On the backdrop of Namibia having the fourth highest suicide rate in Africa, according to the Ministry of Health and Social Services in September of 2018, mental health awareness has become one of the prevalent topics across various social media platforms.
Mental health problems are caused by or triggered by various issues such as genes or brain chemistry, traumatic life experience, abuse, stressful life events or a family history of mental health problems amongst other factors, which can
have serious negative impact on one’s wellness but help is available. For 27-year-old entrepreneur and clinical psychologist, Beauty Boois, mental health awareness has been somewhat of a calling.
What started off as simply giving people advice on mental health and some much-needed encouragement via social media eventually grew into a full-fledged career she hadn’t yet imagined was possible. It began with a curating Twitter account called Nam Mental Health that allowed users to share their stories and battles with mental health. The response was overwhelming enough for her to register for a four-year Bachelor of Psychology at the University of Namibia.
She earned a BPsych degree in Clinical Psychology from Unam in 2015 and is currently undertaking her Master’s Degree in the field. “Early on I spoke to a lot of young people who had just graduated, many of who were unemployed and, dealing with depression and didn’t have medical aid so could not afford
counselling. The online platform allowed people to express their anxiety and trauma anonymously and that was very helpful,” she says.
After a community internship spell at the Ministry of Labour as a psychological counsellor at the Vocational Counselling Services granted her exposure to Psychometrics, Career Counselling, Vocational Counselling as well as HIV/
AIDS Counselling and Community Mental Health in terms of Support Groups
for people living with Depression and Anxiety, she founded her practice BB Boois Psychology Practice in October 2017. “Mental Health refers to the holistic well-being of our psychological, emotional and social states of being. The way we think, feel and behave in our daily lives is all affected by our mental health. Mental Health also influences how we deal with stress, interact with others as well as our decision-making processes. It is an imperative aspect of the various stages of life, from childhood and adolescence all the way through to adulthood and old age.”
Her practice is registered with the Ministry of Health and Social Services and is also registered with Namibia Medical Aids Fund and adheres to prescribed tariff rates for those with medical aid as well as offers services to private clients. This, Boois did all while balancing motherhood, activism and gaining further certification in Yoga Psychology from Yoga Point in Nasik, India.
