On July 31, 2025 history was made when Dr. Olykunbi Oyedele launched the first annual conference on Trauma, Mental Health and Substance Use sponsored by Living Vines Mental Health Foundation, an organization founded by Dr. Oyedele to address the intersection between trauma, mental illness and substance use disorders in Nigeria.
This informative conference was historic in that this was the first major conference which primarily featured African American and Nigerian speakers. In order for members of the African diaspora to heal historical trauma, the root cause of many of our mental health and substance use challenges, collaborations across the Atlantic Ocean between African Americans (the descendants of the European slave trade) and Africans living in the Motherland will play an important role in that healing.
African Americans bring to the table knowledge of evidence based practices and peer based recovery support and our brothers and sisters in Africa bring a great awareness of African cultural practices and the teachings of the ancestors. This combination when integrated could ignite healing and recovery worldwide.
The conference was particularly inspiring given current tensions between African Americans and Africans. A biproduct of the psychological impact of colonialization. Onward!!