Yoga reduces stress and anxiety and builds self-esteem and self-confidence; builds discipline, improves musculoskeletal issues and immune function, promotes relaxation and decreased irritability, as well as creates new neural pathways. Participants will do yogic stretches and breathing practices that will assist with improving their overall health and wellbeing. Through mindfulness prompts, individuals will deepen and lengthen their breaths during yogic postures that strengthen their core and physical flexibility. Through these practices that activate the parasympathetic nervous system, individuals will become relaxed, increasing their ability to think clearly, be self-aware, and implement self-regulatory skills, which will be a skill they take with them in their everyday life activities. Yoga, meditation, and breathwork decreases and/or prevents Stress, Depression, and Anxiety, improves Behavior and Social Emotional Health and enhances Cognitive Ability while enriching Motor skills.

“Bantaba” is an African word that refers to the “Dancing Ground” where the community comes together to be with one another and share. It focuses on the relationship between a sense of community and the art of dance. Bantaba participant's strength lies in their ability to evoke emotions through a connection with an ancestral heritage, to display emotions through body movement, and to burn calories through a choreographed cardio workout. The Bantaba is a place where community, affirmation, confirmation of self purpose is initiated, fitness goals are achieved, and the spirit is fed. Participants learn dance routines that increase their heart rates and burn calories as the facilitator teaches African principles and traditions.

Participants will learn about food psychology, how food choices impact our mental health and the opposite, how our mental health impacts our food choices. We will discuss food as medicine and other purposes of food besides eating. Participants will learn about recommended daily allowances and building a healthy plate with proper portions, how to read nutritional labels, the benefits of herbs as medicine, and learn about gardening. As we explore food (in)security, we share ways to overcome barriers to nutrition and provide strategies to advocate for obtaining /maintaining a balanced diet. Participants will have access to healthy recipes and cooking demonstrations. They will be encouraged to keep a food journal to track eating habits for awareness and accountability.

The Leaning into Leadership Career Wellness Program combats career development anxiety, teaches how to prevent burnout, respond to adversity in the workplace, and builds positive emotions with goal setting and achievement. Our leadership development program includes personal development coaching, professional development coaching, and business development coaching. Participants will develop a vision for their goals in each of these areas, process through potential barriers and strategies to overcome them. They will explore characteristics for success, identify limiting beliefs, and understand how to operate with a growth mindset. Participants will develop strategies for time management, organization, and prioritization to stay on top of tasks as well as to have good work life balance. We will also discuss having self-care and healthy boundaries while navigating work to avoid burnout. Insight will be provided on how to position yourself to get promotions, perfect your soft skills, and write a resume. Participants will take personality assessments that provide insight into how they operate as individuals and things to consider for working in a team. Aspiring entrepreneurs will get assistance with strategic planning, be given resources on how to establish a legal entity, and be given additional resources for small businesses and minority businesses.

Participants will learn about various emotions associated with the environmental exposures, including how a person’s mental health impacts their ability to care for their environments and how their environments impact their mental health. Participants will discuss ways to bring nature into their homes to create an atmosphere of peace, and to purify the air. They will learn about global warming and ways to care for our environments for future generations to come. Participants will be introduced to the concepts of grounding and forest bathing and their benefits on the parasympathetic nervous system. They will be able to go on nature walks on local trails and in state parks; our nature walks push the brain to release endorphins that lighten one’s mood and build positive emotions.

Our mindfulness meditation and breathwork sessions encourage relaxation, slowed/deep breathing and focusing on the present, shifting the balance from the sympathetic nervous system (flight-or-fight response) to the parasympathetic system (relaxation response). Participants will learn the science behind and the benefits of Mindfulness, Meditation, and Breathe Work. Through self-reflection activities and guided imagery, participants learn to pay attention to how the body moves, how they talk about their body, and how they respond in their bodies when their emotions change. Participants will be led through somatic psychotherapy exercises to treat trauma, stress, and PTSD. Participants learn different breathing techniques and the different ways people meditate to build harmony and examine their purpose in the world. Education will be provided on the energetic body and interventions that help energy flow easily throughout the body. Participants are encouraged to complete goal setting/accountability tasks to monitor their self-care in the wellness journals provided.

Sound healing therapy alleviates symptoms related to anxiety, PTSD, and depression, and activates a part of the brain that helps with processing. Participants will learn about the science behind and the benefits of sound healing therapy to treat specific disorders. They will learn about different cultures that utilize sound healing as an integral part of their wellness practices. Participants will be introduced to sound healing instruments and the different effects they cause on the parasympathetic nervous system as well as the energetic body. Participants will be guided through meditation exercises while listening to sound healing instruments. Participants are encouraged to journal about their thoughts and emotions at the beginning & end of each session.

In the Creativity Reflection Expression & Awareness for Mental Health (C.R.E.A.M.H.) Creative Wellness Program, participants learn the benefits of self expression through art, and the mind/body responses to art. They will also explore the various forms of art and how to develop cultural appreciation for them. Participants will spend time discussing their moods and related stressors before the activity begins. Artistic creations will be relative to the mood the participant is feeling at the beginning of each session. At the end of the session, participants will analyze the activity’s therapeutic benefits. Our art therapy sessions provide an outlet for intense emotions, foster self-awareness, improve self-worth, and decrease stress and anxiety.

Intellectual wellness is all about having a flexible mind and being willing to engage in lifelong learning. It is about seeking knowledge and partaking in mental activities to improve existing skill sets, foster critical thinking, and heighten global awareness. Being intellectually healthy is essential for keeping our brains healthy and preventing age-related cognitive decline. Each participant of Brain Builders will have the opportunity to join a book club to discuss parts of books and build literacy skills. We will have chess tournaments to build strategy and critical thinking skills. Participants can engage in brain teasers, puzzles, and board games to build memory and improve overall cognitive functioning. A facilitator will lead discussions on intellectually stimulating topics during our “Meeting of the Minds” time.

Our Healthy And Purposeful Play for Youth (H.A.P.P.Y.) program exposes youth ages 5 to 18 to: mindfulness, meditation, and breathwork through yoga; music therapy through dancing, singing, and playing instruments; art therapy through crafts and painting; intellectual stimulation through reading, puzzles, board games; and positive interactions through socialization and effective communication that teach empathy and emotional intelligence. Children will also learn the ABC’s (Awareness, Boundaries, & Communication) of Relationships, enjoy Nature Walks, and prepare healthy snacks through our Culinary Creations Nutritional Wellness Program. Each participant will be involved in discussions around bodily autonomy and healthy relationships. Each child will have a waiver signed by their guardian(s) to be involved with all services so guardians can evaluate the curriculum prior to starting the program and attend a forum before the start of sessions to have any questions answered. Discussions with teenagers will include healthy boundaries, self-awareness, self-reflection, healthy communication, relationship attachment styles, and escapism in relationships. Participants will receive journals to help build coping skills. We believe it is important that children are not only given opportunities to have fun while learning a new skill, but that they are educated on how our activities benefit them. They learn self-regulation, improve their cognitive functioning, and build social skills. Our desire is for them to become resilient, emotionally intelligent, and to practice daily habits that prevent or reduce stress. Our programs are trauma informed, rooted in education on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and implemented through a racial equity lens.

Our financial wellness program aims to combat poverty and advance economic mobility. Participants will learn the basics of financial planning; they will conduct a financial analysis of their income and expenses, develop a budget, identify their spending habits, and identify ways to save. Participants will explore how their mental health affects their spending habits and how their spending habits impact their mental health. Participants also learn about the importance of preparing for unexpected events, and various investing methods. They will also learn how to analyze their credit reports and learn tips to eliminate debt.

Wisdom Obtaining Wellness (W.O.W.) is an introductory health coaching program that gives a brief overview of all of the holistic interventions offered at Sekhem Institute, and thus, is a prerequisite for other program participation. W.O.W. explains the neuroscience of stress and trauma on the body, defines various mental health disorders with associated signs and symptoms, and expounds on mental health disparities in the African American community. Participants learn about the intersectionality of stress/trauma on each of the 9 Domains of Wellness. Demonstrations of holistic interventions will empower clients with practical applications. We learn the difference between surviving and thriving, about stigmas and other barriers to seeking help, and the different types of mental health support and resources available. We advocate for the utilization of therapy as an intervention and developing a support system through social circles and community resources. Participants are provided general mental health resources and are offered a direct referral for services. They learn the value in goal setting, and designing a self-care plan, holding themselves accountable, and being intentional in creating a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

Emotional Emancipation Circles (EE Circles, EECs) are self-help support groups designed to help heal and end the trauma caused by the root cause of anti-Black racism: the centuries-old lie of White superiority and Black inferiority. Originated by Community Healing Network, and developed in collaboration with The Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi), EECs are liberatory spaces in which Black people share stories to deepen our understanding of self-worth, our relationships, and our communities. Together, we learn essential emotional wellness skills to help us be our best as individuals and as a people.

Social wellness is about building and developing a sense of connection with friends, family, and co-workers, who act as a support system and share a common purpose. It is about relating to the feelings of others and building relationships based on trust and mutual respect. In our Healthy You, Healthy Me, Healthy We Relationship Wellness Program, participants will explore how their stress/trauma impacts their relationships/interactions with others. Participants will learn about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and navigating a dysfunctional family environment. They will learn conflict management and communication skills, as well as how to develop emotional intelligence and set healthy boundaries. Participants will learn the signs of a toxic relationship and be given resources for domestic violence. Information will be provided on intimacy and STD prevention.

Our Positive Vibes Social Wellness Circles provide an opportunity to build and develop a sense of connection with community members who share a common purpose. Social connections help combat stress and depression to facilitate a healthy life. Our Positive Vibes Social Circles encourage community building, social support, fun activities, and provide opportunities to have discussions on topics relevant to empowering our community. Participants will meet to enjoy live entertainment, hang out, talk, play games, sing, dance, do karaoke, and other mood boosting activities for the purposes of sending and receiving positive vibes.