On to the story
Paperflower is another name for a Boungavillea.
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This is a beautiful, brightly colored plant that continues to thrive in the harshest conditions of the desert -- showing a level of resilience that people with trauma and mental health concerns often
show (without realizing it).
Paperflower Psychiatry, LLC was launched in October 2020.
Maria had been previously working at a community mental health agency and attempted to make negotiations to match the income of her male nurse practitioner coworker. Negotiations went south, human resources and the chief financial officer laughed at her request. She was already distraught at being burnt out from seeing a huge amount of patients in a short period of time. She was tired of being treated poorly by leadership, and not being able to advocate or create quality care for her patients. She was disgusted by case workers and intake specialists who were actively transphobic and homophobic, refusing to use patient's pronouns and chosen names. She was done with being looked at as a cash cow to make money for people who gave no fucks about the patients.
At this point, she said "fuck it" and quit on the spot. If places like that could be corrupt as fuck and thrive, what would hold us back from having a practice that could be better? That could provide better quality care. That could OPENLY support the LGBTQIA+ population and fight health disparities. That could only hire on providers who give a fuck. That could put access to care before money. She registered for an LLC, designed her own website and started the practice that very weekend.
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Since then, we've just been growing.
anti-fascist & secular since 2020.
we were born in resistance to the current healthcare system prioritizing capitalism. every single person on our team votes for your right to choose, love, exist and be included in our society.
we remain opposed to the current administration. we stand against nazis like elon musk who threaten the livelihood of LGBTQIA+ folx, the jewish community and POC. we stand against the system that erases the existence of trans folx. we stand against RFK for villainizing vaccines and life saving medications.
we stand against trump for dismantling the system that offers fair education and rights to special needs children, and the ability to advance ourselves for those of us who can't afford higher education. we stand against the system that favors billionaires, leaving the rest of us without adequate resources or healthcare.
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we will continue to stand in solidarity with you.
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we have made some support guides for navigating your safety in the administration here.
