This year we are celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Whitman-Walker Health and their amazing and life-saving contributions to the LGBTQ community. As a facility that uses a patient-focused model for care, there are many ways this organization can help you live a healthier life.
Here are six ways that Whitman-Walker Health can work for you.
If you are a human with a vagina, you need to take care of it. Part of this includes getting it examined to ensure that this complex internal and external system is healthy and working correctly. Yes, it does some self-maintenance but sometimes it might require a little bit of extra care. So make an appointment for that pap smear you’ve been avoiding and get a little extra peace of mind.
It might have been a rough year for you. It may have been a hard existence for you so far. The peer support and one-to-one peer counselors want you to know you are not alone and, maybe most importantly, whatever happened isn’t your fault. Yes, many cliché mental health phrases may be said here, in this piece or other places, but they are no less true. Having someone who looks like you, has had similar experiences, and identifies in a way you do can help guide you through some hard moments and love yourself just a little bit more.
Seniors are an often neglected group in society. With PALS, seniors in the LGBTQ community spend quality time with volunteers and friends to minimize social isolation. They also improve quality of life by allowing this part of the community to grow old in their own homes and the communities they may have helped build. They gain a greater awareness of culturally competent services and improve their overall physical health and safety.
This group focuses on weight loss and risk reduction. It’s aimed at minority women who may be at risk of disease and could benefit from nutritional and lifestyle changes, as well as women who might need purposeful movement and an open discussion on issues relating to weight loss in a safe space.
Safety and education are paramount for LGBTQ youths’ success. REALTalk connects 13 – 24 year-olds with peer counseling, necessary sex education, free STI/STD/pregnancy testing, and more. REALTalk want to ensure that young people have spaces and events tailored to them and their needs. They also ensure that when they are ready to enter the job force, they have all of the tools they need to start their career.
For more information about these services and more, visit www.whitman-walker.org.
