Racial Identity | BMH Connect

Rooted & Rising

Rooted in Who You Are. Rising Into Who You're Becoming

Our racial, cultural, gender and social identities shape how we experience the world, understand ourselves, and connect with others. Yet exploring these identities can be complicated, particularly for children, adolescents, and adults navigating racism, discrimination, cultural expectations, and questions of belonging.

At Vanguard Creative Wellness, Rooted & Rising provides a supportive therapeutic space for individuals to explore the intersections of identity, lived experience, and mental wellness. Through expressive therapies, culturally responsive clinical care, and identity-affirming interventions, we help clients process difficult experiences, strengthen their sense of self, and develop strategies for navigating the emotional impact of racial and cultural stressors.

Whether you are exploring who you are, processing the impact of discrimination, supporting a child through identity development, or navigating the complexities of being visible in the world, Rooted & Rising offers a space for reflection, expression, and growth. You can be rooted in your identity while continuing to rise into your possibilities.

Who Rooted & Rising Supports

Rooted & Rising is designed for children, adolescents, and adults who want support exploring identity, navigating cultural and racial stressors, and strengthening emotional well-being.

Our services may be particularly helpful for individuals who are:

Exploring racial, ethnic, or cultural identity.
Navigating questions of belonging, acceptance, or cultural connection.
Experiencing racism, discrimination, microaggressions, or racialized stress.
Managing the emotional impact of harmful stereotypes or identity-based bullying.
Balancing family, community, and societal expectations.
Exploring multiracial, multicultural, or bicultural identities.
Experiencing pressure related to representation, visibility, or being viewed as a spokesperson for a community.
Seeking to strengthen self-esteem, cultural pride, and a positive sense of identity.
Processing the impact of current events, community experiences, or historical and intergenerational stressors.

We recognize that racial and cultural identity intersect with many aspects of a person's life, including gender, sexuality, socioeconomic background, ability, family relationships, and community connections. Our approach honors the complexity of these experiences without assuming that any two individuals share the same story.

Our Approach: Healing Through Expression

Not every experience of identity, racism, or cultural stress is easy to articulate. Expressive therapies can provide meaningful opportunities to explore emotions, communicate complex experiences, and develop new ways of understanding oneself. Rooted & Rising may incorporate creative interventions based on each client's developmental needs, clinical goals, and preferences.

Art-based interventions: Explore identity, heritage, personal strengths, and emotional experiences through color, imagery, collage, and visual storytelling.
Play therapy: Help clients explore identity, relationships, fairness, belonging, and difficult social experiences through developmentally appropriate play.
Storytelling and therapeutic writing: Reflect on personal narratives, family histories, cultural connections, and the messages that shape self-perception.
Movement and body-based awareness: Explore emotional responses to stress, develop grounding strategies, and strengthen awareness of personal needs and boundaries.
Mindfulness and sensory-based strategies: Practice emotional regulation, grounding, and coping skills for navigating stressful interactions and environments.

Expressive therapies are integrated into clinical care when appropriate. They are not intended to minimize systemic barriers or place the responsibility for addressing racism solely on the individual experiencing it.

Our Signature Clinical Services

Identity Exploration and Development

Identity development is an ongoing process shaped by personal experiences, relationships, culture, and the environments in which we live. For children and adolescents especially, messages about gender, race, culture, appearance, language, and belonging can influence how they understand themselves. We create opportunities for clients to explore their identities, recognize their strengths, and develop a more grounded and affirming sense of self.

Therapeutic work may include:

Exploring racial, gender, and cultural identity.
Building self-esteem and positive self-concept.
Understanding the influence of family, community, and social environments.
Exploring cultural traditions, values, language, and heritage.
Navigating questions about identity, belonging, and authenticity.
Developing confidence in expressing one's identity.

Racial Stress and Discrimination

Experiences of racism, discrimination, and microaggressions can contribute to stress, anxiety, anger, sadness, isolation, self-doubt, and emotional exhaustion. Repeated exposure to racialized stressors can also affect relationships, concentration, confidence, and one's sense of safety. Our goal is not to teach clients to tolerate harmful environments. It is to support their emotional well-being, affirm their dignity, and help them identify strategies and resources that align with their needs and circumstances.

Clinical support may focus on:

Processing experiences of racism, bias, and discrimination.
Recognizing and managing stress responses.
Developing coping strategies for identity-based hostility and exclusion.
Addressing internalized negative messages and harmful stereotypes.
Strengthening emotional regulation and self-advocacy.
Exploring boundaries and identifying supportive relationships.
Reconnecting with personal strengths, cultural pride, and community resources.

Identity-Affirming Support for Children and Adolescents

Children and adolescents are continually learning about themselves and the world around them. Messages about race, skin tone, hair texture, language, cultural practices, and social identity can influence how young people experience belonging and self-worth. Through developmentally responsive clinical care, Rooted & Rising helps young people explore identity, process difficult experiences, and strengthen their emotional and relational skills.

Interventions may address:

Racial teasing, bullying, and identity-based exclusion.
Self-esteem and positive racial and cultural identity development.
Navigating differences between family culture and peer environments.
Responding to stereotypes and biased messages.
Building emotional awareness and healthy coping skills.
Strengthening confidence, self-expression, and a sense of belonging.