Mental Health Trailblazers: Psychiatric Nurses Speak Up

Dr. Schola Matovu’s journey from a girl in Uganda to completing her PhD at the University of California, San Francisco, one of the leading nursing schools, is an inspiring story of achievement against great odds. Dr. Matovu was raised by her grandmother in a village in Uganda in East Africa. Her childhood memories are filled with marvel for her Jaja, as she affectionately calls her grandmother, and her Jaja’s healing and midwifery skills, which were highly sought after in their village. Dr. Matovu’s own path to a career in healthcare began in those formative years where she would often accompany her grandmother gathering healing herbs and observing Jaja attend to the myriad ailments brought to her by their fellow villagers. These experiences growing up in a country that had been ravaged by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, observing first-hand the challenges faced by grandparents taking on the role of primary caregivers for orphaned children, influenced Dr. Matovu’s research interests as she pursued her education in psychiatric mental health nursing. “I wanted to find a way of contributing to the health and wellbeing of grandmothers, just like my Jjaja,” Dr. Matovu explains.

Today, Dr. Matovu is an assistant professor at the University of Utah College of Nursing. Currently she is on a 12-month GloCal Health Fellowship that is supported by the University of California Global Health Institute and funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and Fogarty International Center. She is conducting a pilot study utilizing qualitative research and a community engaged approach towards the development of an intervention that supports grandmother caregivers.

Dr. Matovu is also the co-founder and co-director of Nurse-to-Nurse Global Initiative, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower nurses in the global community, in seeking professional development that enhances their growth and promotes the health and dignity of the patient populations that they serve. The Initiative links nursing institutions in the US with those in Africa to ease some of the burdens of underserved or marginalized groups on a global scale. We live in a global community and the need for support across the world has never been more pressing than in recent years with the rise of epidemics, pandemics, and societal pressures that transcend national borders. Dr. Matovu is a shining example and instructor on the value of building the skills and resilience of nurses on a global scale.

You can hear more about Dr. Schola Matovu’s story and work in Season 2, Episode 11 of “Mental Health Trailblazers: Psychiatric Nurses Speak Up” and at https://emfp.org/mfp-fellows/doctoral/schola-matovu.

Dr. Udaya Thomas’ journey to becoming a Ph.D trained behavioral health nurse scientist begins in the Indian state of Kerela from where her parents immigrated to the United States when she was just a toddler. Growing up in the American mid-west, Dr. Thomas recalls being challenged by a constant dose of bullying because of the color of her skin and her ethnicity, experiences that have helped mold her into a champion for the proverbial underdog. Strongly held values that elevate the welfare of community over self, instilled by her parents and cultural heritage, have guided her trajectory as a professional – from social worker to public health expert and nurse practitioner (including at a women’s prison) - a career that has enabled her to leave her mark on health systems around the globe. Today, Dr. Udaya Thomas is an Assistant Professor in the Graduate Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Program at Assaf College of Nursing, Nova Southeastern University, in Miramar, Florida.

Tune in to Season 2, episode 10 of “Mental Health Trailblazers: Psychiatric Nurses Speak Up” to hear Dr. Udaya Thomas’ inspiring story and learn about the integrative models of health care that address both the physical and mental health needs of patients, that she has been both researching and practicing. Dr. Thomas proposes that integrative group medical visits can optimize health outcomes and provide cost effective alternatives to address the unmet psychiatric mental health needs of underserved and marginalized communities. You can learn more about how this works through this animation video created by Dr. Thomas to illustrate the key findings of her doctoral dissertation: A Retrospective Analysis of Integrative Group Medical Visits for Low-Income Patients with Anxiety Disorders in Primary Care https://youtu.be/LeBX3ZpnvT0

Why are maternal mortality rates in America, the wealthiest country in the world, the worst amongst economically advanced countries? And why, despite knowing the reasons mothers are dying in the process of giving life and what should be done to improve things, are things getting worse, especially for women of color?

Season Two, Episode Nine of Mental Health Trailblazers takes a hard look at maternal health and mortality in America at a time when indicators for underrepresented communities, African American women in particular, are getting worse. MFP Alumna Dr. Agnes White provides context and offers solutions for what our host Indrias Kassaye suggests is one of great paradoxes of life in America today.

Born and raised in the Deep South, Dr. White shares her inspiring story of achievement against great odds, in a community challenged by health disparities and inequities. Her research interests include developing culturally tailored interventions to improve health outcomes for mothers by breaking down the distrust and disconnect that too often characterizes relationships between healthcare providers and patients, especially those experiencing substance use disorders. Simple and effective evidence-based interventions include training nurses to ask the right questions and refrain from using judgmental language.

Dr. Agnes White continues to research, educate, and inspire those who work in the nursing field on the best methods of care for patients of all backgrounds. You can learn more about her work and research at https://emfp.org/mfp-fellows/doctoral/agnes-white.

Season two of “Mental Health Trailblazers, Psychiatric Nurses Speak Up,” continues with an intimate exploration of historical trauma with our host, Indrias Kassaye, and MFP alumna Dr. Cynthia Greywolf, a psychiatric nurse scientist beginning her second year as a postdoctoral researcher at The University of Texas at Austin.

Dr. Greywolf’s scholarly pursuits are influenced by her personal experiences growing up on a Cherokee reservation in Oklahoma, and a deep-rooted desire to understand why substance use and behavioral health disorders are prevalent within Indigenous communities, and how best to address them.

Dr. Greywolf opens up about her childhood and journey to becoming a Ph.D. prepared nurse scientist and educator, one of less than 30 in the entire United States. Her story provides a rare glimpse into the unique challenges faced by Indigenous scholars - from their formative years and throughout their academic and career trajectories.

Accelerating the training of Indigenous psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners will be critical to addressing the unmet substance use disorder and mental health needs of Indigenous communities.

Dr. Greywolf’s successful experiences providing culturally appropriate behavioral health interventions to Indigenous communities highlights the urgent need to diversify the behavioral health workforce and scale-up the availability of the kind of appropriate care that she and her fellow Native American researchers have been developing and implementing.

To learn more about Dr. Cynthia Greywolf’s work, visit https://emfp.org/mfp-fellows/doctoral/cynthia-greywolf

Air Force Major (ret) April Ames-Chase got her start in healthcare volunteering at Provident Hospital, a predominantly Black hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. Her mother “unknowingly signed her up” to work there as a candy striper at 15 years old. Inspired by the life-saving work provided by professionals who looked like her, Ms. Ames-Chase went on to receive her Bachelor’s in Nursing from Coppin State University, after which she enlisted with the U.S. Air Force, continuing a family tradition, where she was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant.

Working as a nurse with the U.S. Air Force, Ms. Ames-Chase served her country at numerous bases, both in the United States and abroad, including in the UK, Korea, Japan, and Iraq during the most severe stages of Operation Iraqi Freedom. She recalls long and grueling hours at a base they nicknamed “Mortaritaville” because of the daily shelling it endured. Camaraderie with her fellow medics, working out at the gym and evenings writing in her diary, helped get her through those intense months. However, as her children pointed out when she returned home, serving in the war had changed her. Ms. Ames-Chase's war time journal has since been published as a book titled “A Moment in Time.”

On this week’s episode of “Mental Health Trailblazers, Psychiatric Nurses Speak Up” our host, Indrias Kassaye and MFP Ph.D. Fellow April Ames-Chase discuss the psychiatric mental health impact that serving in a war zone had on her and how she was able to overcome the PTSD that initially she didn’t even realize she was suffering from. Her own lived experiences have influenced her research interests which today focus on Black female Iraqi War veterans and their experiences adjusting to life back home in the United States. Ms. Ames-Chase finds that not all Black female veterans have been as fortunate as she has, with too many experiencing inadequate healthcare, substance abuse, homelessness and even sexual trauma, despite their patriotic sacrifice.

To learn more about April Ames-Chase’s work, visit https://emfp.org/mfp-fellows/doctoral/april-ames-chase

Season two of “Mental Health Trailblazers, Psychiatric Nurses Speak Up,” keeps the conversation alive and meaningful with episode 6. This week, our host, Indrias Kassaye, is joined by Mr. Uriah Millen, a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) student, former Nurse Manager for the intensive care unit at St. Joseph's Hospital-North who recently moved on to behavioral health nursing. Mr. Millen opens up to Indrias about what he’s observed as a Black, immigrant man forging his own path in the field of psychiatric nursing. Uriah Millen believes providing mental health care is his calling and desires to impact minority youth suffering from mental illness and substance use. 

Mr. Millen’s life took a couple of unique twists and turns leading up to his current career as a nurse. Uriah explains that he migrated to the United States from Jamaica, a year after being married, and leaving his career as a mortgage banker. Mr. Millen’s first influence in the world of nursing was his uncle. He already lived in the United States and encouraged Uriah to pursue nursing due to the financial and spiritual gains. Inspired by his new life, Uriah went to school and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in nursing in 2014 from the University of South Florida, in Tampa. Mr. Millen recalls, “We started with 60 students in the class and we ended up with… 18 of us actually graduating. There were three or four men… and I was the only African American [man] in the class.”

Mr. Millen’s experiences as an African-American male in a predominantly White and female-led field only inspired him to provide the most effective care for his patients at any stage in their journey–and also his associates. The last couple of years have been particularly challenging for nurses, but that has only encouraged Uriah to create spaces for his team to express their thoughts and share their experiences. He believes that those treating patients–especially in critical care–need a space to feel safe and supported by their peers in order to provide the most effective care. Mr. Millen is also focused on his patients and the factors that have led to the undeniable, upward trend in deaths by suicide and other mental health issues affecting African American youth. Uriah highlights the importance of engaging minority youth in conversations to address the mental health challenges brought on by the myriad pressures they face, including from social media, identity politics and COVID-19.

Uriah Millen has a passion for helping the underrepresented and underserved African American population experiencing mental health issues. He remains focused on reducing the stigma associated with mental illness and improving behavioral health access and outcomes for disadvantaged youth. To learn more about Uriah Millen’s work or his passion for his community, visit https://emfp.org/mfp-fellows/masters/uriah-millen.

To learn more about the Baker Act and what it means to be ‘Baker Acted’ visit https://ufhealth.org/baker-act

The second season of “Mental Health Trailblazers, Psychiatric Nurses Speak Up,” episode 5 isn’t afraid to ask the hard questions. This week, our host, Indrias Kassaye, digs into the life and research of the forward-thinking Duke University School of Nursing PhD candidate, Lisvel Matos. Ms. Matos went from being a high school dropout to becoming a PhD candidate at one of the leading universities in the world. She aspires to be a leader in nursing science with a focus on the reduction of Latinx sexual and reproductive health disparities.

Ms. Matos’ interest in nursing comes from an unusual quirk from her childhood. She was a bit of a hypochondriac and remembers that the nurses were always so much more empathetic than even her family at times. Ms. Matos recognized that same compassion in her own life and thought nursing was a natural fit. She was cheered on by her grandfather, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, who placed a lot of emphasis on education and opportunity. Lisvel recognizes that her own path from a student to nurse practitioner, to researcher and PhD candidate has also been shaped by her experience as a Latinx woman.

Ms. Matos’ research was not just fueled by her identity and background, but also from a deep sense of care resonating for her community. Her current area of research at Duke University School of Nursing is investigating and evaluating the factors that influence sexual health promotion among Latino, same gender loving men. Ms. Matos wants to develop programs specifically geared towards HIV prevention within Latinx, same gender loving men. Additionally, she also would like to see the rise in development of more programs that increase the awareness and general sensitivity towards not only sexuality or sexual orientation, but gender inclusivity as well. She points out that since the beginning of the HIV epidemic, we know that Black and Latino, same gender loving men have been disproportionately affected–and the numbers are only getting worse. Indrias and Lisvel uncover and delve into the syndemic, where there are societal and mental health conditions that tend to cluster these diseases together.

Lisvel Matos presented her research at the 2021 Association of Nurses in AIDS Care conference for which she received the Student Poster Research Award–but that’s only one part of her journey. Thinking of the future, Ms. Matos would like to serve as an inspiration and mentor for the upcoming generation of minority health care researchers by demonstrating that diverse perspectives are desired and valuable within the healthcare community. To learn more about Ms. Matos’ astounding path through nursing and revelatory research, visit https://nursing.duke.edu/student-success/lisvel-matos.

Looking for more on the overlap of psychiatric nursing and cultural diversity? You’re in the right place! In the fourth episode of the second season of “Mental Health Trailblazers, Psychiatric Nurses Speak Up,” our host, Indrias Kassaye, discusses the importance of having nursing educators that reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of nursing students and the wider community with Professor Griselle B. Estrada, MSN, RN, Clinical Assistant Professor at Baylor University’s Louise Herrington School of Nursing. Ms. Estrada is currently completing the dissertation phase of her PhD in Nursing at Duquesne University. Her research interests include culturally congruent, evidence-based interventions that promote mental wellbeing and suicide prevention in Puerto Rican communities.

Growing up, Ms. Estrada moved between Puerto Rico and various parts of the United States. Reconciling her experience bouncing between cultures and languages, despite being on American soil the whole time, led Ms. Estrada to start researching information about Hispanic and Latinx mental health. Professor Estrada explains that despite living in Miami with its large Hispanic community, it was a challenge finding culturally and linguistically appropriate care providers.

Ms. Estrada credits her best moments in nursing to her work with Latino and Hispanic students and being able to serve as a role model and encourage them to meet their objectives to go on to further in their EDUCATION AND CAREERS. TO LEARN more about Ms. Estrada’s work and research, visit https://www.baylor.edu/nursing/index.php?id=972293.

Season 2 of “Mental Health Trailblazers, Psychiatric Nurses Speak Up!” is in full swing with episode 3 guest, Mr. Pak Chau, and our host, Indrias Kassaye. Together, Pak and Indrias highlight the importance of culture, community, and alternative treatment options in the mental health field.

Pak Chau is a master’s fellow at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing and is slated to graduate in July of 2022. He is interested in using technology to bridge gaps in care, identifying public health inequities, and providing culturally and linguistically appropriate psychiatric care to minority populations.

Pak Chau comes from a Chinese immigrant family who settled in New Jersey following the British handover of Hong Kong to China. Growing up, Pak was the only English speaker in his household, which put a lot of pressure on him. At a very young age his language skills became essential to helping his parents navigate the healthcare system, filling insurance claims and communicating with English speaking doctors. When Pak began looking into career paths, he found that he was interested in many different disciplines, but in terms of practicality, his dad encouraged him to “find a job that has a license, because you'll always be able to get a job." That ultimately helped frame his final direction and culminated in a decision to pursue nursing.

Pak has since worn various hats across the field of nursing. Indrias and Pak discuss how health outcomes can improve when the health workforce reflects the community, including gender, ethnic, and racial diversity. Pak credits his MFP fellowship with providing access to a wide range of people in the mental healthcare profession who are propelled by their identities and using that as a very essential part of their academic and career development.

As the episode progresses, Pak shares his growing interest in treatment options that have the potential to provide effective psychiatric mental health care for underserved communities, including using technology to combat stigma as well as the emerging revival of psychedelic, naturopathic treatment options.

For more information about Pak Chau and the broad range of work he’s doing at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing as he nears graduation, plus further insight on his views regarding the importance of diverse care options, visit https://emfp.org/mfp-fellows/masters/pak-chau.

References to the following are made within this episode:

Penn A, Dorsen CG, Hope S, Rosa WE. Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy: Emerging Treatments in Mental Health Disorders. Am J Nurs. 2021;121(6):34-40. doi:10.1097/01.NAJ.0000753464.35523.29. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8574982/

University of Pennsylvania webinar: A Journey Through the Psychedelic Revival: What Happens in Psychedelic Therapy?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfraYldVv8c

Produced in the studios of Clean Cuts, a Three Seas company.

Welcome back for the second episode of the second season of “Mental Health Trailblazers, Psychiatric Nurses Speak Up,” with our host, Indrias Kassaye. This week, Indrias discusses community engagement in research, the impact of elder care on caregivers, and Alzheimer’s research with Dr. Kalisha Bonds Johnson, PhD, MSN, RN, PMHNP-BC. Dr. Bonds Johnson is currently an Assistant Professor, Tenure track at Emory University’s Nell Woodruff School of Nursing. Her research focuses on the mental health of African American individuals with dementia and their caregivers, beginning with early diagnosis and treatment.

Dr. Kalisha Bonds Johnson believes her desire and love for psychiatric mental health, and family allowed her to pursue her Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certification–among many other markers of academic achievements. Dr. Bonds Johnson recalls how her experience receiving treatment for a bad burn on her leg in college was the first time she realized she was more interested in pursuing nursing instead of becoming a physician. She observed that the doctor was constantly in and out of the room, but the nurse was always the one who stayed and got to know their patients, building rapport. Dr. Bonds Johnson took that interpersonal aspect of nursing and combined it with her love of psychology to further understand the mental health of African-American dementia dyads.

Later in this episode, Dr. Bonds Johnson explains her hopes to improve health outcomes for African-American persons living with dementia and their families through the development of culturally tailored clinical interventions. Indrias and Dr. Bonds Johnson unpack the biases and issues at the intersection of medical research and diversity through the lens of dementia statistics. Together, they consider the value of caregivers while also providing suggestions for resources and a call to action to get involved with research. Dr. Bonds Johnson shares that she has recently been awarded a five-year grant to develop culturally tailored interventions for African-American persons living with dementia and their familial caregivers and how these families navigate the healthcare decision-making process.

As a multifaceted scholar and professional, Dr. Kalisha Bonds Johnson has made a unique and impactful position for herself in the field of mental health nursing. In addition to her work as an Assistant Professor, Dr. Kalisha Bonds Johnson works as a PMHNP at Emory’s Integrated Memory Care Clinic. To hear more about Dr. Kalisha Bonds Johnson’s grant or her research, take a look at her biography at https://www.nursing.emory.edu/faculty-staff/kalisha-bonds-johnson.