Suicide stay one big kine cause of death fo’ Hawaii’s youth ages 15 to 24. State data show half of da transgender youth wen try suicide in da past year. One spesho mental health clinic fo’ teenagers in Kakaako like help fight dis crisis. ?️⚧️?️??
“Da idea wen come from my oldest keiki, Mattie. He stay part of da LGBTQI+ community,” said licensed therapist Haylin Dennison, who wen start Spill the Tea cafe wit her son Mattie. “We wen try find resources during da pandemic, but no can find too much.” ????
“Mattie wen get da idea fo’ make one wellness centa fo’ teenagers wea we can build community, an’ den get da groups o’ individual therapy dat oddah kids might need too,” Dennison wen explain. ???
Wen Dennison wen talk about da issues she see wit teens, she say, plenny kids get pressure from demself or dea parents, an’ dat lead to anxiety, depression, an’ suicide. She like focus on bringin’ awareness an’ da right resources fo’ try prevent suicide, cuz she tink can ?% prevent ’em. ???
“Get da big misconception dat dese kids jus’ stay trouble, o’ get mental problems. But fo’ realz, it’s da discrimination an’ loneliness, an’ sometimes even hate. Dey feel like dey no belong, an’ dat make ’em hard fo’ keep going. Dat sense of belonging stay crucial fo’ dea psychological development,” she say. ???
No jus’ teens need counseling, tho. Dennison wen say she had fo’ overcome her own bias an’ internal ideas ’bout da LGBTQI+ community fo’ be one bettah parent an’ help her keiki go thru da tough times. ?????
Da Spill The Tea Cafe ?? stay open fo’ all da teens, even if dey no da clients. Dey can come fo’ free snacks, boba, video gaming, an’ resources. Dennison like make dis place one safe space fo’ everyone fo’ be demself an’ focus on wat mattahs most. ???
Spill The Tea Cafe (https://spilltheteacafe.org/) stay at 1034 Queen St, 2nd Floor, across from Whole Foods. Da hours stay:
- Wednesday thru Friday — 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Saturdays — 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Sundays — 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
If you o’ someone you know stay going thru one mental health crisis, call 988. ???
NOW IN ENGLISH
?? Teen Mental Health Cafe: Helping Our Youth Combat the Suicide Crisis ?
Suicide is a major cause of death for Hawaii’s youth aged 15 to 24. State data reveals that half of the transgender youth attempted suicide in the past year. A unique mental health clinic for teenagers in Kakaako aims to help tackle this crisis. ?️⚧️?️??
“The idea came from my oldest child, Mattie. He is part of the LGBTQI+ community,” said licensed therapist Haylin Dennison, who founded Spill the Tea cafe with her son Mattie. “We were trying to find resources during the pandemic, but it was challenging to find anything.” ????
“Mattie had the idea to open a wellness center for teenagers where we could build a community and provide the necessary group or individual therapy that other kids might need as well,” Dennison explained. ???
When Dennison discussed the issues she sees with teens, she mentioned that many kids experience internal pressure from themselves or their parents, leading to anxiety, depression, and suicide. She wants to focus on raising awareness and providing the right resources to try to prevent suicide, as she believes it can be 100% preventable. ???
“There’s a big misconception that these kids are just troubled or have mental problems. In reality, it’s the discrimination and loneliness, and sometimes even hate. They feel like they don’t belong, and that makes it hard to keep going. That sense of belonging is crucial for their psychological development,” she said. ???
It’s not just teens who need counseling, though. Dennison said she had to overcome her own biases and internalized ideas about the LGBTQI+ community to be a better parent and help her child navigate challenging times. ?????
The Spill The Tea Cafe ?? is open to all teens, even if they are not clients. They can come for free snacks, boba, video gaming, and resources. Dennison wants to make this place a safe space for everyone to be themselves and focus on what matters most. ???
Spill The Tea Cafe (https://spilltheteacafe.org/) is located at 1034 Queen St, 2nd Floor, across from Whole Foods. The hours are:
- Wednesday through Friday — 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Saturdays — 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Sundays — 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
If you or someone you know is going through a mental health crisis, call 988. ???
