My name is Asha Parboji Rysdahl and I chose to create this page as a way for Indo-Caribbeans to feel more open to accessing mental health resources and services. The reason I have chosen to pursue this is partly because of my own life experiences and also because there are so many resources available that accommodate specific races, cultures, etc., but finding a service that is specific to the West Indian community is seemingly difficult. A little about me otherwise is that I am from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and have now been living in Minnesota for almost six years. I am an empath, which is a surprisingly hard thing to be, but I try to use it to the best of my abilities to be more helpful and engaging with others. I recently completed my certification to be a Sexual Assault Advocate for Ramsey County (here in Minnesota) and am a Community Health Worker by day, which I completed a college diploma for in Winnipeg. My job is literally connecting patients to resources - whether it be mental health, financial, situational or anything else, I am part of a care coordination team that works to provide resources that are best fit for each individual patient within the program. I am slowly but surely working towards completing my Social Work degree as well (formal education has not historically always been a strong suit of mine). All of these factors and more have been a huge influence and motivator for me to move forward with essentially being an advocate for those in the West-Indian community who are hesitant about discussing their traumas, experiences and situations because of the stigma that is associated with mental health. In my free time I enjoy reading, playing music, Netflix, anything Bollywood, travelling (when possible), and spending time with my husband and our lovely babies (dog and cat). While I am also working through overcoming my own struggles, I am very excited to extend a helping hand to anyone who comes across this page looking for some insight and guidance!
