Help Me Get Back On My Healing Path
Donation protected
I have been knocked off my healing path, and I urgently need to get back on it.
If you know me personally there’s a high probability you know that I have been struggling with mental health issues very seriously for about 8 years now.
I’ve encountered significant setbacks and institutional barriers navigating mental health services as a Black queer person but through the continued support of friends and Black therapists, I have developed healthier coping mechanisms, spaces for healing, and most importantly I have survived. Some days are certainly better than others, but unfortunately, this journey is far from over.
In recent months my mental health has deteriorated tremendously due to the global pandemic, the ongoing national struggle to confront anti-blackness and police brutality, and intensive and incredibly difficult forgiveness work surrounding childhood trauma that I’ve faced. I desperately need access to psychiatric medication in order to continue surviving but I am currently struggling to find a psychiatrist that is affordable and compassionate.
While I am currently enrolled in affordable therapy and have been making progress in my treatment, over the past month my therapist has become increasingly inconsistent (cancelling appointments last minute, recommending psychiatrists that give poor treatment, etc.). The quality of my care has reached such an abject state that it is negatively affecting my mental health even more. I am very tired of outsourcing my decisions about my mental health to people who don’t have my best interests at heart, aren’t invested in providing proper care, and end up putting me in worse situations because of it.
Fortunately, my job has been very accommodating, so I am still employed with reduced hours, and they have provided me with the week off to make a new care team. Despite these accommodations I am barely functioning most days and in desperate need of consistent, high quality, and holistic mental health treatment. Without it, I will not be able to work at all. My employer doesn’t offer insurance, and the insurance I got before I became a full-time employee shifted due to my salary. I now have a very high monthly premium ($327) and a $6,400 deductible, which makes virtually any intensive mental healthcare treatment unaffordable for me.
I am asking for money to cover the $6,400 deductible for my treatment for the rest of the year until I can switch insurance in January 2021. This will include:
-Therapy 1-2xweek
-Medication co-pays
-Appointment with psychiatrist 1-2xmonth
-3-5 days of intensive psychiatric treatment (either inpatient, intensive outpatient, or partial health physician services)
My cashapp is $JamilaGilmore and my venmo is @Jamila-Gilmore.
Alternatively, if you have any information on reliable, affordable therapist/psychiatrists/mental health practitioners that have had successful and productive experiences with young Black queer folks dealing with PTSD, anxiety, depression, bipolar, navigating the professional world, etc. please email [email redacted]. I am currently based in Atlanta but am also willing to work with practitioners who are based anywhere and offering telehealth services.
If you know me personally there’s a high probability you know that I have been struggling with mental health issues very seriously for about 8 years now.
I’ve encountered significant setbacks and institutional barriers navigating mental health services as a Black queer person but through the continued support of friends and Black therapists, I have developed healthier coping mechanisms, spaces for healing, and most importantly I have survived. Some days are certainly better than others, but unfortunately, this journey is far from over.
In recent months my mental health has deteriorated tremendously due to the global pandemic, the ongoing national struggle to confront anti-blackness and police brutality, and intensive and incredibly difficult forgiveness work surrounding childhood trauma that I’ve faced. I desperately need access to psychiatric medication in order to continue surviving but I am currently struggling to find a psychiatrist that is affordable and compassionate.
While I am currently enrolled in affordable therapy and have been making progress in my treatment, over the past month my therapist has become increasingly inconsistent (cancelling appointments last minute, recommending psychiatrists that give poor treatment, etc.). The quality of my care has reached such an abject state that it is negatively affecting my mental health even more. I am very tired of outsourcing my decisions about my mental health to people who don’t have my best interests at heart, aren’t invested in providing proper care, and end up putting me in worse situations because of it.
Fortunately, my job has been very accommodating, so I am still employed with reduced hours, and they have provided me with the week off to make a new care team. Despite these accommodations I am barely functioning most days and in desperate need of consistent, high quality, and holistic mental health treatment. Without it, I will not be able to work at all. My employer doesn’t offer insurance, and the insurance I got before I became a full-time employee shifted due to my salary. I now have a very high monthly premium ($327) and a $6,400 deductible, which makes virtually any intensive mental healthcare treatment unaffordable for me.
I am asking for money to cover the $6,400 deductible for my treatment for the rest of the year until I can switch insurance in January 2021. This will include:
-Therapy 1-2xweek
-Medication co-pays
-Appointment with psychiatrist 1-2xmonth
-3-5 days of intensive psychiatric treatment (either inpatient, intensive outpatient, or partial health physician services)
My cashapp is $JamilaGilmore and my venmo is @Jamila-Gilmore.
Alternatively, if you have any information on reliable, affordable therapist/psychiatrists/mental health practitioners that have had successful and productive experiences with young Black queer folks dealing with PTSD, anxiety, depression, bipolar, navigating the professional world, etc. please email [email redacted]. I am currently based in Atlanta but am also willing to work with practitioners who are based anywhere and offering telehealth services.
Organizer
Jamila Gilmore
Organizer
Atlanta, GA
