We were lucky to catch up with Dr. Bryan Sackey recently and have shared our conversation below.

Dr. Bryan, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.

I believe our life’s journey is comprised of various critical moments that serve as compasses guiding us towards places we are meant to be. Nonetheless, there are moments that are so profound that it propels us strongly in the direction that aligns with our purpose in life. For me however, it was a build up of micro-moments that eventually led me to the proverbial “a ha!” defining moment. The build up can be described more so as a “slow speed chase” of the mental health field pursuing me.

When I sought out to be a medical professional, psychiatry was never one that was on my radar. I intended to go into cardiology or infectious disease however psychiatry just seemed to keep butting its nosey self in everything, kinda like that one Uncle who never got an invite but somehow found his way in EVERY major function in your life. But I digress. My professional journey consisted of so many moments where mental health was choosing me. During pharmacy school, my faculty mentor happened to be the sole psychiatric PharmD provider in the college and provided me opportunities to serve as tutor for his course along with engagement in mental health research. Mental health came easy to me compared to some of the other courses and there was no denying it. However, I kept neglecting pursuing it. During my final year of my pharmacy doctorate’s program, I applied to do a clinical rotation at the FDA in the infectious disease department. I did not get the position but they offered me an alternative department to rotate in….yup you guessed it: Psychiatry. It was actually a really great experience but it just wasn’t enough for me to swipe right (haha). Around this time, there was one major event in which psychiatry truly forced it’s way in my life. This was when a good friend from undergrad with bipolar disorder died of suicide by overdosing on her pills. I felt numb when I heard the news, feeling like there was something I could’ve done to prevent this unfortunate outcome. It highlighted the inconspicuous yet menacing nature of mental health in the black community and how it is silently taking us out. This situation however left me more confused and frustrated than inspired. It wasn’t until my first year in residency training at the Houston Veteran’s Affairs hospital where I had a truly profound encounter with a young black male during my rotation in the psychiatric inpatient unit. Here was this gentleman who was deemed to be severely mentally ill and “belligerent”; seemingly uncontrollable and difficult to deal with. I was tasked to evaluate him and so naturally I braced myself for this “difficult” patient. However the moment I walked in his room, there was a sense of calmness when we saw each other. It’s like I saw myself in him, a young black male seeking to be understood in this complex world. The first question I asked was “what would you rather be doing right now instead of being here?” He paused then answered “photography”. We proceeded to spark a natural conversation about personal interests and passions. At the end of the conversation he said “man, you’re the first doctor in here to actually SEE ME”. It was at that moment where everything clicked for me. The confusion and frustration I felt from my friend’s unfortunate suicide in the past now transformed into purpose and hope. Hope for the lives of many others that can be preserved if I pursue this purpose. It was my defining moment and I finally embraced what was pursuing me this whole time: Mental Health. It’s a lesson for those not sure where they are meant to be: embrace life’s experiences, what is meant for you will naturally flow to you.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am Ghanaian-born American with a vast appeal for the intricacies of life. Professionally, I am a mental health provider with a background in psychiatric pharmacology, an adjunct assistant professor, a clinical researcher, a speaker, and a philanthropist. For me, psychiatric care has always felt like a perfect balance of science and art enveloped in truly compassionate patient care. As a minority, I am particularly concerned with the mental health disparities in underrepresented communities, which have been notoriously driven by the stigmas surrounding these conditions. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, only about one-quarter of African Americans seek mental health care, compared to 40% of Caucasians. Realities like this, coupled with my own experiences in witnessing many people in my community fall victim to the unfortunate outcomes of mental illness is what compelled me to create something bigger than myself that goes beyond the hospital walls of my profession. Enter Your Mind Is Our Business (YMOB).

I launched YMOB in 2020 to tackle the mental health problem in our community. The name plays on the concept of many of us often deferring to the statement “mind your business” when asked about how we’re feeling…well, your mind IS my business (well, it should be anyway). YMOB comprise of socially engaging events (to include educational seminars, workshops, resource sharing) and Mental Health coaching. YMOB was developed to create safe spaces to discuss our mental well-being, and more importantly, how we can heal together. One of my favorite moments of this journey thus far was going to Ghana in 2019 and providing mental health services to one of the more underdeveloped areas in the city of Accra. It was truly a very full circle moment for me.

The essence of this program is authentic and personalized healing. With a career as a psychopharmacologist, I am equipped with the knowledge of treating mental health conditions however the approach of YMOB goes beyond medicine by embracing overall holistic (whole body) and dynamic healing which entails lifestyle changes, therapy, self-discovery, positive coping strategies, spirituality and naturalistic methods. My mantra is that you can never be fully YOU if you’re not mentally, physically and spiritually aligned.

The Mental Health Coaching component is a one on one personalized service utilizing a comprehensive healing process focused on providing the client with the tools, resources, education, and emotional support to foster mental healing and attain the healthiest version of them through clinically proven methods by mental health experts.
The process includes
• Comprehensive review of mental and pertinent medical history
• Development of a strategic mental health plan for goal setting and tracking
• Psychopharmacological review of mental health medications with included clinical consultation for client’s personal doctors
• Mental health education for better insight of the client’s conditions with resources for loved ones
• Purpose Discovery exercises
• Access to adjunctive care to include specialized psychotherapy,
nutritional services, physical fitness, herbal medicine and spirituality

Ultimately, the mission of YMOB is to create a community where we mind our mental health with resources that builds a framework for mental healing. By doing so we are able to empower the underserved population to embrace mental well-being and self care.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

It’s all about AUTHENTICITY. I truly embrace it because I believe it is one of the biggest factors in connecting individuals with their mental healing journey. This is particularly critical in the minority community where there is a general mistrust for conventional medical practice. Anecdotally, I witness so many individuals avoid mental health care because they can’t seem to connect with the approach and professionals, or feel like it is too stigmatized. The authenticity and “realness” of mental health is often the missing ingredient. And so for me, I particularly pride myself on meeting individuals where they are and what mental health may look like in their lives and/or culture. I authentically speak on my own struggles on public platforms and describe the realities of the various shapes healing can take. This allows others to feel more comfortable in embracing the process.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

This may apply to any field however my biggest advice would be to do the real (yet difficult) work of identifying who you are and what drives you as early as you can in your life. In other words, finding your purpose in life; your “why”. This involves identifying your strengths, weaknesses, natural gifts, values, motivators, distractors, and passions. In fact, I encourage anyone embarking on any new journey to do this not only at the beginning but yearly to help calibrate the direction you are going. I believe by doing so, you are truly manifesting the purpose God has for you and developing an internal compass to get you there.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @Yourmind.ourbusiness
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@yourmindisourbusiness183
• Other: Website is being revamped at this time so for business inquiries please email: ymob.contact@gmail.com

Image Credits
Sylvester Agbahiwe