La Maida Project is addressing the mental health crisis by healing our connection to self, community, purpose, and the natural world.
A problem with the way we are living
Our society is in the midst of a human problem that has risen to the level of epidemic proportions. We have inherited stories about why we get sick that are not in line with our evolution as human beings and how we are naturally equipped to heal and thrive. La Maida Project is presenting a new story.
Rates of mental illness are growing at a staggering rate, and people are suffering.
50%
of US Adults will experience a mental illness in their lifetime
Research shows that adults and youth are not receiving adequate support
Mental health disabilities have increased by more than 550% in the last 70 years
Managing symptoms with medication is now the mainstream approach
US adults are on psychoactive medication
And yet, the crisis of mental illness is worsening
Over the last two decades
Suicide rates in the
US increased
30%
Opioid–related
deaths increased
750%
The Root of the Problem
At this point in history, we are living in a state of tremendous disconnection from our bodies, our emotions, our relationships, our communities, and from nature. Current attitudes and solutions around mental health treat emotional states as chronic lifelong illnesses, as opposed to human experiences of disconnection and trauma from which we can recover, heal, and grow.
We are bringing awareness, education, and programming to the public about solutions that support healing and promote health in community.
La Maida Project’s Ecological Lens
To foster health-promoting conditions, La Maida Project has developed an Ecological Trauma-Informed Lens that clearly describes what humans need to thrive.
Think of when we buy a houseplant, we receive a care card with instructions for how to create the optimal conditions for growth.
La Maida Project has developed a specific model, a “human care card,” that presents a clear pathway for health.
What We Do
Mental Health Programming
La Maida Project’s health-promoting Ecological Trauma-Informed Model includes a range of experiential workshops, training programs, and large-scale projects where participants gain the tools to understand their innate capacity to heal and catalyze change in their own lives, communities, and organizations
Public Awareness
La Maida Project is dedicated to raising awareness, inspiring systemic change, and cultivating community competency around mental health. We do so through public lectures, educational events, social media, and more. Sharing information that is accurate and inspiring, we believe it is possible to reframe how we view mental health as a society.
The Impact of La Maida Project
We have worked closely alongside child welfare agencies such as McKinley, which provides residential and outpatient care for foster and other high-risk youth across Southern California. McKinley provides direct mental health and school services to seriously neglected communities and families. Our work helped McKinley become trauma-informed through our La Maida Project Model.
In 2019, we were honored to be a grant recipient to offer Provider Engagement for ACEs Aware, an initiative of the Office of the California Surgeon General and the California Department of Health Care Services. La Maida Project led informative and inspirational webinars exploring the role of culture in healing and how the La Maida Project Model can guide any organization and community towards a path of self-empowerment and the co-creation of optimal mental health from within.
Our work with community-based organizations like the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles involved an in-depth reflection and education program with core leadership of all 26 branches. The program served as a foundational building block for the LA Y’s commitment to culture change and social emotional well-being to face the challenges the COVID pandemic brought to light in mental health.
Innovation in mental health is in high demand and we need more people willing to champion causes that are offering system solutions. La Maida Project’s approach is upstream, working at the root of the problem to promote the conditions for regenerating connection and community as the natural foundation of optimal mental health.
With your support we can build sustainable solutions that address the problem and create change.
DONATEEngage With Us
Join the community of people who are rewriting the story of mental health and well-being with La Maida Project. Let’s work together to support each other through these uncertain times by securing our human nature and innate resilience.