BWI: Advancing Mind Body Health
About UsDouble your impact!
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Youth Leadership (Internship), Mental Health Photo Novel or Mental Health Training. Thank you.
PhotoNovel “Mansik Swasthya” developed and published by the Be Well Initiative, Inc. (2020)
The project was supported by the Asian American Health Initiative, Montgomery County Department of Health & Human Services, MD.
Professional Counseling Network
As we all are going through this unprecedented and unsettling time of Covid-19, the need for Mind-Body Health Education & Counseling is growing rapidly. In this time of crisis, we need all hands to support each other, from those in the health care front lines to people working the grocery lines. We appreciate the sacrifice that essential workers are making during this crisis. And, because of the extraordinary times and their concern for our community, the following professionals have agreed to provide further assistance.
Maria Alfonso, LPC (Spanish)
Suresh Lama, Eclectic Counselor
Dr. Rosina Manandhar, Mental Health Expert
Kripa Sigdel, Ph.D Scholar & Mental Health Counselor
Sujan Shrestha, Clinical Psychologist
Please contact us: bewell2072@gmail.com
BWI Counselors
Anshu Basnyat
Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, The Empowered Parent
We need volunteers to help in our Covid-19 related activities!
The Be Well Initiative (BWI) is an exciting initiative and has its roots in human suffering – 2015 Nepal earthquake. This is a collaboration of community leaders, advocates and professionals. Youth community members are invited to join us.
Please contact: bewell2072@gmail.com
BWI Statement
What we stand for
- Developing psycho-social support for individuals, families, and the entire community.
- Building a mind-body health and wellness “prevention” as well as early counseling intervention infrastructure that supports everyday family and community health and vitality.
- Being a resource in dealing with potential future disasters.
- Evolving resource bridges between communities and government, non-profit, and private resources.
A model is envisioned for individuals, families, and even communities as a whole:
- to progressively strengthen psycho-social health and mind-body well-being.
- to increase a sense of sharing, openness, and psychosocial connection within a variety of personal to communal group settings.
- to more effectively use existing community resources for stress-transition resilience and to close resource gaps, and 4) through education, prevention, and early intervention, live healthier and more productive lives.
As the BWI team of experts probed into emotional wellsprings and stories of individuals, families and groups, qualitative knowledge about Nepali diaspora community health and wellness emerged. Identified key stress factors are as follows:
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Life in the United States
Pursuing the American Dream -
Balancing act
The emotional and societal expectations of families back-home is another pressure-packed dimension in this population’s “survival of the fittest” chase of the “American Dream,”
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Sacred Spaces
Individuals’ mind-body space is so sacred that one does not disclose even when the mind itself is in crisis. (Of course, shame can also impede sharing.) Consequently, too many minor mind-body issues are not addressed until the eruption of severe depression, personality disorders, domestic and substance abuse and, even, suicide.
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Outreach
BWI plans to increase its outreach to the Nepali and South Asian Diaspora.
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Cross-Cultural Partnership
BWI continues its outreach to other immigrant communities for mutual learning and shared resources and support.
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Resource Development
BWI is developing partnership with CBOs for federal (SAMHSA) and private grants.
BWI Team
Dr. Damber Kumar (DK) Gurung
Public Health Program Convener
Dr. Surendra Bir Adhikari
Research Lead, Mental Health Administrator of the Ohio Mental Health & Addiction Services
Anshu Basnyat
Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, The Empowered Parent
Krishna Desar
Community Liaison/Event Planning Coordinator
Bibhaw Pokharel
Community Outreach and Media Specialist
BWI Youth Wing
Kshitij Neupane
Director of Youth Initiatives
Clinical Research Program Coordinator at John’s Hopkins University School of Medicine, managing oncology trials. B.S. in Neuroscience and Psychology from George Mason University.
Vardaan Gurung
Nuclear engineer for the Navy in Washington, D.C., and lives in Columbia Heights. He went to school at MIT in Boston.
Bibek Basnet
Grew up in Kathmandu and came to the states for college. Very interested in community building and likes to organize events to bring together the Nepali youth diaspora in DC. He is passionate about music, spirituality, and personal growth.
Prajjwal Dangal
Ph.D. student in computer science and lives in DC. Hobbies include reading, hiking, meditating, participating in civic activities and convincing people that everything is just a dream.
Subham Gurung
11th grader at Lake Braddock Secondary School, Northern Virginia. Plays travel soccer, is on the school track team and is a member of Key Club.
BWI Supporters
Sanjita Pradhan
Executive officer, Iowa Office of Asian Affairs and Pacific Islanders, Iowa Dept. of Human Rights, and a former member of President’s Advisory Commission on Asian and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI)
Dr. DJ Ida
Executive Director of National Asian American and Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIHMA).
https://www.naapimha.org/
Diane Narasaki
Executive Director, Asian Counseling Referral Services (ACRS), Seattle, WA, and a former member of President’s Advisory Commission on Asian and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI)
https://acrs.org/
White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
Bharati Devkota
Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor
Prem Bharati Devkota is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor. In her practice, she uses various psychotherapeutic models based on patient’s need.
Arya Dahal
Youth Advocate Lead
Arya Dahal is a clinical research associate and helps manage clinical trials. She received her B.S. in Biology from the College of William and Mary.
Rupsha Singh
Doctoral Student, Clinical Psychology
Prativa Timilsina
MA, MSW
BWI Partners
SANN
A nursing organization that can assemble all nurses from Nepal was a growing need in the Nepalese communities residing in the United States of America.
MannMukti
MannMukti was founded by Abhijith (Abhi) Ravinutala who, after the death of his best friend, made it his mission to reduce the stigma against mental health issues in South Asian communities.