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LOCAL Wednesday 13 July 2022
Alysha Boekhoudt:
“Even I and many other psychologists go to therapy. It’s something

normal and super necessary”

Alysha Boekhoudt is a young psychology. If from a young age we are telling
woman in her late 20s, who gradu- our children ‘stop crying, only ba-
ated with a Bachelors of Science For many people in Aruba, the top- bies cry’, it makes it so that when
in Psychology only three years ic of mental health is still taboo and they’re older, they won’t express
ago. Recently she is practicing her it’s not something that is discussed their emotions either.”
profession as a psychology here openly. Alysha says that in a short
on Aruba, and at the same time time she sees an improvement, not “Three: Create awareness in the
is completing her Master’s of Sci- only in Aruba but also globally, for community regarding the various
ence in Industrial and Organiza- mental health. She says that there mental problems that exist. Let the
tional Psychology. is still a lot of improvement to be people know that they can seek
made so that this is no longer a ta- help, at private clinics, or for free
Alysha told our reporter that she boo, which sadly it still is. “Little by from them government.”
didn’t always know that she would little there is improvement, but we
study psychology, but she always have a long way to go still”, she “Four: many of my clients, I real-
knew that she was very interested says. ized, are afraid of taking medica-
in human behavior and the rea- tion. They believe that only ‘crazy’
son behind certain decisions that Alysha explains different ways people need medication, or only
people make. She also finds satis- which in her professional opinion it ‘crazy’ people need to see a psy-
faction in helping people. “Now is important to help create aware- chologist. That is completely incor-
that I’m working as a psychologist, ness in the Aruban community re- rect. Everyone can go through dif-
I can say that the feeling of help- garding mental health. ficult times that require therapy or
ing a person, be it something small “One: stop the mentality that seek- medication. This doesn’t make a
or big, makes me very happy”, she ing help is for weak people. This be- person ‘crazy’. Even I and many
says. gins when we are young. We have other psychologists go to therapy
the mentality that if we seek help, with another psychologist. This is
In the past, Alysha had a lot of in- we are not someone who can something super normal and super Don’t be ashamed of seeking help
terest in studying law as well, and stand on their own, and this leaves necessary.” either. There are many psycholo-
she explains that this interest came grown people ashamed of seeking gists and psychiatrists in Aruba with
from the side of her that likes to help.” Alysha advices any person who a lot of experience, who can give
help people. Over time she decid- might be struggling with their men- help. Same as you are struggling
ed that understanding of the rea- “Two: Stop teaching our children tal health not to wait until they can’t with your issues, other people are
sons why a person acts a certain that expressing their emotions is take it anymore to find help. “As also struggling with theirs. So nev-
way can help the person better. At bad. It’s okay to cry, it’s okay to get soon as you realize that something er judge anyone, even if their life
that moment she decided to study angry, and it’s okay to be afraid. is not right, seek help right away. seems perfect.”

Lionfish: a beautiful fish with dangerous effects

Lionfish has its origins in the Indian and Pacific the ocean eating the eggs of other fish. Lionfish Aruba Reef Care Foundation and some profes-
Oceans, and extended its presence between are responsible for the decline of other species sional divers like Patrick van Brakel from Hunting
the coasts of Florida to the north of Brazil. It’s a in the area, together with pollution and global Lion Fish on YouTube dedicate to hunting lion-
beautiful fish, but it represents danger for the warming. fish. This fish is known for its looks, but many peo-
ecosystems in the Caribbean coasts and their ple don’t know that it makes for a good meal:
surroundings. Lionfish was first spotted off the coast of Florida it’s rich in Omega 3 and its fins don’t have a
in 1985, and by 2001 it was established on the spine; it’s full of meat, and is also delicious.
Aruba has various foundations in charge of find- American west coast. Some people had lion-
ing these fish, which are predators and invade fish in aquariums, but released them because However, its fins can cause strong pain and
they could eat all the other fish and it was hard even paralysis, and if a hunter is bitten by a li-
to provide all the food that the lionfish needed. onfish it can result in pain, vomiting and even
This translated to worry about the same hap- breathing problems. Its 18 fins are a defense
pening in the Caribbean Area. Another theory mechanism.
is that some people released lionfish into the The stomach of the lionfish can expand 30
wild with a commercial purpose, or even that times its original size, and for this reason it eats
hurricane Andrew displaced a great amount of a lot. This represents a threat to other predator
fish from aquariums, due to flooding. species which cannot hunt the same food. It
Regardless, there are now millions of lionfish in consumes 50 different species of fish, including
the ocean currents, which are ripe for their re- those of more economic and ecologic impor-
production. tance. It also creates an important imbalance
in the ecosystem of reefs and coral.
Lionfish reproduction is amazing – currently their
numbers are greater than any other fish in many Currently, its only threat is the humans them-
places, and are four times more abundant in selves, and the need to find and kill lionfish is
their area of origin. becoming an urgent priority. Conservation
It’s difficult to trap them because they live in the groups, and even industries dedicated to fish-
depths of the ocean, so only divers can hunt ing, consider that hunting this invasive species
them. is the only effective way to reduce their expan-
sion and save our reefs.
In Aruba, foundations like Aruba Lion Fish Initia-
tive Foundation, Caribbean Lionfish Alliance, Image by Patrick van Brakel.