Dr. Lilian Odera, Clinical Psychologist

03/25/2024

Honored to be speaking alongside phenomenal individuals at the Thrive Conference in San Franscisco. A shout out to the hosts - Pastor Isaac & Ann Munene of African Oasis for convening this event. Bay areas folks, you don’t want to miss this annual experience. Looking forward to a time of getting transformed and gaining new perspectives.

03/31/2023

Hello, mental health providers! It’s time for the April Providers’ Circle. Inviting African mental health providers from all over the world to join this month’s support circle on Saturday, April 8th at 11am EST (6pm East African Time) via Zoom. Mental health practitioners (psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, social workers, mental health counselors, behavioral analysts, marriage & family therapists, s*x therapists, coaches, school counselors, pastoral counselors, etc.) as well as those still in training are welcome to join the conversation.

Now more than ever, providers need to pause and intentionally engage in self-care and find spaces to rejuvenate. Join us as we share our experiences in serving others and support each other. Bring your beverage of choice, dessert, or whatever helps you relax, and let’s have some downtime. Follow the link below to register. See you at the Circle!
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUrcuGqqDMiGtYyMvDUhFvww7CEYKZzNFRe

01/27/2023

We are excited to invite you to our first webinar of 2023 which is scheduled for Saturday January 28th at 11am EST (7pm East African Time). Join us and gather valuable tools to protect your mental health as our resident mental health professionals share their expertise with us. There are challenges that may crop up this year that you cannot afford to face without the right tools to protect your mental and emotional health.

The webinar is FREE but will be a closed session that will be open only to attendees. This is a great opportunity to engage with mental health experts and ask questions! We still have slots open to accommodate the village. Click on the link to register and send us your questions. See you at the webinar!

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0ldOitpjsrEtLtiTTWn5bjROavoUUr5CmM

10/05/2022

October is National Depression & Mental Health Screening Month. Mental health challenges may occur at any time of the year. However, as we enter the fall months and cooler weather comes upon us, some of those in North America & Europe may struggle with seasonal depression or may struggle with getting activated.

As we also approach the holiday season, some may struggle as they may have experienced major losses or negative life changes in the last few months that are more pronounced during seasons of celebration with family. Check on your friends and family. If you are struggling with your mental health, reach out for help. You are not alone.

The 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline is a US-based su***de prevention network of over 200+ crisis centers that provides 24/7 service via a toll-free hotline with the number 9-8-8. It is available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.

10/03/2021

After taking a break in the month of September due to the impact of hurricane Ida, we are excited to resume our PAMH webinars! I sincerely appreciate the support I received during that challenging season.

Our October webinar will be on a highly requested topic of relationships! Romantic relationships can be undoubtedly complicated by several factors including our childhood experiences, cultural factors, politics, religious/spiritual differences, gender roles, financial issues, among other issues.

Our host will be our resident expert, Julia Sanna, who is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT) and Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) who runs her own thriving private practice in West Palm Beach, FL. This webinar is for everyone – married, separated, engaged, in a serious romantic relationship, in a complicated thang, looking to be in a relationship, or simply wanting to learn how to untangle (yes, I said it) the mysteries of relationships. You do not want to miss this!

Follow the link below to register. Be sure to include your questions!

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcrcOuvrDItGNFPZY28Gnb4Kh32H2U5YAR1

09/10/2021

Due to the impact of hurricane Ida I will be unable to host the PAMH webinar this month. However, I encourage you to take care of your mental health. September is National Su***de Prevention Month and y’all know how passionate I am about psychoeducating the community people about mental health and creating awareness about su***de prevention.

If you missed our August PAMH webinar you have an opportunity to watch my conversation with my good friends and mental health experts Wa Ngure Brenda and Julia N. Sanna as we demystified going to therapy. Many people are facing tough times and struggling with their mental health quietly. Encourage someone to consider therapy.

If you’re thinking about su***de, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the National Su***de Prevention Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the US. Call 1-800-273-TALK or text the Crisis Line by texting HOME to 741741.

Promoting African Mental Health (PAMH) webinar host, Dr. Lil is joined by Mental Health Promotion and Sexual Health expert, Brenda Ngure and Licensed Marriag...

08/24/2021

Hello, mental health providers! It’s time for the August Providers’ Circle. Inviting African mental health providers from all over the world to join this month’s support circle on Saturday, August 28th at 12pm EST (7pm East African Time) via Zoom. We always have a blast each month with providers from several nations. Mental health practitioners as well as those at different stages of training are welcome to join the conversation.

Now more than ever, providers need to pause and intentionally engage in self-care and find spaces to rejuvenate. Join us as we share our experiences in serving others and support each other. Bring your beverage of choice, brunch, dinner, dessert, or whatever helps you relax, and let’s have some downtime. Follow the link below to register. See you at the Circle!

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0kf-ygqjIuGdNZALkcK3fFMBTWQ2NpNm8h

07/26/2021

Hello, mental health providers! It’s time for the July Providers’ Circle. Inviting African mental health providers from all over the world to join this month’s support circle on Saturday, July 31st at 12pm EST (7pm East African Time) via Zoom. We always have a blast each month with providers from several nations. Mental health practitioners as well as those at different stages of training are welcome to join the conversation.

Now more than ever, providers need to pause and intentionally engage in self-care and find spaces to rejuvenate. Join us as we share our experiences in serving others and support each other. Bring your beverage of choice, brunch, dinner, dessert, or whatever helps you relax, and let’s have some downtime. Follow the link below to register. See you at the Circle!

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYvduGhrjgjHdb7iK3BKaqQoDU34tUzTxBM

07/18/2021

Our July PAMH webinar was a special edition that focused on children's mental health. I am immensely grateful to the phenomenal panelists Dr. Beatrice Adera, a professor and expert in special education, and Pastor Esther Karanja, a licensed clinical social worker, who has years of experience working with children and families. This was such a rich and informative session that covered areas we can easily overlook in our efforts to support our children's mental health.

If you missed the live event, you may view the full video by following the link below to my YouTube channel. To view more videos on African mental health, you may subscribe to my YouTube channel (Lilian Odera).

Promoting African Mental Health (PAMH) webinar host, Dr. Lil is joined by Special Needs expert and professor, Dr. Beatrice Adera and licensed Clinical Social...

07/08/2021

It’s time for our July PAMH webinar! Join us as we discuss the mental health of our children. Children, teenagers, and young adults are not exempt from the impact of stress and mental health struggles. However, the manner in which they express their distress or signal that they are struggling may differ from adults.

Sometimes what may be perceived as lazy, unintelligent or defiant, may be an indicator of inability to deal with stress, trauma, or academic demands. They may even be experiencing bullying or harassment from their peers. When this remains unaddressed your child may develop depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, low self-esteem, and other issues that may hinder their healthy development.

We invite you to join us on Saturday, July 17th at 12pm EST (7pm EAT) as we discuss the mental health and development of our children. We will be joined by two experts, Pastor Esther Karanja, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and Dr. Beatrice Adera, a college professor with expertise in special education.

Click on the registration link below to register for the webinar. You may share the flyer and registration information with others in your network. A recording of the webinar will be available following the live event.

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0ocu6vpjooH9XQtMOmuY_xoC__dJZ-i7SY

06/19/2021

The loss of this young doctor breaks my heart. Healthcare providers have been under tremendous stress over the last several months, especially because of increased demand for services during the pandemic. They are often likely to put their own well-being on the back burner to provide care and support for those who need their services.

For this reason, I created the “Network of African Mental Health Practitioners”. We come together as providers every last Saturday of the month and share our experiences, get support for the stressors we are facing in the workplace, exchange self-care ideas, and resources, and hold each other accountable for having a good work-life balance. Providers, please take care of yourself. Burnout is not a badge of honor. Let's normalize self-care. We invite you to join our providers’ circle!

If you or someone you know is experiencing thoughts of su***de call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. You may also call the National Su***de Prevention Hotline 1(800) 273-TALK. You may also chat on the crisis line by texting HOME to 741741. Both services are free and available 24/7. All calls are confidential.