Mental health is an essential part of our overall health, but it is not always treated that way.
For many women in rural Indigenous communities in Guatemala, mental health can be difficult to prioritize. Access to mental health services can be limited, and stigma around mental health remains a barrier. As Nojeshda Toc, Natün’s Women’s Health Coordinator, explains, mental health is still often considered a taboo subject.
But the challenges go beyond access to services.
Women may find it difficult to identify or express their emotions, or may not see their own wellbeing as a priority within the family. Their health and wellbeing can become centered around caring for their children and other family members, leaving little space to recognize their own needs.
“Mental health is an essential part of every human being.” -Nojeshda Toc, Women’s Health Coordinator
For Natün, recognizing mental health as part of comprehensive health means creating opportunities for women to talk about their experiences, understand their emotions, and recognize their own wellbeing as important.
Through our work in communities, the Nutrition & Health team incorporates mental health awareness into its broader approach to health. This includes creating spaces for conversation and reflection, helping women recognize and express emotions, and working alongside community members to make mental health a more visible and accepted part of health and wellbeing.
This work is especially important because mental health should not be something we only address when there is a crisis. It is part of everyday wellbeing, relationships, families, and communities.
This World Mental Health Day, we invite you to listen to Nojeshda as she reflects on her work with women and why making space for mental health matters.
Watch the video below to hear directly from Nojeshda.
Mental health is health. And making space to talk about it is an important step toward a more holistic approach to wellbeing.
