Every morning I meditate and pray for at least one hour- this is vital. It allows me to be more present for clients and students. I’ve set boundaries for myself and stick to them: when it’s time to shut it down and stop working, I stop regardless of how much I have left to do. I take care of my physical body by exercising on a regular basis and eating healthy, but I don’t hold back when the spirit moves me to eat ice cream or pizza! Probably the most important thing I do is monitor my thoughts because I need to make sure that I am not allowing an internal bully to take up space in my internal world. The other day I woke up a little late and didn’t have a full hour to meditate or pray and immediately found myself slipping into “I should have…” mode. Had I let these thoughts continue, I probably would have spent a good part of the day judging myself and then feeling horrible about myself, neither of which serve me or my clients in any way.
As a part of our series about Mental Health Champions helping to promote mental wellness, I had the pleasure to interview Yvonne Castañeda.
Yvonne Castañeda is the author of Pork Belly Tacos with a Side of Anxiety, a memoir for young adults based on her struggles with mental health and addiction. She is also a professor at the Boston College School of Social Work and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Boston, MA.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about how you grew up?
I was born in LA and grew up in Miami with a Cuban father and a Mexican mother. Both of my parents are immigrants, and both of them came to this country with essentially nothing except their willingness to work hard in the hopes that someday they would be able to provide a better life for their children, namely basic needs like food and shelter. My Cuban family was extremely critical of me growing up. They constantly commented on my weight, my hair, my clothes, my appearance, and this is common in our culture. I know that somewhere along the way I began to believe that my self-worth was tied to my appearance, and I went to extremes to fit the “ideal”. I developed an eating disorder my senior year of high school, and it would be part of my journey for the better part of nearly twenty years.
The eating disorder and alcohol became a unhealthy coping mechanism for the severe anxiety I struggled with in my young adult years. My parents constantly drilled it into me that I had to get an education beyond high school, and their only hopes for me were that I would someday get a steady job with a salary, health insurance and benefits. For years I tried to reconcile the differences between American societal expectations and Latino cultural norms, and this identity conflict was at the root of my mental health challenges. At home I was taught to stay close to my family, to focus only on security and safety, but I wanted so much more than the go to college- get a degree- get a job- get married- buy a house-have kids path that was being presented to me in books and movies. I wanted fulfillment and happiness, not just security and safety, and I wondered often if perhaps there was something wrong with me for not wanting the “American Dream”.
Both Mexican and Cuban culture are warm and beautiful and caring, and I love my family very much, but we are not always open to discussing mental health issues, let alone an eating disorder. Mental health was and still remains highly stigmatized in our culture, so I bottled everything up and pretended that I knew what I was doing, but in all honesty, I was often confused, lost and scared.
You are currently leading a social impact organization that is helping to promote mental wellness. Can you tell us a bit about what you or your organization are trying to address?
Probably one of the most important reasons I decided to pursue a career in the field of mental health was because I recognized the need for BIPOC clinicians. My focus is providing culturally sensitive care to the Latino population, and to continue challenging the stigma so often associated with mental health issues. In my work with marginalized populations, when a person learns that I am of the same culture, they often share with me that they are relieved I understand them, that I can relate to their challenges and help them in a way that is culturally appropriate and not offensive or insulting. I’m hoping that someday, people young and old will not have to lie to their families about how they really feel, and that their families will be their support system rather than a source of anxiety and distress.
Can you tell us the backstory about what inspired you to originally feel passionate about this cause?
My own experiences with mental illness and addiction have served as the foundation for my work, and I am beyond passionate. I see so much conflict within family systems that is born from unprocessed trauma, from too many years of suppressing emotions and pretending to be “strong” because weakness in our culture is practically a crime. And I think about the impact of these things on future generations. For years and years we have been recreating toxic patterns of behavior and belief systems that are unhealthy and dangerous. As a mental health clinician, I create the space for individuals to safely explore their own belief systems, to reflect on their own journeys and develop insight and new perspectives. My hope is that these individuals can make their way to forgiveness- for themselves and for the people who may have hurt them at one point in their lives. I guess you can say that what I am working towards is less conflict and more peace within our communities, and I am doing it one person at a time. I don’t underestimate the power of forgiveness, and the impact that one person’s peace of mind can have on a family system.
Many of us have ideas, dreams, and passions, but never manifest them. They don’t get up and just do it. But you did. Was there an “Aha Moment” that made you decide that you were actually going to step up and do it? What was that final trigger?
I had been working in the fitness industry for over ten years, and although I loved it, I knew intuitively that still there was more I wanted to do. A good friend of mine asked me why I’d never thought to be a therapist, and I told her that I didn’t want to go back to school for four or six more years, because I thought I’d have to get another degree in Psychology, and then a Master’s and a doctorate in order to be a therapist. What a revelation it was to learn that I would only need to get a Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work! I quite literally jumped onto my computer that night and stayed up till 2 in the morning researching programs of study, and I decided to apply to Boston College. The Latino Leadership Initiative, a program that educates social workers to work with the Latino population, was exactly what I wanted. I made an appointment with the dean of admissions, applied and it was full steam ahead. I was in my mid-40’s but not at all worried about the prospect of student loans. I had fire in my belly for this field, and I knew that I’d finally connected with a greater calling.
Writing a memoir was also an “aha” moment that I experienced my first year in grad school. My whole life I have loved to read, and I grew up reading books written by Beverly Cleary and Judy Blume, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens. I loved these authors and the stories they weaved, but there was a shortage of literature written by and for Latinos, especially stories that spoke to mental health issues. I thought about how much sharing my own story with honesty and transparency could impact a first- or second-generation young adult from the Latino culture. Somehow, in between courses and research papers and part time work and internships I started working on this book. I think I’m still trying to catch up on my sleep!
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?
Last year I had an opportunity to be a guest speaker at the annual Latino Family Conference of the Catholic Diocese of Lafayette, IN. The focus of my presentation was the impact of culture and stigma on mental health issues within the Latino community. It was a relief to know they were receptive to this conversation, and that even that Catholic Church is taking steps to help address the stigma that exists within our communities.
None of us can be successful without some help along the way. Did you have mentors or cheerleaders who helped you to succeed? Can you tell us a story about their influence?
Many of the professors at Boston College championed my efforts, both inside and outside of the classrooms. The director of the Latino Leadership Initiative, Rocio Calvo, absolutely encouraged me to pursue my dreams, and certainly finish writing my book. Rocio has been instrumental in my journey to become a professor at the school, and has always made me feel that there is no limit to what I can do. She’s been able to see the “fire in my belly” and she continues to stroke it by inviting me to participate in research projects that serve the Latino population in the US.
According to Mental Health America’s report, over 44 million Americans have a mental health condition. Yet there’s still a stigma about mental illness. Can you share a few reasons you think this is so?
We live at extremes, and I think that many of us are raised with the idea that you’re either very strong or very weak- there’s no gray area. So if you’ve always been seen as a “strong” person, there’s a fear that feeling sad or afraid or having self-doubts will somehow invalidate all the strength you have, and that your friends or family will look down on you. We’ve placed so much emphasis on finding happiness that to not be “happy” all the time makes a person wonder if there’s something wrong with them. As a society we don’t always normalize the other emotions we all feel, i.e. fear, sadness, hurt, frustration, worry, etc. We are humans, after all, and it’s unrealistic to expect that we will be positive all the time, or always “look on the bright side”. So anyone who’s going through a depression or suffering from severe anxiety is somehow judged and seen as deficient, or flawed, and what’s worse is that many of us judge ourselves for these emotions.
In your experience, what should a) individuals b) society, and c) the government do to better support people suffering from mental illness?
As individuals, I think we need to be more forgiving of ourselves and others for not being superhuman and chirpy all the time. Rather than judge, we need to learn to get comfortable with our own discomfort, and with the discomfort of others. As a society, I think we need to stop focusing so much on standards of perfection that are unrealistic, and unfair. The government needs to address the shortage of therapists that is exacerbating the mental health crisis we are currently experiencing, and much of this has to do with compensation. I think many people would like to do this kind of work, but compensation is a tragedy, making it difficult to earn a decent living. It’s difficult to keep clinical social workers in organizations and health centers that serve marginalized populations because they are paid so poorly for the incredible work they do. If we really want to support people suffering from mental illness, we need to make sure that we are doing everything possible to increase the numbers of people who can work with the mentally ill, otherwise this problem is only going to get worse.
What are your 5 strategies you use to promote your own wellbeing and mental wellness? Can you please give a story or example for each?
Every morning I meditate and pray for at least one hour- this is vital. It allows me to be more present for clients and students. I’ve set boundaries for myself and stick to them: when it’s time to shut it down and stop working, I stop regardless of how much I have left to do. I take care of my physical body by exercising on a regular basis and eating healthy, but I don’t hold back when the spirit moves me to eat ice cream or pizza! Probably the most important thing I do is monitor my thoughts because I need to make sure that I am not allowing an internal bully to take up space in my internal world. The other day I woke up a little late and didn’t have a full hour to meditate or pray and immediately found myself slipping into “I should have…” mode. Had I let these thoughts continue, I probably would have spent a good part of the day judging myself and then feeling horrible about myself, neither of which serve me or my clients in any way.
What are your favorite books, podcasts, or resources that inspire you to be a mental health champion?
I don’t know that there’s enough space here for the answer to this question. My favorite book and one that made the most profound impact on me is A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle. I love books that teach me more about the mind/body/spirit connection, such as The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk. Daniel Siegel has written some incredible books about the brain and its impact on our relationships: The Developing Mind, Mindsight, Aware.
If you could tell other people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?
I think I’d tell them that when we live our lives in service to others, we are working towards the cultural evolution of our species. We are absolutely connected in so many ways, and the tiniest of gestures- a smile, a hug, a kind word- can have a tremendous impact on someone, even if we’re not aware of it. I follow a popular preacher- TD Jakes- and I remember during one of his sermons he said something that has stuck with me: we are not given skills and talents for the purpose of our own entertainment or comfort, but for the purpose of serving and lifting others. We need to help each other even and especially when it’s not convenient for us, because I believe this approach will inevitably lead to more peace within our communities and our world.
How can our readers follow you online?
I have a website, www.soulfuerza.com, and I also have social media presence. Readers can find me on Instagram (@soulfuerza), Twitter (Cubanita@soulfuerza), and LinkedIn. I try to post something on these platforms on a regular basis, and I am also a contributing online blogger for Psychology Today.
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
Mental Health Champions: Why & How Yvonne Castaneda Is Helping To Champion Mental Wellness was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.