Birmingham will host Mental Health Awareness Day on 17 May

By Chanda Temple | For The Birmingham Times

On Friday May 17, the City of Birmingham and community partners will be in Linn Park from 10am to 2pm to offer free resources and have conversations about mental health, which is a topic that many people are often reluctant to talk about. approach him.

Crystal Mullen-Johnson, Licensed Clinical Social Worker/Founder of Strive Counseling Services and Founder of Nurture Alabama, wants to remove the stigma surrounding mental health, which is why she’s partnering with the City of Birmingham and Birmingham Park and Recreation to help present. third annual mental health awareness day.

“Mental Health Awareness Month is recognized nationally in May, which is a valuable opportunity to come together with others who share a common goal: to engage in open discussions about mental health and provide support to those who have need,” Mullen-Johnson said.

Mayor Randall L. Woodfin said, “Mental health and wellness are too often overlooked in our community. Mental Health Awareness Day is our chance to change that; it’s our opportunity to highlight the importance of mental health.”

Not only will attendees be able to connect with mental health experts on a variety of topics, visit food trucks, participate in depression screenings, participate in yoga and exercise sessions, register for giveaways and to hear from the speakers, but they will also learn more about combating domestic violence.

One in three women and one in four men report experiencing severe physical violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And with the recent number of homicides in the area involving domestic violence, Mullen-Johnson wanted to stress that recognizing the early signs of domestic violence is crucial to ending the cycle.

Birmingham businesswoman Selena Rodgers Dickerson, who has been selected as a Domestic Violence Survivor Ambassador for this year’s Mental Health Awareness Day, will be at the park to listen to participants and encourage them to check out resources. Hearing how several women recently died at the hands of their abusers made her want to encourage women to seek help if they’re hurt, Dickerson said.

She and Mullen-Johnson hope the Linn Park event will empower people to let go of their fear and seek out and use available resources that can help. YWCA Central Alabama Domestic Violence Services will have a table at the event.

Mullen-Johnson added that through this free event, Nurture of Alabama’s mission is to expand access and change the conversation about mental health so that all Alabamians, especially those from historically marginalized communities, can thrive.

Speakers on stage will include:

• Alexandria Means, domestic violence expert, 10:10 am
• Beverly Johnson of the Alabama Department of Mental Health, 10:25 am
• Hernando Carter, general practitioner, 12:00 p.m

Some of the interactive sessions will include:

• Activities for adults from the city’s Park and Recreation Department, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Screening for Depression with Cherie May Edwards, a licensed professional counselor, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Mental Health Consultations with Lauren Packer, Licensed Associate Counselor, 10am-2pm
• Chair massages from Adrian Ward, 10:00 – 14:00
• Line dancing with fitness instructor Tracy Williams, 11am
• Yoga therapist Jamella Strode leads a session on how breathing techniques can help improve responses to trauma triggers, 12:30 pm
• A low-impact sculpting class with fitness instructor April Mack, 1 p.m

For more information, visit www.nurturebham.com. To contact Crystal Mullen-Johnson, send emails to [email protected].