Giving Tuesday is an international day dedicated to charitable giving, to community connections, and to expressions of activism around the world. It is celebrated in perfect timing between thanksgiving and Christmas here in the United States.
The Wright Institute Los Angeles, as a community mental health center, has been committed to providing psychotherapy to our community members for many decades. As a nonprofit agency, we operate on the principle that cost should never be a barrier to mental health, and that high-quality therapy should be available to all who seek it. We see our clients and our therapists as activists, who manage to overcome stigma and fear of reaching out and of being reached out to, thusly creating a world of change together.
Therapy as Activism
Activism can be defined as the work we do to facilitate change in our society. Many of us might have a specific image of what activists look like — perhaps passionate protestors in the streets or political figures calling out for reforms in governmental bodies. Although these individuals are certainly activists, their brave efforts are not the only color and shape of activism.
Activism can be that silent voice at night that tells one of our community members “Call for help before you harm yourself again.” Activism can be the loud alarm to which a therapist wakes up in order to participate and witness the stories of trauma and healing that her clients need to tell. Activism is the persistent steps we take together to shine a light on our broken hearts and to create a society of full-hearted people.
The ripple effects our team of therapists and clients aim to create in our society start with the healing and growth of each person in this society. We see therapy as a radical act that requires courage, vulnerability, ambition that knows no bounds, and determination to make our internal world and our external worlds better. Those who have participated in therapy, as therapists or as clients, understand the power of changing familial and cultural patterns that keep us in the dark and perpetuate harm to ourselves and others. These changing patterns are not some vague or abstract ideas, rather they are tangible shifts of thought and action in our community members. They might look like renewed relationships with family members, or achievement of dreams across the country, or kind words instead of angry outbursts at strangers, or increased compassion towards oneself and one’s surrounding. And so, change may have many forms, but it always starts with that first active step we take to reach out of ourselves and/or to be reached out to.
How Can I Participate in Giving Tuesday as My Own Version of Activism?
WILA does not rely on government funding. Instead we operate on donations from individuals in the community who care about others. 82% of all our funds go directly toward our efforts to actively transform our society, one community member, one therapy session at a time. We are passionate about our efforts to facilitate change in our world through our therapy work. But we can’t do this alone. We need your help! WILA sees therapy as activism. If you are moved to do the same, we guarantee that your donation will directly benefit individuals who would otherwise not be able to attain ongoing psychotherapy services. You will also help us secure the future of our center and the thousands of people that benefit from our efforts.
What better way to kick off this charitable season than by supporting our #therapychanges work here at the Wright Institute Los Angeles? Click here to help us continue providing ongoing mental health services to our community members who need affordable psychotherapy.
An additional easy way to express your support for our work is by following us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.
Please click here for more information on our services, on our team of therapists, on our social action projects and what WILA is all about.
If you feel inspired this Giving Tuesday to help us in our activism efforts to help our community members to reach out and get help, please click here to make your contribution.
Here’s to a joyous, active, and thrilling giving season!