Dr. Leonard Edwards – Taking up the space, and doing the work

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

“Our silence is killing us.”

When I say us here, I mean Africans living in the Diaspora. Our silence is surrounding the topic of mental health, and mental health challenges.

Let’s start with some facts; people of Caribbean, East, and West African origin in Ontario have 60% increased risk of psychosis. (Anderson, Cheng, Susser, McKenzie, and Kurdyak, 2015,/https://blackhealthalliance.ca/). There are studies that highlight the fact that men have a hard time processing and talking about their emotional experiences. What this does is further their sense of isolation, anger and resentment. This can lead to emotional volatility that manifests as them “shutting down,” in relationships and in friendships. The other way it can manifest is in outward expressions of anger, aggression and even violence (Mascupathy: Understanding and Healing The Malaise of American Manhood).

These difficulties are fostered during childhood, and for those who grew up as sensitive boys, they are often subject to ridicule and shaming for what are natural and healthy expressions of emotion. The only feeling that men are able to easily identify with is anger, and what could easily be understood as sadness by a mental health professional is misinterpreted as anger in the general population.

In addition to this, psychosocial coping, economic status and income, and racism and discrimination are factors that contribute to depression and depressive symptoms among black men. To think; there are very few of our African men who are willing to do anything about this because to them, this is their day to day lives.

It is why our Classic Man Feature this week is focused on a man who has made himself part of the solution.

Dr. Leonard Edwards (Clinical SocialWork/Therapist, H.BSW, MSW, PhD, RSW)

has chosen to draw from his own: personal, educational, and professional experience to help other men in the African-Caribbean community deal with those “messy” moments in life that we all face. His life has shown him that although life can get a little messy at times, it can also be awe-inspiring, and incredibly purposeful. He has found a way to help people embrace their mess wholeheartedly and create a plan that is manageable and effective in helping them move towards living more fulfilled lives.

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce to the community, our Classic Man Feature, Dr. Leonard Edwards.

“Our blackness is what is common. I encourage young people to pursue what they want with excellence.”

Born and raised to an affluent family in Grenada, Dr. Leo speaks candidly about the fact that life was not easy for him.

“I did not have an easy childhood. I went to an all boy’s school (Grenada Boy’s Secondary School), and the majority of my elementary school days, I had to put up with being bullied. I was being called sissy. Fat. I remember walking through the auditorium, and other boys would be walking behind me making heavy sounds, BOOM BOOM! It took up so much of my mental real estate. I was dealing with a lot of self-image issues. It took away from me being able to focus on education.”

In Grenada, you have to take a test given by the Caribbean Examination Council.

I guess you could compare it to the EQAO testing that is done here in Ontario. You need to pass with at least a 7 or an 8. At that time, he could only get a 4. “I felt like a total loser, and I began to hear that narrative. It was even harder because of the family that I was from. My parents were not in tune and were unable to be supportive back then. My mom has really come around. It makes sense to her now.”

His struggles didn’t stop there. He applied to community college and didn’t get it. This added to his feelings of insecurity and lack of worth. He made the decision to change his environment, and to migrate. It was a little easier for him to do then mostly because he came from a privileged family. He decided on Canada.

His first stop was George Brown College. He ended up completing a community work program, and it was here that he met two people who would become instrumental in his life.

“Robin Buyers was a professor at George Brown College. She took interest in me, melded me and guided me. I began to hear a different message. She told me I was bright, and it was then that I began to expand and flourish. Another tremendous source of support to me at that time was Dorothee Chopamba

She was a mature student at George Brown, and we completed our studies together. Both of these women still hold a place in my life because of how they nurtured me during a very difficult time in my life.

I recognized that in Canada, racism truly existed. I sometimes felt unwelcomed. I would never have white privilege, but I could use education to navigate this system, so that is what I did.”

Dr. Leo never looked back. He ended up completing a degree in Social Work and Social Justice at York University. (Social Work) Social injustice. He moved on to finish his Master’s Degree at the University of Toronto. He recalls the unpleasantness of that experience. “It was a toxic environment. I almost didn’t complete the program. I was accused by one of the professors of reverse-racism, all because I stood up to her. There were so many barriers, but I remembered that I had people who cared about me. I turned to Professor Robin, and she helped me get through that.”

He moved on to completing his doctorate at Lancaster University, United Kingdom. During this time, he worked as a clinical therapist at CAMH, and he was also teaching at community colleges. Once he completed his doctorate, he decided that he would open his own practice.

“I know that the world of psychology is rooted in white supremacy. I could bring a new kind of experience in therapy. The focus of my counselling, consultation and life skills support is grounded within the capability approach framework towards disability and social justice.

I can support you if you are

1. Living with a mental health challenge (depression and anxiety)
2. Having relationships issues (personal, family, work)
3. Dealing with sexuality, and sexual identity (LGBTQQ+ community)

I operate from a highly developed anti-racist, anti-oppressive, and trauma-informed lens to empower my clients and to address the issues in their life.

My approach to therapy is eclectic and integrates techniques from evidence-based therapeutic models such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

It is important to be the ones to take up the space and do the work. Our people need us.”