“At the height of escalated anti-Asian violence, the UndocuAPI Support Group was there for me. Connecting with other UndocuAPI folks helped my mental health in ways I did not know I needed.” — Hans Miguel Esguerra, Wellness Support Group Participant
Hello John!
I’m Dr. Lina Hannigan, a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and a Wellness Support Group Facilitator at Immigrants Rising. I first got involved with Immigrants Rising in early 2020 when I was seeing an overwhelming increase in the need for mental health resources, especially low- and no-cost services. As a child of immigrants myself, I was inspired to support by providing individual therapy and then began facilitating Wellness Support Groups to reach a larger number of people. Wellness Support Groups create opportunity for community-building and connection in a safe space, and touch on topics that are often considered taboo.
I have seen again and again the power of group work to help people feel deeply understood, create belonging, healing, and counteract the isolation we sometimes feel.
This year I’m facilitating a Wellness Support Group designed to help participants who are curious about life outside the U.S. explore what their options abroad might look like.
Mental health for the undocumented community is one of the most overlooked areas. That’s why Immigrants Rising developed a variety of resources and programs to address this need. This year, we expect to assist over 400 undocumented individuals with more than 2,800 hours of mental health support.
You can learn more about Immigrants Rising’s mental health work by checking out the links below:
