09/07/2026
Stacy-Ann Smith
It was a great experience attending The Caribbean Mental Health Summit, where I joined professionals from the Caribbean and the diaspora. At the Summit I was reminded that many of our survival patterns didn’t begin with us.
Generations of violence, migration, economic hardship, colonial history, and messages like “don’t cry” or “just be strong” have shaped how many Caribbean people experience emotions today. We were taught that healing begins when we stop asking, “What’s wrong with someone?” and start asking, “What happened?”
I also appreciated the reminder that faith and evidence-based therapy don’t have to compete. They can work together to support healing. I’m grateful to keep growing as a therapist and I look forward to sharing these insights so we can serve our clients with evidence-based and culturally-informed care.
Thank you for creating this space! | Restored Hope: Caribbean Mental Health Summit | Restored Hope Counseling CRestored Hope Counseling Center, PLLC | NC, NJ, JA🇸Dr. Lecie Brown, LCSW 🇯🇲🇺🇸alhealth