ALT Explore your spirituality Religion, spirituality, connection with nature and land, ancestral wisdom, etc. How do you feel connected with yourself? With others? What cultural gifts/values have helped you during rough times?

ALT Cultivate Joy Make time and space to enjoy life and celebrate your culture, traditions, history, and community. Time for joy should be protected. What cultural values contribute to my happiness? What aspects of being Hispanic/Latinx am I most proud of?

ALT Thank you This post's content came from Ari Acosta, Psy & Msc. WGS., and the South Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network. mhttcnetwork.org @MHTTCNetwork @arislabyrinth

ALT Self-Care Practices that are Culturally Ours...

ALT Find a place where you feel a sense of belonging The benefits of having a social and emotional connection and a sense of belonging are supported by research. Social engagement and social support lead to better mental and physical health, as well as individual and community wellbeing. Develop a sense of community where you feel supported, seen, and accepted. Where is home? With whom does it feel like home? When does it feel like home?

ALT Develop pride about your culture Be proud of who you are and of your community, and become fascinated by your culture. Research consistently shows that feeling greater pride in the cultural traditions and accomplishments of one’s racial or ethnic group is linked to lower rates of depression and greater wellbeing. Ethnic identity is a self protective factor. Do you know your family history? Do you know the stories of different generations in your family? What does wellness and self-care look like in your family?

ALT Know your own history Many of our cultures embrace storytelling traditions. Scholars across disciplines have documented the curative effects of sharing and listening to stories. Find a person or people from your community who you trust and with whom you can share your experiences and feelings. There’s always individual variations in all groups; what’s yours? What makes me feel emotionally tired or activates in me a trauma response? What aspects of being Hispanic/Latinx am I most proud of?

ALT Student Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Hispanic Heritage Month 2021 Decolonizing Self-Carefor the Hispanic/Latinx Community South Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network and Ari Acosta, Psy & Msc. WGS

ALT What does it mean to decolonize self-care? Recognizing the social, historical and cultural components of healing. Expanding our view of who we are and where we come from. Reconnecting and re-rooting ourselves in our racial/ethnic identity. Exploring, honoring and fostering practices that are culturally ours.

ALT Why decolonize self-care? What comes to mind when you think of self-care? Something like this? [image: a collage off light colored, serene photos from pinterest including images such as a person meditating, herbs sccattered on a table, a single cup of tea, a hand touching a flower, and a salad] These ideas don't always respond to the needs of communities outside of this vision, don't provide comfort or release of calm, and can exacerbate feelings of loneliness, of not being worthy, not being able/capable to enjoy it and seeing