Kwame Sarfo-Mensah (Identity Talk 4 Educators)
IDTALK4ED LIVE EPISODE #183 - "Incorporating a DEIJ Lens to Mental Health Advocacy" (Khamisa Haugen)
In this week's episode, I had the honor of interviewing my good friend Khamisa Haugen, who opened up about her early life as a refugee from South Sudan, adjusting to life in the United States, the ups and downs of her mental health journey, discovering her voice as an international educator, and so much more! To learn more about Khamisa's work, you can follow her on LinkedIn.
BIO:
Khamisa Haugen holds a Bachelor's Degree in International Relations and Development, with a minor in Sociology, and completed a Graduate Diploma in Psychotherapy and Counseling. She also holds a Professional Diploma in Psychotherapy, Hypnotherapy, and Counseling and is pursuing DEIJ Certification through the AIELOC/SUNY program. As a former refugee from South Sudan, her journey through displacement and resettlement has shaped her deep commitment to mental health advocacy and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ).
Throughout her career, Khamisa has worked with vulnerable populations, from adults with disabilities to students in international schools. Her work, including roles at UWCSEA East, focuses on fostering resilience, inclusion, and well-being. Khamisa’s professional goal is to integrate her mental health training with DEIJ work to create environments where everyone can thrive, personally and professionally.
Khamisa provides counselling services focused on addressing thoughts and emotions, helping clients break free from unhealthy patterns, and managing moods and behaviors for both adults and adolescents. Her therapeutic approach is inclusive, structured, and flexible to meet the client's need. She believes building genuine therapeutic relationship and fostering empathy are crucial to achieving desired outcome in therapy. Khamisa is passionate about supporting clients through challenging life events, relationship issues, mental health concerns, self-esteem challenges, anxiety, life transitions, time management, and more. She skillfully integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, and in-person Hypnotherapy interventions, tailoring her approach to meet each client's unique needs.
LINKS:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/identitytalk4educatorslive/
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/identity-talk-4-educators-live/id1509599570
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/23k0HRkXxi1OJSahtqS7xO
Google Podcasts - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8xMDNjZGQ2Yy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwiA6NSi6rT1AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAQ&hl=en