Community Liberation

Raíces offers community programs, psychoeducation, and outreach events and activities for Latine community members across the state. We call these community liberation programs, as our intentions are to empower participants to feel a sense of belonging, inclusion, wellbeing,  connection and cultural pride. We honor our participants’ wisdom and experiences and work together on finding freedom from oppression and suffering that may influence their emotional and mental health. 

Over 95% of our community programs are offered in Spanish and 100% of participants identify as Latine. Programs are offered in-person and virtually and most of them are done in collaboration with other community partners. We have programs that serve community members as well as programs specific to traditional health workers, and community leaders like community health workers and peers.  Our community liberation activities are often a gateway for participants to engage in our mental health clinical services.

For inquiries about charlas, trainings and other programs, please call 971-471-9100, or contact jocelin@raicesdebienestar.org

Programs

for all Community Members 

  • Charlas are community conversations on emotional health topics that are broadly accessible to the Latine community. We pair trained Traditional Health Workers with our Clinical Team to to support a safe, trauma informed, affirming, community-healing and collaborative space centered around a particular mental health topic.

    Charlas are led in Spanish, by bilingual, bicultural facilitators using popular education modalities that honors culture, liberatory practices, and builds upon wisdom and experiences of the participants. Raíces can host charlas virtually or in-person, depending on the partnership needs and geographic location. We adapt the charlas based on the needs of the community and per our partners requests.

    Charlas are typically 2 hours long and include psychoeducation as well as the practice of an adaptive coping skill. They always include time for questions from the community. They are always taught in popular education format and include use of mental health skills. Participants have the opportunity to connect with our clinical mental health services and other resources. In 2020, we reached over 15,000 individuals across numerous different countries on Facebook Live. You can watch more about the charlas on a live-aired television segment here.

  • The pláticas are community spaces for Latine individuals and families focused on promoting learning, interpersonal connection, emotional healing, and collaboration. Through counseling and group therapy techniques, a mental health clinician facilitates a space where participants feel safe to discuss and share life experiences, while learning from others on how to deal with and address mental health issues that can lead to violence. During these pláticas, community members receive mutual support and support from a team of mental health clinicians. The team of mental health providers give a brief presentation on the topic that includes psychoeducation and popular education methods. Pláticas are held virtually, once a month, are 90-120 minutes long. During the sessions the participants engage the group in discussion about the topic theme and how it relates to other relevant issues that are affecting the mental health of the community.

  • Aliento is a monthly, virtual program for community members that is focused on building resiliency and a self-care practice. Using principles of group therapy, these sessions are facilitated by a mental health clinician, and offer a sacred space to process lived experiences and heal from challenging situations. The group tends to be small to allow for deeper conversation and create time for social connection and emotion regulation. Culturally adapted mindfulness and self-soothing skills, as well as problem solving techniques are offered in each session to help support the emotional wellbeing of community members and help empower them to engage in self-care.

Programs

for Latine Community Leaders

  • Fomentando Fortalezas are monthly virtual sessions focused on resiliency building and self-care for community leaders and traditional healthcare workers (THWs) who have completed our mental health training. These sessions offer a sacred and healing space to honor lived experiences, process challenging emotions, learn resiliency and self-soothing techniques, and problem-solve challenging client cases encountered. Each Fortalezas session has a wellness theme informed by culturally adapted mindfulness-based interventions. Past themes have included: Introduction to Mindfulness, Using 5 Senses to Connect to the Moment; Recognizing Body Sensations and; Introduce Concept of Aversion, and Mindful Gratitude.

  • Horas de Consultoría de Salud Mental are a one hour drop-in group session where participants have the opportunity to share, consult, and receive support from Raíces de Bienestar's bilingual and bicultural mental health team on topics that directly impact their roles, lives, and families, as well as best practices to support the mental health needs of the community they serve. Participants also are able to connect, share similar experiences, and create a network of other community leaders, educators, promotores, traditional health workers, and teachers who are from or serve the Latine community of Oregon.