Whole Health NJ: Bridging Diverse Health Disciplines for Community Wellness

On Saturday, June 8th, Isiah and Jessica Brown of New Jersey Counseling Services, LLC, hosted “Whole Health NJ” at the Cambria Hotel in West Orange. This humble event welcomed health professionals from across the state to speak, network, and offer their expertise on improving an individual’s well-being.

NJCS has long provided various therapeutic resources to support the community’s mental health and promote its success. However, Whole Health NJ was one of many new events that Isiah and Jessica will host in North, South, and Central Jersey.

Mental Health in Athletics

Isiah, a licensed professional counselor, has worked in mental health and addiction rehab for a decade. More recently, he and Jessica have branched out into the sports industry, raising awareness surrounding its effects on athletes’ mental health and providing aid to current and former players. 

Having played sports since he was seven, Isiah has long held a strong passion for basketball and continues to practice years after playing at the high school and college levels. Seeing other committed athletes struggle with mental illness, Isiah ventured on his crusade, wondering, “What happens after we’re done playing sports? And how does that affect a person’s identity and how they function in society?”

When discussing this issue, Jessica talked about how depression and anxiety rates are high among athletes due to the immense pressure they endure in their careers. She also stated how low the recovery rate from addiction is for athletes, citing the case of former New York Giants tight end Darren Waller as an example of this epidemic.

“There’s a lot of addiction within the sports community,” Jessica added. “And there is a lot of mental health [issues] that also, being around a lot of minorities, it’s something not talked about amongst minority families. So we want to bring awareness to them.”

Broadening the Scope of Wellness

Despite their commitment to athlete’s well-being, Isiah and Jessica decided to keep the theme of their first Whole Health NJ event more “open.” They chose to center the event around the theme of “Integrating Diverse Disciplines to Comprehensive Health,” which included having local experts across multiple industries and practices come and offer their health-related services. “The whole idea is we all work with the same individuals who may need support in some way,” explained Isiah.

West Orange’s branch of LA Fitness gave away free seven-day memberships and some helpful tips for maintaining a proper diet. For instance, they claim eating six meals a day between 7 AM and 7 PM is better than eating one, as the latter can produce high levels of insulin, leading to chronic illnesses like diabetes. Meanwhile, other vendors, like Harmony Meditation from Westfield, offered tai chi sessions and copies of Bigger Self, Bigger Mind, the new self-help book by its founder, Alexander Choi.

The Role of Finances and Stress

One particular topic that Whole Health NJ emphasized was finances since, according to a 2019 Capital One CreditWise survey, 73% of Americans identified it as the number one cause of stress. As a result, Isiah and Jessica invited professionals like TD Bank’s Jay McCracken and BreakThru Physical Therapy co-founder Lance Knaub to share their insights and services in the hopes of helping entrepreneurs and spreading financial and mental wellness.

The event also featured Dr. Kevin Holder, an expert in holistic medicine who shared his ideas and methods of living a happy, healthy life. Holder claims that one’s health is based on environment, genetics, and lifestyle and that any limitation they may have can also be an opportunity. He urged his audience to reflect on who they are, use the time they have well, and live with “flavor” and “persistence.”

Impact and Future Plans

Ultimately, Whole Health NJ left a strong first impression on attendees, thanks to the efforts of NJCS and all those who joined them. As Isiah and Jessica continue to provide psychiatric aid to the state, other New Jersey residents will have the opportunity to learn from them at their next Whole Health event, which will reportedly occur in Monmouth County this September.