5 Steps to Becoming an Ally

Have you looked around and thought, “Geez, we really are serving up the planet flambé-style.” The ocean has literally been on fire. Violence continues against BIPOC people. Immigrants’ rights, women’s rights, and trans rights have all been under attack. This isn’t even a complete list! It can be hard to figure out how to be an ally when there is so much happening.

In this episode, I’ll be reviewing 5 basic steps to get you started and keep you going on the path of allyship.

The world is overwhelming. When my patients come in, they aren’t just experiencing depression, they're talking about how world events are affecting their mental health. They are opening up about how the various forms of oppression are impacting their daily lives. I have Asian patients who are afraid to walk down the street because of the rise in violence, and I live in NYC, which is supposed to be one of the most diverse and welcoming cities in the world.

When my patients come in, they aren’t just experiencing depression, they are talking about how world events are affecting their mental health.

I have black patients who are fatigued from trying to stay on top of it all and suffer from Superwoman Syndrome or John Henryism. I have white patients who are outraged about what they see and want to help but don’t know how. You also might find the prospect of allyship daunting, even if you have good intentions. I encourage you to take a deep breath, because all you need to be an ally is a little heart.

H.E.A.R.T is an acronym I created so that my patients could have a basic outline of the steps needed to be an effective ally.

Do you have H.E.A.R.T.?

H is for Heed the call

The first step is to not walk around pretending like these things aren’t happening. Perhaps you’ve heard the line, “silence is compliance.” Don’t let the cries of the oppressed fall on deaf ears. Don’t let headlines dictate what you care about. Many people do the opposite and create safety silos that keep them completely disconnected from what’s happening in the world. Please resist this urge, because it will give you a false sense that everything is OK when it’s not. Systemic oppression means that it’s in the foundations of our everyday lives. The same way that the Earth is constantly turning and you can’t feel the motion, the wheels of systemic oppression are churning and you won’t always hear the commotion.

E is for Educate yourself...

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