#RallyUp2SaveLives
Mental Health
Magazine
What's The Score?
ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCE By: Lex Morgan
Mental Health Confession
SUICIDAL FACES By: Jada Carrington
Strength for the
Overwhelmed by Andrae Hayden
Fashion
The Body Positive Zone
Warrior Zone V: Kayla Sampson
Standing in her Truth
What Image Have
You Taken On by Denise Walker
Are You At Risk?
Passive vs Active
Suicidal Thoughts
by Tynesha "Tyi" Flood
Postpartum Depression
Tried to Take Me Out
by Dara Jones
STACY-ANN BUCHANAN
Mental Health During Pregnancy Stacy shares how she copes with Anxiety & Depression
Features:
Founder of CalebKids KEISHA JACKSON Founder & CEO of ABSoulute Fitness ROB BROWN
Stronger Than My Struggles
Melony Hill Summer 2019
SUMMER ISSUE 2019
OUR FIGHT Laughter is
one of the best
MEDICINES
I FIGHT, SHE
FIGHT, WE FIGHT
TOGETHER
photo by Cash Captures
Her Sunshine My Strength
If you need help now or feeling suicidal call 911. 1800-SUICIDE (1800-784-2433) 1800-273- TALK (1800-273-8255) CRISIS TEXT LINE Text "FIGHT" to 741741 A free, 24/7 text line for people in crisis
www.therapyforblackgirls.com Residential Crisis Services, Mosiac Community Service Phone:(410)938-5030 www.mosiacinc.org/programsservices/residential-crisis-program Hours of Operation:24/7
NAMI Helpline M-F, 10 am - 6pm ET 1800-950-NAMI
Spanish Suicide Hotline Phone:(800)784-2432 or (888)628-9454 Hours of Operation:24/7
We Fight Foundation, Inc. 240-34-FIGHT (240-343-4448) www.wefightfoundation.org available crisis chat line.
The Trevor Suicide HelpLine Phone:(866)488-7386 www.thetrevorproject.org Hours of Operation:24/7
TEEN LINE 1800-852-8336 www.teenlineoonline.org
Veterans Crisis Hotline Phone:(877)838-2838 www.veteranscall.us/ Hours of Operation:24/7
Military Veterans Suicide Hotline: 1800-273-TALK (1800-273-8255 PRESS 1)
Mental Health America http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/
LGBTQ+ Youth Suicide Hotline: 1866-4-U-TREVOR
American Psychiatric Association http://www.psych.org/
NAMI National http://www.nami.org/ Suicide Hotline in Spanish: 1800-273- TALK (1800-273-8255 PRESS 2) Family Crisis Center, Inc. Phone:(301)731-1203(Hotline) www.familycrisisresourcecenter.org/ Hours of Operation:24/7
American Psychological Association http://www.apa.org Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA) http://www.adaa.org/
Family Crisis Center for Domestic Violence Phone (410)828-6390(410)285-7496(Emergency Safe Shelter) Hours of Operation:24/7 Korean Suicide Hotline Phone:(855) 775-6732 www.koreansuicidehotline.com/ Hours of Operation:24/7
National Institute of Mental Health http://www.nimh.nih.gov/ Obsessive Compulsive Foundation http://www.ocfoundation.org/ Mental Health.gov https://www.mentalhealth.gov/ Apps The Safe Place notOK App
National Hopeline Network Phone:(800)442-4673 www.hopeline.com Hours of Operation:24/7 National Sexual Assault Hotline,RAINN Phone:(800)656-4673 www.rainn.org/get-help/national-sexual-assault-hotline Hours of Operation:24/7 In the United States, almost half of adults (46.4 percent) will experience a mental illness during their lifetime.~ Mental Health First Aid Half of all mental disorders begin by age 14 and three-quarters by age 24. ~Mental Health First Aid
www.wefightfoundation.org
Take Suicidal thoughts seriously and Get Help!
I did and I feel Much Better! We Fight Foundation, Inc. Photo by Cash Captures Vice Chair - Kenai Hollingsworth
: 240-34-FIGHT (240-343-4448) : www.wefightfoundation.org
FIND A THERAPIST WHO WILL MAKE YOU DO THE WORK By Kristin Freeman
Have you ever sat in a therapy session wondering, am I really getting anything out of this? Therapy has been something of a go-to for me as I’ve battled depression, anxiety and PTSD for much of my life. No matter how deep the depression is, I’ve always found therapy to be a welcome release, if for no other reason than it allowed me to talk about something other than the negative, suicidal thoughts that were swirling around in my head. I spent countless hours “shopping” online for the “perfect” therapist. Looking for the face that was welcoming, safe and comfortable. Looking back over my therapeutic relationships, I realize that several of them took on the form of venting sessions, like those I may have with my girls over coffee. I had become completely at ease with my therapist on the surface; however, like we sometimes do with friends, I continued to holdback the darkest of my thoughts that I should have been releasing. There came a time when I was more invested in my therapist liking me and making them laugh than my mental health. I wasn’t about to shatter the image they had of me in my happy place with the reality that I was still in the grasp of a major depression and thought of suicide more often than I had admitted. I was afraid that would break our bond. Any time I felt a therapist getting too close to the pain I had hidden so deeply or asking one too many probing questions, I would shut down like a temperamental child. On more than one occasion I made an excuse as to why I had to end my sessions altogether. “I simply wasn’t ready,” or “I hadn’t met the right therapist” or a combination of both. That is until 2017, when two hospitalizations in three weeks led me into outpatient therapy once a week for nine months. I met my therapist Marie* when I was a patient in the hospital. And yes, I was comfortable from the moment we met. For some reason, this time it was different. She did not hold back her opinion on mental stability and she challenged me right from the start. Where I had previously run away from that kind of therapist, this time was different. Perhaps it was because she had already had much of my history down on paper or perhaps it was because she was seeing me at one of my darkest moments and there was no need to hide. Working with Marie I learned that, for me, “good therapy” did not necessarily mean it was going to be easy therapy. Good therapy required me to process events of the past and examine how it, and my own choices, were affecting my present. I did not leave every session with a smile on face looking forward to next week. Some weeks I left with tears in my eyes, other weeks I left angry. It is not easy having to face the things that are hurting you or causing you pain. Good therapy requires action steps from both client and therapist. It requires transparency on your part and active listening from the therapist with intentional results. In working with Marie, I was pushed when I had to be and held accountable when I needed it. I was supported every step of the way. Although I may not have realized it at the time, I came away with tools that I still use every day. So, you may be wondering, what should I look for in a good therapist? Although what’s considered “good” is specific to each person, however these are the main things you may want to look for in the first few sessions: I. Does your therapist specialize in your specific illness or area of need? This is important in order to ensure that you are receiving the appropriate type of treatment. II. Did your therapist ask you about your goals for therapy? If you’re not sure what your goals are, they should help you figure it out. III. Does your therapist seem to be too judgmental? During therapy, we may reveal things about ourselves that are hard to hear. No matter what you say, your therapist’s response should never make you feel bad about yourself or your experiences. IV. Has your therapist given you homework or tools to utilize in between therapy sessions? Homework often enhances the effectiveness of therapy and may help you from reverting to negative patterns in between sessions. V. Ask yourself, are you comfortable with your therapist? Use your instincts. Do you feel safe during your sessions? Are you able to be open with your therapist? Your comfort level is key to your progress. Therapy is a not just a healing experience, but a learning experience, if you do the work. Find a therapist who will make you do the work! *Pseudonym
We Need Each Other on This
JOURNEY This journey called LIFE alone is challenging! “The Joy of the Lord is Our Strength”. Our daily fight can be tough! … but when you have someone FIGHTING with you, it gives you so much more strength. We need each other ... We Need JOY as we need air. We Need LOVE as we need water. We Need EACH OTHER as we need the Earth We Share. ~Maya Angelou
photos by Cash Captures Summer 2019| rallyupmagazine.com | 11
LIES OF SUICIDE
YOU’RE...
Unlovable. WOrthLESS. USELESS. Impossible. Hopeless.
www.wefightfoundation.org
Nikita Powell-Cottman Anxiety & Seasonal Depression
Kenai Hollingsworth Suicide Survivor, Bipolar Disorder, ODD & Depression, PTSD
Tamika Woodard Anxiety & Depression
Dasia Wood Suicide Survivor, Anxiety, Bipolar, PTSD & Depression
Mental Health Warrior Zone v Fighting Back Against the
Tanzania Fair Depression & Suicidal Ideation
YOU CAN Live a meaningful & prosperous life with mental health challenges, disabilities and disorders. It does not define You! See all previous warriors on our website: www.rallyupmagazine.com
Craig Cooper Depression & Suicidal Ideation
Vanity Dawson Bipolar Disorder & Depression
Tyshia Douglas LD Short Term Memory Depression
Elyse Lancaster Suicide Survivor
TBI Depression & Anxiety
Jada Carrington Anxiety & Depression
Kayla Sampson major depression, anxiety, PTSD, Bipolar II Disorder
CRAZY LIKE A FOX TOUR By Tamika “TJ� Woodard
MELONY HILL
Author, Mental Health Advocate and Transitional Coach : @strongerthanmystruggles : @strongerthanmystruggles For Speaking Engagements : Melony@strongerthanmystruggles razy Like a Fox: Black Mental Health Matters Tour provided platforms in our Black communities to have those deep conversations on those sensitive topics that “nobody is supposed to talk about;â€? mental illness, molestation, sexual assault, domestic violence and most importantly‌.mental wellness. Melony knows ďŹ rsthand what it is like to internalize your own thoughts and the most hurtful part, the opinions of others. She wanted to provide a true deďŹ nition of what a "strong woman looks like" through the stories of 27 “Strong Black Women;â€? she handpicked to travel alongside her to 4 cities. Melony is not ashamed to say she is still healing and growing on her journey. Her mission is to bring other survivors on the healing journey with her. Melony being diagnosed with not one but several mental health illnesses to include depression, anxiety, PTSD and dissociative identity disorder herself along with other medical diagnoses is accomplishing all that many said “she could notâ€? and then some. Her mental nor medical diagnoses deďŹ nes her. Melony believes in giving back to her community. She is a believer of uplifting and empowering others. Melony is the author of 8 books. She is also the visionary and founder of the movement “Stronger Than My Struggles,â€? that provides resources to survivors from all walks of life. Through her organization, she creates that “safe placeâ€? to encourage meaningful conversations which is necessary to promote healing and mental wellness. STMS uses various therapeutic approaches to promote healing such as writing, poetry, and spoken word. Melony just recently won the 2019 Literary Trailblazer of the Year Award. With all her accomplishments, Crazy Like A Fox Tour: Black Mental
44 | rallyupmagazine.com | Summer 2019
Health Matters Tour was one for the books! She used the tour to create safe places in 4 cities; Atlanta, Charlotte, Philly and Baltimore. It was another way for Melony to continue to prove that her past or diagnosis does not deďŹ ne her. The success of this tour not only tells Melony story but the stories of so many other women who have suered their own traumatic experiences and/or live daily ďŹ ghting on behalf of themselves and others who have also been diagnosed with a mental illness. The stories were moving and powerful from women who have been on a mission to help others like themselves, to those who were sharing their stories for the ďŹ rst time. Through the space Melony curated, she empowered all these women to be just as strong as her. Melony reward from the City of Baltimore for her dedication to their most vulnerable residents. The healing activities and questions Melony presented stirred up a lot of emotion and was necessary to continue the healing process for all the women on the panel. This helped those who attended the tour embrace healing, encouraging them to share their own truth. Surrounded by women with such powerful testimonies, was inspirational, motivational and encouraging in every way. The testimonies showed strength, resilience, perseverance but also that God is truly a keeper. Atlanta was the ďŹ rst stop consisting of 8 of the 27 women on the tour. The tour ended in Baltimore. The panelists were diverse in backgrounds and experiences and although very dierent, they were connected by two words, Mental Health. There was not a dry eye in the room. Sisterhood was also a big part of the tour. The bond that connected the women was something that needs to be shared more often. To close her 4 city tour...Melony was rewarded 2 citations. One from the City of Baltimore and the other from Brooklyn New Year for her dedication to some the most vulnerable residents. The biggest takeaway from the Crazy Like A Fox: Black Mental Health Matters Tour is, “When you share your story you don’t just heal yourself, but you heal others in the process.â€?
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