Prioritising Mental Health:
A Practical Workshop
Wednesday, 25 January 2023 via ZOOM
6pm London | 1pm Cayman | 1pm New York
On Wednesday 25 January at 6pm GMT, Cayman Connection members attended an interactive 60-minute mental health workshop with Ashlea Smith hosting the session.
The event expanded on beneficial daily habits, mindfulness exercises and mental health resources for Caymanians living overseas. Breathwork and a vision board exercise were also featured in this session.
Previous Virtual Yard Meetings focused on mental health can be found here:
2022: Mental Health: Let’s Talk
2021: Cultural Wellbeing Webinar
Sarafina Mitchell is a third-year pharmacy student currently studying in the UK.
She is an aspiring Pharmacist who plans to come back to the Cayman Islands as a fully registered pharmacist. Also, she competed in the 2022 Miss Caribbean UK pageant where she left with the title of second runner-up. She is a mental health advocate and continues to support her local charity of choice the Alex Panton foundation. She is a member of the club Girl Power Cayman.
Attendees can expect helpful tips no matter where you are at in your mindfulness journey, and students overseas are encouraged to attend.
Caitlin Tyson is a Caymanian – American Actress, Writer, Influencer, Beauty Pageant Title Holder & Registered Yoga Instructor based in New York City & The Cayman Islands. She has an Associates degree in English Literature and in 2016 graduated with a degree from The American Academy of Dramatic Arts professional acting conservatory in New York City.
“I embarked on this yoga journey in 2015. It was introduced to me in the magical city of New York and not only did I find a deep connection with myself and the world around me, but I also found a tribe! ”
Ashlea Smith, Executive Director for Cayman Connection, will host this special wellness event in the Virtual Yard. She was born in the Cayman Islands and currently lives in the UK. Ashlea has worked in the charitable, not-for-profit space since 2015, primarily in the sport, physical activity and health sector.
Ashlea extends her community development experience to her overseas work in Zambia, where she has worked on grassroot development programmes using sport as a tool to support the education and development of young people and their communities.
Dr. Shari Smith is a licensed clinical psychologist with more than 30 years’ experience in special education and disabilities in the Cayman Islands. She is founder and owner of Life Options, and is the facilitator for Teen Talk sponsored by the Alex Panton Foundation. Dr. Shari is passionate about working with young people and adults who struggle with anxiety and depression, and persons experiencing difficulty navigating the transitions of life. Dr. Shari utilizes a holistic approach when working with her clients, incorporating a format that appreciates the connection between the mind, body, and spirit and how all are key in learning how to manage the many challenges in life.