Mental Health Education and Counseling in Embu, Kenya!

First of all, thank you for your interest in this project!

Your interest is much appreciated. Please read the following to learn more about our project and GET INVOLVED!!!

Purpose:

We hope to establish a mental health institution in Embu, Kenya to address the emerging mental health needs and its impact on the people in rural Embu. Through this institution, we aim to provide counseling services and mental health training, and partner with universities across Kenya to promote mental health research and education. It is for this purpose that we request your support!

Project goals:

• To provide continued mental health counseling training to clinical professionals and school counselors.
• To provide mental health education to higher education institutions (i.e. colleges and universities)
• To provided mental health counseling services to the local communities in and around Embu county

Why Kenya?

As an emerging country, Kenya is still in its developing stages with the primary focus of meeting medical needs and creating sustainable development. However, for the past 50 years, the framework has been solely based on the medical model of development. This in turn has created a huge gap in the addressing the mental health needs which impacts the daily living of the rural communities in Embu county. Our project aims to provide a bio-psycho-social framework to address the mental health challenges and promote holistic and sustainable livelihood for the rural communities in Embu, Kenya.

On-going Projects:

• Reframing Mental Health Perceptions: Need for Mental Health Education in Embu, Kenya - The aim of this research project is to conduct a needs assessment to understand the mental health barriers in Embu, Kenya. The purpose of this project is to meet the mental health needs, create awareness and implement sustainable policies to integrate mental health in mainstream public health systems.
• Development of the Mental Health Training Center - This project focuses on the development of the mental health training center, to plant the seeds of the bio-psych-socio model of holistic development in Embu, Kenya. The purpose of it is to have a multifaceted approach in addressing the mental health gaps within the public health systems and bring mental health counseling to the forefront in terms of advocating for health and wellbeing..

Our Support:

• Huruma Rescue Mission, Inc. - A non-profit, community based organization that supports education and livelihood of rescued orphaned children.
• American Counseling Association Foundation - Providing research grants to support mental health counseling advocacy and multicultural awareness.

Profile:

We, A.S.H.Y Mental Health Center, was co-founded by three individuals who are ethnically and racially diverse and are from India,Japan and Kenya. What brought us together, we are not sure yet, but what connects us - is our shared passion and commitment towards mental health counseling and the wellbeing of the society. It is our dream and vision to see mental health and wellness be integrated within the public health systems across the globe. Our project in Embu, Kenya is the first step towards this vision and we hope with the support of our friends, families, colleagues and everyone out there, we will succeed!

Members Profile:

Peter M. Njue (Mr.)

Co-founder of A.S.H.Y Mental Health Center.

Peter M. NJue is the current assistant Director- Finance, Planning, Community Outreach and Partnerships at Huruma Rescue Mission (Kenya), an education based nonprofit focused on helping orphaned, and brilliant but economically challenged children in Kenya. Since 2009 where he rose in ranks from holiday tuition tutor to Programs and Finance manager in 2011 to now assistant Director. Additionally, he served as a member to an advisory committee (TAAC) at Tenri Academy Primary school (Kenya ) a Japanese sponsored Mission school from 2015-2019.

Heis an ongoing graduate student at Kenyatta University. He holds a Masters of economics (Policy Management)-Kenyatta University, Bachelors of Economics and Finance –Kenyatta University, Associate Degree/Diploma in Technology in Applied statistics-Technical University of Kenya. Certified Public accountant section IV of VI-KASNEB (Kenya Accountants and Secretaries National Examinations Board)

He has a continuing interest to do research in Health economics and Behavioral economics. Over the period, he has acquired skills in research data analysis by training in STATA, SPSS and Eviews statistical packages.

Aishwarya Joshi, M.S., M.A., LPC, NCC

Co-founder of A.S.H.Y Mental Health Center.

Aishwarya Joshi is the current officer of Multiculturalism and Diversity at Huruma Rescue Mission (Kenya). She is currently a PhD student at Idaho State University, majoring in Counselor Education and Counseling. She is a state licensed and nationally certified mental health counselor. She has obtained a Masters of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Heidelberg University, a Master of Science in Criminal Justice and Forensic Psychology from Tiffin University. She obtained her Bachelors of Arts with a major in Journalism, Psychology and English Literature from India.

Her research interests include impostor syndrome, trauma informed care in ethnic minorities and the LGBT communities as well as the under-representation of women of ethnic minorities in STEM fields. She is also a published author and has presented on various mental health issues both at national and international conferences and symposiums.

Yuichi Sasakawa, M.A., LPC

Co-founder of A.S.H.Y Mental Health Center.

Yuichi Sasakawa is the current International Administrative Advisor at Huruma Rescue Mission (Kenya). He holds a Licensed Professional Counselor (OH), Master of Arts (Clinical Mental Health Counseling)-Heidelberg University (OH, U.S.A) and a Bachelor of Laws-Senshu University. He is currently working as a professional counselor in Japan. In addition, he is a member of International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS). His research interests includes the impact of language on human mental health and the effectiveness of onomatopoeic interpretation in counseling sessions, the work of numbers and mathematical function in the brain and counseling techniques using them.