Start the journey to wellness today.
Protecting the mental health of our children is our top priority.
The African American Child Wellness Institute, Inc. (AACWI), is a culturally specific, trauma informed agency established in 2009 by Dr. BraVada Garrett-Akinsanya, a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker. She is also Minnesota’s only Certified Diplomate/Fellow, in African Centered Black Psychology, a status conferred by the National Association of Black Psychologists.
Dr. BraVada Garrett-Akinsanya
Mission
The mission of the organization is to promote the psychological and spiritual liberation of children of African descent and their families by providing culturally specific mental health services and by developing access to culture-based, holistic wellness resources, research, and practices. Dr. Garrett-Akinsanya and her team are highly respected and trusted members of the community. Dr. Garrett-Akinsanya is recognized nationally for her subject matter expertise in the areas of community violence, trauma, and African American mental health throughout the lifespan.
The African American Child Wellness Institute, Inc. (AACWI), is a culturally specific, trauma informed agency established in 2009 by Dr. BraVada Garrett-Akinsanya, a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker.
She is also Minnesota’s only Certified Diplomate/Fellow, in African Centered Black Psychology, a status conferred by the National Association of Black Psychologists.
AACWI’s core competencies include the development and use of a strength based, ecological African-Centered Wellness Model in all its service offerings. Examples of successful program offerings include Project Murua: Pre-meditated Parenting Booth Camp, Murua Moms: Pre-Meditated Pregnancy, and the African American Child Wellness and Success Program, a school-linked support program for children from Pre-k to 12th grade.
Furthermore, AACWI has extensive experience in providing training and supervision to clinicians from multiple disciplines. Our staff can render psychological evaluations, diagnostic assessments, and psychotherapy to clients by utilizing both practice-based evidence and evidence-based practices (such as Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT) , Eye Movement Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). In fact, we specialize in providing services that address trauma and exposure to violence within the context of our African-Centered Wellness Model, which is centered on achieving restoration, balance, and respect. Finally, AACWI has experience in developing and maintaining organizational alliances/collaborations to accomplish community-based goals for wellness.