Street team offers mental health support on Election Day

The Octave Street Teams will be in Los Angeles on Election Day, offering mental health support, resources and tips on managing political stress.

To help manage their mental health during and post-election, “ballot box breathing," a therapist-approved technique to reduce stress in the moment, is used. Octave is a mental health practice that offers high-quality therapy. This modern therapy practice connects patients to a curated network of therapists for results-driven care at individuals' convenience.

With immigrants making up about 14.3% of the nation’s population, a near-record high, according to a 2024 Pew Research Center Study, psychologist Valerie Labanca, LCSW at Octave, is familiar with treating patients who are experiencing stress and trauma related to changing political and social environments. 

She specializes in dedicated training and clinical experience focused on providing culturally competent care to Latino and Spanish-speaking patients. In a presidential race where immigration is a key issue, they want to offer support against political stress among the immigrant community. People of Latino origin are the county's largest ethnic/racial group in Los Angeles County, making up 49% of the population, according to 2022 Census data.

When: 

Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, 11 a.m. –  8 p.m. PT

Where: 

Location #1: UCLA Vote Centers (Ackerman Union & Hammer Museum) 

Location #2: Santa Monica College Main Campus (Student Services Center, Cafeteria / Courtyard & Main Quad)