The Iyashi Pulse

Founder's Note

Hello & Welcome Welcome to this special combined May and June edition of the Iyashi Pulse. The past two months have been focused on digital advocacy and breaking the silence that too often surrounds our mental health.

May marked Mental Health Awareness Month, and June brings our focus to Men's Mental Health Awareness Month. To honour both, our team launched back-to-back digital campaigns designed to challenge stigma, educate, and create safe spaces for honest and vulnerable conversations.

A significant highlight of our June campaign has been the launch of our Men's Voices feature. We recently shared the lived experience of A.M.N, a financial professional who navigated psychosis and the weight of societal judgment. Read his story here. It is a reminder of why we must continue advocating for mental health to be treated as a medical condition, not a moral failure or personal weakness.

We have also been tackling these topics on the Iyashi Conversations podcast. Our latest episode unpacking the silence around men's mental health with guest Victor is now live. Watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify.

Additionally, June 25th marked the two-year anniversary of Black Tuesday. I spent time reading into the latest psychological research to understand the mechanics of bravery and how we can apply that same courage to advocate for ourselves in our boardrooms, relationships, and daily lives. Read the article on the science of courage.

Whether you are engaging with our digital campaigns, sharing our podcast episodes, or taking the courageous step to prioritize your own healing in therapy, we are honoured to walk this journey with you.

As always, I invite you to follow our updates on our social media pages.

Warm regards,
Emily Mbelenga Founder, Iyashi Wellness Centre

In This Issue

Redefining Strength and Silence

In many of our cultural contexts, strength is associated with silence and endurance. For men especially, societal conditioning dictates that challenges should be handled privately. However, suppressing pain does not make it disappear — it forces the body and mind to carry the burden, often manifesting as chronic stress, anxiety, or burnout.

This month, we challenge the myth that asking for help is a sign of weakness. Here are practical ways to shift the culture of silence around mental health:

The Science of Everyday Bravery

This June, as we marked the two-year anniversary of Black Tuesday, our nation reflected on the undeniable courage of the Gen Z demonstrators on the streets of Nairobi. Witnessing ordinary citizens transform into human shields raises an important question: Are some people born brave, or is courage a muscle that can be conditioned?

In the therapy room at Iyashi Wellness Centre, we frequently see people grapple with fear. A common misconception is that courage requires the absence of fear — that if your hands are shaking and your voice is cracking, you are weak. Psychological research, however, debunks this myth.

Researchers suggest a dual-process model of courage, known as the approach-avoidance conflict. This means we can 'hack' our own courage. Whether you need the bravery to leave a toxic relationship, set a boundary with family, or speak up against an unethical practice at work — you do not have to be fearless. You just have to decide that your truth is more important than your comfort.

Hacking the Tools in Our Pockets

A 2024 study by Morris et al. caught our eye because it focuses on technology we all carry daily: our smartphones. The researchers utilized AI to analyse passive metrics — sleep patterns, step counts, social call frequencies, and time spent at home — to predict a mental health crisis before it even happens.

In Kenya, where smartphone penetration is among the highest in Africa, we could ethically leverage the passive data they generate to see patterns that support our clinical work.

Many people are turning to generic AI tools for support because of a shortage of human practitioners. However, generic AI is not trauma-informed, cannot handle crises safely, and often simply agrees with a user when they may need to be challenged.

Our solution is not to ban technology, but to build better, safer, and context-specific digital tools. Technology will never replace the need for human connection or 1-on-1 therapy — but we can leverage it to improve how we provide services.

Scholar Bundi Counselling Psychologist · Tulivu Global Wellness Centre We are privileged to feature Scholar Bundi as our guest expert this month. As we bring focus to Men's Mental Health Awareness, we must confront a painful reality: approximately eight out of every ten suicide deaths in Kenya involve men, yet they remain the least likely demographic to seek professional psychological support.

In her exclusive piece, Re-imagining Men's Mental Health Support in Kenya, Scholar challenges the conventional, highly verbal, face-to-face therapy model. She explains that for many men, sitting in an enclosed office feels emotionally exposing and inconsistent with cultural expectations of strength and self-reliance.

Scholar highlights that male psychological distress frequently presents indirectly — through irritability, overworking, physical ailments, or substance use — rather than verbalized sadness. She advocates for integrating mental health support into spaces where men already gather: community barazas, sports clubs, and investment groups (chamas).

Scholar leaves us with a powerful truth: Men are not refusing help — they have not yet found support designed in a way they can safely, comfortably, and realistically access.

🛋️ Our Therapy Services

If you are carrying the weight of unspoken pain, our individual therapy sessions are confidential and empathetic. We offer a safe space to navigate burnout, financial stress, relationship challenges, trauma, and much more — virtually and in-person.

A Final Thought for May & June

If there is one thread tying this combined issue together, it is this: breaking the silence. Whether it is finding the courage to set a boundary, the bravery to challenge the stigma of mental illness, or the realization that even our most advanced digital tools cannot replace the safety of a therapist — healing begins the moment we stop pretending we are invincible.

We live in a culture that frequently equates strength with silent endurance. But as we have explored over these last two months, resilience is found in connection, not isolation. Healing is not about toughening up; it is about having the courage to take the armour off.

Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Treat it accordingly.

Here is to a season of open conversations, redefined strength, and unshakeable courage.

— Team Iyashi Wellness Centre

👀 Coming in July

World Youth Skills Day & Demystifying Diagnoses

Our social media focus also shifts to #TruthTuesday — every week we will profile common mental health diagnoses: how to spot early warning signs, debunking the myths, and practical steps to get help. Keep an eye on our pages every Tuesday.