AMHP x Lauren DeVera x Dr. Monica Band - Whole and Here: Embodied Healing in Community
Asian Mental Health Project presents Whole and Here: Embodied Healing in Community ft. Lauren DeVera & Dr. Monica Band
Asian Mental Health Project is hosting its FIRST D.C. event! This FREE in-person AMHP community event hosted at Femme Fatale DC offers a 60-minute movement class, followed by a 60-minute grounding/processing circle to reflect on the experience and theme of embodiment. Created for Asian women and femmes, the space invites exploration of embodiment, grounding, and collective care in a supportive, community-centered environment. Space is limited to 20-25 attendees. No prior movement experience is required.
🌸 SCHEDULE 🌸
6:30 pm EST: Workshop Welcome
6:40 - 7:30 pm EST: Movement class
7:30 - 7:40 pm EST: Break
7:40 - 8:30 pm EST: Grounding/processing circle
About Lauren DeVera - Known for her warmth and contagious energy, Lauren DeVera is a mixed Filipina-American choreographer, educator, performer, and founder of The Lion’s Den DMV - a dance and wellness hub centering friendship and self-expression. Her work explores identity, healing, and collective care through movement, somatics, and storytelling. Recent projects include NANAY, focused on the mother wound and intergenerational trauma, and RECLAIMING US, a short film on Asian-American mental health, presented at The Kennedy Center’s 10,000 Dreams Film Festival. Lauren/TLD has since partnered with countless local small businesses and organizations including The Kennedy Center, National Geographic, Yoga Alliance, DC Mayor's Office On Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs, City Of Alexandria, Dance Place, Amazon and NPR. She is also the creator and host of the award-nominated podcast, Thrive and Thread, a show centering wellness, mental health and creative entrepreneurship.
About Dr. Monica P. Band, LPC (DC, VA, VT), CRC, NCC, ACS, CCC - Dr. Band is an award-winning trauma-informed mental health therapist, educator, and founder of Mindful Healing Counseling Services, LLC, a group practice based in Washington, D.C. She is also the founder of Asian Therapists in Private Practice, a nationwide supportive community dedicated to empowering Asian mental health professionals through connection and shared resources. Specializing in culturally responsive care, Dr. Band has advanced training in EMDR and somatic approaches for treating complex trauma, dissociation, and attachment wounds. At the heart of her clinical work is a commitment to Asian diasporic and LGBTQIA+ communities, with deep expertise in intersectionality, immigrant and second-generation experiences, and identity development. These themes also shape her broader work as a trainer, consultant, and advisor, helping therapists and national stakeholders translate culturally responsive care into meaningful, equity-driven action.
Femme Fatale DC is a hub for womxn and non-binary creatives, entrepreneurs, and organizers. The community organization is a womxn-led economic ecosystem that advances intersectionality on a platform of equality. They are on a mission to amplify the influence of womxn by providing inspiration and practical support.
We extend our deepest gratitude to the Asian Pacific Community Fund (APCF) for supporting this event through the Asian Women Leaders in Philanthropy grant. APCF 's mission is to cultivate philanthropists to invest in organizations that empower underserved Asian American, Native Hawaiian, & Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities to prosper by increasing philanthropy among AANHPI individuals and sustaining and growing the AANHPI nonprofit sector.
FAQs
How much is it to attend the event?
Entry is free! Space is limited (20-25attendees), so please consider your RSVP your commitment to attend. If you can no longer attend for whatever reason, we ask that you kindly cancel your RSVP so more folk will be able to attend.
Am I able to donate to the event?
While the event is FREE is attend, donations to Lauren DeVera, Dr. Monica Band, and/or Asian Mental Health Project are welcome to continue supporting the accessibility, sustainability, and longevity of our free community care programs/events. Below is a donation guideline based on financial circumstances:
Pay-it-forward rate ($80) if many of the following apply:
I have a high income or strong earning potential.
I receive unearned or gifted income.
I or my family have significant assets (e.g., property, investments).
I completed my education without student debt.
My housing is or has been paid for by someone else.
Sustaining rate ($40) if many of the following apply:
I have a middle income and meet my basic needs without strain.
I can afford regular dining out or leisure activities.
I am able-bodied.
My family has higher education and some assets (e.g., home, retirement).
Reduced rate ($20) if many of the following apply:
I am sick, disabled, or face systemic barriers that limit my income.
I have essential health costs or struggle with debt.
I have student loans and come from a first-generation or low-asset background.
I support others financially and lack family/generational support.
Full scholarship (free) if many of the following apply:
I am unemployed or underemployed and struggling to meet basic needs.
I have no discretionary income or access to family wealth or support.
I face systemic barriers (e.g., housing, immigration, disability, discrimination).
I could not attend this workshop without a full scholarship.
Is it required for me to stay the whole time if I attend?
We’d love for you to stay and enjoy the whole event, but folks are welcome to come and go as they please.
Do I need to have experience in certain types of movement?
Not at all! You don’t need any dance or movement experience—just a willingness to explore movement as a healing practice for the sometimes difficult things we carry as women and femmes.
Do I need to bring anything to the event?
If you'd like, feel free to bring a water bottle, and your journal and pen.
What are the COVID protocols?
Please exercise caution and stay home if you are feeling sick!
Can I attend the event even though I do not Identify as Asian?
This event aims to center and uplift Pan-Asian community, and particularly for this event - Asian women and femmes. However, we welcome folks and allies from all identities and backgrounds to join us!
Is this event all ages?
This event is suitable for everyone ages 18+.
Is there parking?
There is only street parking available. We recommend arriving early and being mindful of any posted parking enforcement signs in the area.
Is the event space ADA-compliant?
The majority of the venue is accessible; however, the bathroom does not accommodate wheelchair access, and there is a step leading to the patio which limits accessibility to that area.
Yes, service animals are absolutely welcome!
Will the event be photographed?
Photos and footage may be captured by the AMHP team and/or event collaborators for the purposes of showcasing the event on our social media platforms.
Will there be food and drinks?
Food and drinks will not be offered at this event. Feel free to bring your own water and anything you might need to feel hydrated/nourished in this movement workshop.
Are animals (i.e., service animals) allowed?
Yes, service animals are absolutely welcome!
For more questions prior to the event, please email [email protected]
Thank you! <3