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Onyx Monthly Newsletter

May 2022

Happy Mental Health Awareness Month Onyx fam!

April Showers bring May flowers right?? Well the month of April did just that.

Onyx was so graciously showered with so much community, love and most importantly opportunities in the month of April. From TedTalks, to our inaugural mental health fair, to speaking about Mental Health for the DC’s Mayor office, these opportunities are so precious to the Onyx family as we continue to provide our Black and Brown communities with access to mental health services and representation for them and their families.

Since its inception, Onyx’s focus has been on these underserved communities, and Dr. Plummer and her team have made it a point to SPEAK the truth...the truth around what mental health and wellness means in our community. They continue on the path towards speaking healing into the souls of our people, and to understand that healing looks different for everyone.

This month we celebrated Onyx’s inaugural mental health fair, which took place on Sunday, April 24th, and was aimed at raising awareness and funds for those in the Black/Brown and LGBTQ+ communities that are unable to afford therapy. The funds raised will help these people pay for their sessions with Onyx, and it brought to light important topics of conversation about Black hair as well as Black grief, in all forms. Led by Onyx’s CEO & Founder, Dr. LaNail R. Plummer, because access is the root of the work that Onyx does, the goal was to provide resources and information to better help manage the mental health journeys and break the stigma around mental health conversations.

Dr. Plummer states , “When I co-founded Onyx Therapy Group 9 years ago, I was focused on providing help and healing to the Black community that is disproportionately traumatized, and was unable to find therapists that looked like them or could relate to them. As we grow, this mission and vision remains the same and now it's time to go to the community instead of inviting them to us. We are showing up, showing out, and letting them know it's safe to be their full selves and heal from society’s traumatizing projections that are placed on us!”

And now here we are in Mental Health Awareness Month and the theme is “Together for Mental Health.” This theme is so fitting for us and the work that we do because we purposely use our voices to amplify the importance of mental health every day.

Onyx is on a roller coaster ride of success and we don’t plan on getting off the ride any time soon. We hope you don’t either…

Take a look at Onyx in the media from last month!

April 1st : Consciously Unbiased

In honor of Women’s Equal Pay Day, Dr. Plummer participated in an interactive event hosted by Consciously Unbiased and TAPFIN. Featuring Reshma Saujani, founder of Girls Who Code and The Marshall Plan for Moms, and author of the new book Pay Up: The Future Of Women And Work (And Why It’s Different Than You Think), the discussion focused on respecting boundaries in the workplace, self-care, and empowering yourself. Dr. Plummer says - “Self-care is selfish.”

April 21st:

Dr. Plummer along with other women leaders discussed how to make workplaces work for women, especially for working mothers. Dr. P gave advice on how to meet the demand for high quality talent. As a mother herself, Dr. Plummer discussed how companies can play a role in supporting the mental health of all, including working mothers and marginalized people by implementing systemic change.

April 22nd :

WPCG Buy Black Friday: Onyx Therapy Group was featured on WPCG’s 95.5’s Buy Black Friday where they feature Black businesses. Dr. Plummer talked with Poe about why she started Onyx Therapy Group, why it's important to have access to mental health in our community, and the different ways that we as a therapy group provide services through multiple channels.

April 23rd :

As we all know, the Ted Talk platform is HUGE and in the age of social media and speaking your mind, we were so thrilled when Dr. Plummer got the opportunity to be a panelist at the RE[verb] conference organized by TedXFoggyBottom. Honing in on this year’s theme, Dr. Plummer focused on RE[defining] mental health and what this process has looked for on her journey to be the CEO of Onyx Therapy Group, a professor, practicing therapist and Black woman living in 2022. She spoke to redefining mental health and what that looks like for Black and brown people in 2022, specifical how the ideas of self concept play a role in how they view mental health.

April 24th:

Mental Health Fair - The Onyx Mental Health Fair was amazing! Our first free mental health fair took place on Sunday, April 24th at Union Market’s Auto Shop, the fair featured over 15 DC-based Black-owned and operated vendors such as Flikshop, VeganQueen Cuisine, Replenish Yoga, Tanji Skincare, Others Coffee, T/W Tote, Funny Acting Black Girl, District Home, 5th and Westwood Consulting Agency, Janai Stylez, Skin Tonic, 5 Eighteen Birch Wood, Washington Prodigy, A Jewell Affair, With A Sistah’s Touch, and Roger Anthony Art.

The fair also featured two 1-hour panel discussions around Black hair + mental health, as well as grief + loss in relationships. All of Onyx’s proceeds went towards their therapy fund that helps those who cannot afford services pay for therapy.

April 26th:

Mayor’s virtual event -

Dr. Plummer participated in The Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect (MACCAN) Town Hall Meeting with a theme around Community Violence as Impacted by DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) issues. The idea is to focus on gun violence with sub-topics around domestic violence, drugs, youth violence and DEI. The Mayors office is striving to give families and professionals strategies, tips, and resources related to these topics that focus on building healthy relationships and keeping people/families safe.

What’s coming up?!

Still trying to keep up with all things Onyx?! Well don’t forget to check out our YouTube channel for past episodes of “Spillin’ the Tea w/ Dr. P,” “Grown Ass Women,” and “Teen Talks.” And of course, for all the details on where Onyx has been featured, visit our Press Page on the website!

ONYX IS HIRING!

Take a look at the postings below and spread the word, we are looking to add to our team!

GET TO KNOW THE ONYX TEAM!

BE SURE TO FOLLOW US ONLINE @ONYXTHERAPYGROUP AND SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL TO STAY UP TO DATE ON ALL OF THE IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS ONYX IS A PART OF!

Contacts for Crisis

National Suicide Lifeline: 1-800-273-8355; or dial 988

National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY)

Mental Health Crisis Hotline (DC): 1-888-7WE-HELP

Mental Health Crisis Hotline (MD): 301-429-2185

Mental Health Crisis Hotline (PA): 1-888-796-8226

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Based in Washington DC, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, Onyx Therapy Group is dedicated to cultivating and strengthening the community through mental health practices. With a focus on direct clinical work, professional development/training, and sourcing, Onyx Therapy Group incorporates the values of integrity, respect, loyalty, community, culture, and excellence. As an organization, Onyx Therapy Group has over 15 years in mental health work and 20 years of education and skill-based practice that has positively impacted individuals, educators, and organizations nationally. Onyx Therapy Group is a Black, Woman, Veteran-owned business that believes in and designs transformative healing