Putting our heads together

Authentic transformation requires the support of a strong community. On Tuesday October 28, the beautiful garden area at The Greenhouse at Serpentine was the location for the next step in the ongoing transformation of Trinidad and Tobago's mental health landscape, as The Samaritan Movement and specially invited members of Trinidad and Tobago's medical and teaching fraternity shared their experiences, observations, and ideas for a way forward. 

Born out of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese's Trauma Resource Centre Committee following the release of the Children's Homes Report, The Samaritan Movement has been forging a ground-up approach to healing that puts community voices, which are typically marginalised, at its centre. 

Thus far, The Samaritan Movement's data, acquired through the group's work in four pilot schools across the country, has revealed that our current wellness capacities are insufficient to address the extent of the current crisis. The Movement has been actively engaging students, parents, teachers and other community members in order to co-create tangible and innovate solutions that are both sustainable and scalable.  

A concerning 40% of young people surveyed admitted to wanting to harm themselves. Many complained of suffering from depression, anxiety and burnout. Some of them displayed symptoms of PTSD. Others struggled with learning disorders, screen addiction, substance abuse and neglect.

Behind these statistics are real stories that plague childhoods and become lifelong health struggles that impact wider society, which is why engaging with medical professionals on the frontline of this crisis was so valuable. We were both grateful for and inspired by the strong turnout — which included educators — and the enthusiastic way in which everyone both listened and participated. 

If you would like to learn more about your own mental health (and the health of those you love), you can access resources in The Samaritan Movement's Trini Toolkit, which includes the ACE & PACE Resilience Quiz, which assesses your resilience score and helps unpack generational patterns — because when we finally understand what we've come through, we can think about moving forward, with hope. 

Thanks so much to Fr. Gerry McGlone, S.J., Ph.D., his dedicated team, and the wonderful group of professionals who attended this very important town hall meeting. It was a privilege to host you; we can't wait to see the positive strides we will all make together.