing an increase in demand, especially our virtual support groups,” she said. “Our youth education programs have never been more necessary, and we are grateful for our collaborative community partners that we work with to carry out this important work.”

The COVID-19 situation offered some silver lining outcomes, including the slowing down of regular routines, increased time with families and opportunity to safely check-in with neighbors, Cameron said.

Many people have taken time to hone a new skill, self-care routines or cooking during the coronavirus pandemic, she added.

“Perhaps the most profound outcome has been the willingness of individuals to contemplate the needs and experiences of others and then, in many cases, jump into action to help others,” Cameron said. “Kindness and compassion know no bounds, even during a pandemic.”

The “unprecedented time calls for us to be compassionate, creative and curious,” she said.

The nonprofit CALM (Child Abuse Listening Mediation) specializes in the prevention and treatment of childhood trauma.

“We see that the pandemic is a trauma, so everybody is experiencing trauma based on the pandemic,” said Alana Walczak, president and CEO of CALM.

People are grappling with school closures and lockdowns. There are the financial- and health-related stressors, plus coronavirus shelter-in-place orders, families juggling work duties from home and children with remote school, and other traumas that come with the COVID-19 pandemic.

It has turned the world upside down, Walczak said.

“Now, on top of those layers of trauma, there’s this more global, more pervasive level of trauma everyone is experiencing,” Walczak said, noting that CALM’s primary clients are children and families who have experienced childhood trauma.

The COVID-19 pandemic intensified mental health needs, Walczak said. It prompted elevated rates of anxiety and increased rates of depression “that are pervasive, and particularly in our client group we are seeing that,” she said.

She said the COVID-19 crisis also has increased the rate of suicide attempts both locally and regionally.

“We anticipate all of these things — anxiety, depression and suicide attempts — are going to increase in the coming months,” Walczak said.

CALM has provided uninterrupted services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and pivoted to providing telehealth through a HIPAA-compliant methods.

Some people have grown fatigued with digital and Zoom offerings, and the requests for in-person services are going up, Walczak said.

“I think that’s happening because kids are doing school all electronically,” Walczak said. “Children and families are needing an in-person anchor.”

CALM’s three offices across Santa Barbara County are open, and in-person services are available for families with intensified needs.

The demand for CALM’s services has increased “tremendously,” Walczak said. Since mid-March — when coronavirus shelter-in-place orders were implemented — CALM’s weekly client numbers and service numbers have steadily gone up.

“Our client numbers have grown by 60 percent,” Walczak said.

With summer ending and children returning to school, the “client numbers are going up even further,” Walczak said.

There has been a big rise in the demand for services at CALM. Recently, it had 13 requests for service at its Santa Barbara office in a single day.

“That is tremendously high for us to have 13 service requests in one day,” Walczak said.

A survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that “elevated levels of adverse mental health conditions, substance use and suicidal ideation were reported by adults in the United States in June,” according to the online survey of 5,412 adults administered by Qualtrics.

Forty percent of U.S. adults reported struggling with substance use or mental health during late June, according to the CDC findings.

“Mental health conditions are disproportionately affecting specific populations, especially young adults, Hispanic persons, black persons, essential workers, unpaid caregivers for adults, and those receiving treatment for preexisting psychiatric conditions,” according to the report.

In the CDC survey, more than 40 percent of respondents reported at least one adverse mental or behavioral health condition related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The survey results were published in August. 

Resources for Mental Health

Mental Health America, a national community-based nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing the needs of those with mental illness, offers free and anonymous screening to help identify symptoms of a mental health disorder. Click here for more information about Mental Health America’s online screening.

“Taking a mental health screening is one of the quickest and easiest ways to determine whether you are experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition,” Mental Wellness Center officials said. “Mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety, are real, common and treatable, and recovery is possible.”

Santa Barbara County’s Social Services Department has online COVID-19 information with resources for mental and behavioral health, community-based organizations, employment, utility assistance, and legal and tenant aid.

The county Behavioral Wellness 24/7 access line is available by calling 888-868-1649.

The Community Wellness Team, led by the county Department of Behavioral Wellness and co-chaired by the Institute for Collective Trauma and Growth, is a collaboration of local agencies working together to support health and wellness. Go to sbccwt.org for more information about the Community Wellness Team.

“If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, you are not alone,” Cameron said, adding that the Mental Wellness Center is proud to be in collaboration with the CWT. “The CWT will come to you virtually. There are many resources available to support your mental health that can be accessed remotely during this time.”

The Mental Wellness Center family advocate is available to individuals and families in need of mental health support and resources. The family advocate is available at 805-884-8440 Ext. 3206.

CALM offers a list of resources and videos on its YouTube channel to help adults and children during the COVID-19 crisis. Go to calm4kids.org/covid-19-resources for more information.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 800-273-8255.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness Santa Barbara County has several programs and services available to the public. More information is available on namisantabarbara.org.

Compassion and connection are in great demand, and “we are fortunate to live in a community that is caring, kind and supportive,” Cameron said. “Check-in with yourself. Check-in with others. Your mental health matters.”

Noozhawk staff writer Brooke Holland can be reached at bholland@noozhawk.com.

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For the second year in a row, Allan Hancock College’s Student Health Services will partner with local community organizations to host a special forum on mental health.

This year, Hancock is joining Transitions-Mental Health (TMHA) and the LEAD Project to host “From Burnout to Resilience: Thriving in a Digital World.” The event will be held virtually on Oct. 22 from 6 to 8 p.m. and will focus on dealing with stress and anxiety in a post-COVID-19 pandemic world.

“Many new stressors that have arisen have taken a huge toll on our mental health as individuals and collectively. In this digital age that has been rapidly unfolding, we are facing a new type of burnout—digital burnout,” said Hancock Student Health Services Specialist Xixi Zhai. “The goal for this year’s forum is to present strategies to prevent and alleviate digital burnout, promote self-care and compassion and improve everyone’s mental wellness.”

Featured speakers at this year’s event will include Amy Kathleen Lee and Hamza Kahn. Lee is an award-winning eating disorder recovery advocate, passionate motivational speaker and suicide prevention trainer who has shared her powerful story of overcoming childhood trauma, an eating disorder, self-harm and attempted suicide with more than 4,000 youth across the Central Coast. She is also a QPR suicide prevention trainer and the CEO of her own nonprofit, Dancing with ED.

Kahn is a multi-award-winning marketer, best-selling author, and global keynote speaker whose TEDx talk “Stop Managing, Start Leading” has been viewed over 1 million times. His presentations and talks seek to empower youth and early talent. Kahn also works as managing director of Student Life Network, Canada’s largest and most comprehensive education resource platform, which reaches over 2.7 million students.

Hancock, TMHA and LEAD partnered last year to present a similar in-person forum. The group, which calls itself the Alliance for Mental Health, chose to host this year’s forum virtually to protect the health and safety of participants.

Community members interested in registering for this event can register at www.allianceformentalwellness.com.

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On Feb. 4, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors heralded a new program to divert individuals with serious mental illness or substance abuse from jail to services and support. This is one in a host of recent new initiatives focused on diversion, mental health and homeless services and facilities. 

In addition, the board also approved several contracts to increase shelter beds, supportive housing services, and homeless services with community providers.

The new collaborative program, called “transformative” by Board of Supervisors Chair Gregg Hart, will create a new sobering center and an additional co-response crisis intervention team (for a total of three) that consist of a trained sheriff’s deputy and mental health professionals. The Board also approved 20 new supportive housing beds. The programs are funded by a State Prop 47 grant of nearly $6 million to span a 45-month period.

The endeavor, led by Public Defender Tracy Macuga in close collaboration with Behavioral Wellness Director Alice Gleghorn, brings other program partners together including the Sheriff’s Office, District Attorney and local community-based organizations.  

The program is uniquely designed to divert individuals with a history of serious mental illness and substance abuse from the criminal justice system to crisis stabilization and comprehensive wraparound services including housing assistance.

Other actions were approved to bolster mental health and homeless services in the county. Contracts were approved for the establishment of two new mental health supportive services shelter beds in Lompoc as well as $480,000 to fund four new permanent supportive housing beds for transitional age youth (age 18 to 25) in Santa Maria. These beds are funded with state Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) funds administered locally by the County of Santa Barbara. Both projects include funding for wraparound supportive services.

Approval of these grants follows the Board of Supervisors approval on Jan. 28 to assist felony mental health clients through a three-year, $2.4 million grant from the Department of State Hospitals. This project establishes treatment and support services for six individuals annually. In addition, 12 new crisis residential housing beds will also be established for this population through the grant. 

Finally, the Board approved the direction of $2.5 million in State AB 109 Community Corrections Partnership funds to construct a facility that will serve both felony and misdemeanor clients whose mental health issues prevent them from participating in their legal cases.  A minimum of eight individuals will be treated and receive services in this facility.

For more information about the County of Santa Barbara government organization, go to www.countyofsb.org.

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Santa Barbara County has received a grant of nearly $6 million over three years from the Bureau of State and Community Corrections to provide mental health services, substance-use disorder treatment, and/or diversion programs for people in the criminal justice system.

The award from Prop. 47 funds recognizes a significant collaborative effort between county stakeholders committed to preventing and reducing the incarceration of people with mental illness and substance abuse disorders.

“All programs that the grant will support are proven effective tools to divert the most vulnerable population away from our jails and re-direct them to meaningful treatment options,” said Public Defender Tracy Macuga.

Led by the Public Defender, Behavioral Wellness and Sheriff’s departments, the funding will create a full time crisis intervention team coomposed of a sheriff’s deputy and a mental health provider for proactive community interventions. It will also develop law enforcement-assisted diversion services to provide accessible mental health and substance abuse services for South County juveniles and adults with behavioral health needs. 

The grant program also provides housing-related assistance and other community-based support services, including job skills training, case management and civil legal services.

The county’s objective is to serve as many people as possible and divert a minimum of 120 people from the criminal justice system.

The District Attorney and County Executive offices, Good Samaritan Shelter, Family Service Agency and the city of Goleta are also participating to support immediate access to a sobering center, crisis and psychiatric services in lieu of arrest, crisis intervention team field activities, and step-down housing.

The three-year grant will begin in August and include an evaluation component for an objective analysis of the impact of these services. Through mutual agreement, law enforcement officers involved in crisis intervention work will be allowed to respond across county and city jurisdictions to provide seamless coverage for a minimum of 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday.

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Chefs Brooke Stockwell and James Owens of Solvang’s K’Syrah Catering & Events will host an evening of “foodie exploration” in honor of the late Anthony Bourdain on Saturday, July 14, as a benefit for local mental health organizations.

Bourdain, an influential chef and author, became famous as the host of the Travel Channel‘s culinary and cultural adventure program “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations” and the CNN television series “Parts Unknown.” He committed suicide in early June.

Proceeds from ticket sales for the local event will be donated to Santa Barbara County mental health organizations.

“A Tribute to Anthony Bourdain” will feature the two chefs’ takes on some of Bourdain’s favorite global food items, street food or otherwise. Guests can expect spins on dishes such as “Animal Style Fries,” a “Bodega Sandwich,” “Cacio e Pepe,” and Bourdain’s own “KFC” (Korean Fried Chicken), served reception-style with an accompanying cash bar that will showcase beer, wine and some of Bourdain’s beloved cocktails and spirits.

After the ticketed reception ends at 9 p.m., the cash bar will open to the public.

Advance purchase is required for tickets ($50 per person) for the reception, which runs from 6 to 9 p.m. They are on sale at ksyrah-solvang-anthony-bourdain-tickets-july-14.eventbrite.com.

K’Syrah Catering & Events is at 478 4th Place in downtown Solvang.

For more information, call 805-245-9564, go to www.kscateringandevents.com or facebook.com/ksyrahcatering, or follow K’Syrah on instagram.com/ksyrahcatering.

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Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine is sponsoring the annual Mental Health Fair on Saturday, May 19 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., in the hospital’s Burtness Auditorium (enter at the Bath Street entrance). A total of 25 nonprofit agencies from the community will be participating and providing information at this free event. No reservations are needed and all are invited to attend.

Local mental health professionals will offer information on a variety of topics, including mental health, chemical dependency, community resources, wellness and recovery. The event’s primary goal is to provide education to the community about services that are available for those affected by mental illness and addiction. This year’s speakers will focus their presentations on mindfulness and resiliency.

To commemorate National Mental Health Month, the Mental Health Fair is held annually in May at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. For more information, visit cottagehealth.org/mentalhealth.

2018 Mental Health Fair Speaker Schedule:

11 a.m.

Training Your Brain for a Peaceful and Powerful Life

Dave Mochel, CEO, Applied Attention Coaching and Consulting

12 p.m.

Dig Deep: Finding Your Resilience in Trying Times

Karen Lehman, PhD and Brooke Sears, PsyD

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