Dr. Kalisha Bonds-Johnson

04/25/22 • 43 min

Mental Health Trailblazers: Psychiatric Nurses Speak Up

Welcome back for the second episode of the second season of “Mental Health Trailblazers, Psychiatric Nurses Speak Up,” with our host, Indrias Kassaye. This week, Indrias discusses community engagement in research, the impact of elder care on caregivers, and Alzheimer’s research with Dr. Kalisha Bonds Johnson, PhD, MSN, RN, PMHNP-BC. Dr. Bonds Johnson is currently an Assistant Professor, Tenure track at Emory University’s Nell Woodruff School of Nursing. Her research focuses on the mental health of African American individuals with dementia and their caregivers, beginning with early diagnosis and treatment.

Dr. Kalisha Bonds Johnson believes her desire and love for psychiatric mental health, and family allowed her to pursue her Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certification–among many other markers of academic achievements. Dr. Bonds Johnson recalls how her experience receiving treatment for a bad burn on her leg in college was the first time she realized she was more interested in pursuing nursing instead of becoming a physician. She observed that the doctor was constantly in and out of the room, but the nurse was always the one who stayed and got to know their patients, building rapport. Dr. Bonds Johnson took that interpersonal aspect of nursing and combined it with her love of psychology to further understand the mental health of African-American dementia dyads.

Later in this episode, Dr. Bonds Johnson explains her hopes to improve health outcomes for African-American persons living with dementia and their families through the development of culturally tailored clinical interventions. Indrias and Dr. Bonds Johnson unpack the biases and issues at the intersection of medical research and diversity through the lens of dementia statistics. Together, they consider the value of caregivers while also providing suggestions for resources and a call to action to get involved with research. Dr. Bonds Johnson shares that she has recently been awarded a five-year grant to develop culturally tailored interventions for African-American persons living with dementia and their familial caregivers and how these families navigate the healthcare decision-making process.

As a multifaceted scholar and professional, Dr. Kalisha Bonds Johnson has made a unique and impactful position for herself in the field of mental health nursing. In addition to her work as an Assistant Professor, Dr. Kalisha Bonds Johnson works as a PMHNP at Emory’s Integrated Memory Care Clinic. To hear more about Dr. Kalisha Bonds Johnson’s grant or her research, take a look at her biography at https://www.nursing.emory.edu/faculty-staff/kalisha-bonds-johnson.

Previous Episode

Marcus Henderson

It’s good to be back! Check out the season 2 premiere of “Mental Health Trailblazers, Psychiatric Nurses Speak Up,” where our host, Indrias Kassaye, digs in to the complex issues in psychiatric mental health and healthcare today with Marcus Henderson, elected board member of the American Nurses Association and member of the National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing. Marcus Henderson is a current MFP Fellow pursuing a PhD at John Hopkins University School of Nursing with the goal to improve care, eliminate disparities, and optimize outcomes for children and adolescents from marginalized backgrounds.

Henderson’s own adolescent experiences, like providing medical care for his grandmother and great aunt, drove him to pursue a healthcare profession later in life. Much of Henderson’s experiences as a biracial teen growing up in a predominantly white neighborhood of Philadelphia led to his research interest in child and adolescent mental health, mental health disparities, social determinants of health, and mental health services research. Empowered by his research and his identity as a person of color in healthcare, Henderson opens up about the effect racism and colonialism have had on his field.

Deeper in this episode, Indrias and Marcus dissect the social, economic, and political drivers that are putting a disproportionate number of individuals of color into inpatient psychiatric units. Focusing on Marcus’ area of research, they discuss the present state of child and adolescent mental healthcare and what needs to be done to fix the broken system. Together, Marcus and Indrias highlight the importance of creating a brave space where healthcare workers can learn together and share accountability in frustrating or uncomfortable situations.

To learn more about Marcus’ inspiring story and the Minority Fellowship Program that supports psychiatric and mental health nurses from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups pursing master’s and doctoral degrees, visit https://emfp.org.

Next Episode

Pak Chau

Season 2 of “Mental Health Trailblazers, Psychiatric Nurses Speak Up!” is in full swing with episode 3 guest, Mr. Pak Chau, and our host, Indrias Kassaye. Together, Pak and Indrias highlight the importance of culture, community, and alternative treatment options in the mental health field.

Pak Chau is a master’s fellow at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing and is slated to graduate in July of 2022. He is interested in using technology to bridge gaps in care, identifying public health inequities, and providing culturally and linguistically appropriate psychiatric care to minority populations.

Pak Chau comes from a Chinese immigrant family who settled in New Jersey following the British handover of Hong Kong to China. Growing up, Pak was the only English speaker in his household, which put a lot of pressure on him. At a very young age his language skills became essential to helping his parents navigate the healthcare system, filling insurance claims and communicating with English speaking doctors. When Pak began looking into career paths, he found that he was interested in many different disciplines, but in terms of practicality, his dad encouraged him to “find a job that has a license, because you'll always be able to get a job." That ultimately helped frame his final direction and culminated in a decision to pursue nursing.

Pak has since worn various hats across the field of nursing. Indrias and Pak discuss how health outcomes can improve when the health workforce reflects the community, including gender, ethnic, and racial diversity. Pak credits his MFP fellowship with providing access to a wide range of people in the mental healthcare profession who are propelled by their identities and using that as a very essential part of their academic and career development.

As the episode progresses, Pak shares his growing interest in treatment options that have the potential to provide effective psychiatric mental health care for underserved communities, including using technology to combat stigma as well as the emerging revival of psychedelic, naturopathic treatment options.

For more information about Pak Chau and the broad range of work he’s doing at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing as he nears graduation, plus further insight on his views regarding the importance of diverse care options, visit https://emfp.org/mfp-fellows/masters/pak-chau.

References to the following are made within this episode:

Penn A, Dorsen CG, Hope S, Rosa WE. Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy: Emerging Treatments in Mental Health Disorders. Am J Nurs. 2021;121(6):34-40. doi:10.1097/01.NAJ.0000753464.35523.29. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8574982/

University of Pennsylvania webinar: A Journey Through the Psychedelic Revival: What Happens in Psychedelic Therapy?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfraYldVv8c

Produced in the studios of Clean Cuts, a Three Seas company.