TEXARKANA, Ark. — Mental health resources, stigma and access to care were the focus of the latest Bridging the Gaps of Arkansas coalition meeting, where community members gathered to shed light on Minority Mental Health Awareness Month.
The monthly meeting featured mental health therapist Aja Walker, who spoke about the importance of raising awareness of mental health challenges affecting minority communities and encouraging people to seek support when needed.
Walker said that cultural beliefs and stigma often make it difficult for people to openly discuss mental health care in many minority communities.
“It’s super important because it’s such a stigma in our culture,” Walker said. “As Black people, we are taught to keep business in the house and pray through it.”
She said many people grow up believing they should keep mental health struggles private rather than seek help.
“It needs to be known that mental health (difficulty) is real in our community, and a lot of it stems from generational trauma,” Walker said. “We need to understand that to start healing, we have to acknowledge and understand our past.”
Walker discussed effective communications and resources available in Texarkana and gave coping tips.
“I hope the attendees get a better understanding of what trauma looks like, what triggers look like and overall, be aware of their own mental health,” Walker said.
Bridging the Gaps of Arkansas hosts monthly coalition meetings to educate the community on issues affecting residents and connect organizations with resources that can improve health and well-being. Each meeting highlights a different topic and provides an opportunity for community members and local agencies to learn from professionals working in the field.
Organizer Reginal Mitchell said the meetings are intended to foster collaboration among community partners while providing residents with information that can improve quality of life.
“We are grateful for Aja, and I thought she was perfect because she’s a therapist and a minority, and I felt she would be perfect for our meeting this month,” Walker said.
The discussion also encouraged attendees to recognize the importance of open conversations about mental health and to understand that seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
“It’s OK not to be OK and to ask for help,” Walker said.
Bridging the Gaps of Arkansas plans to continue its monthly coalition meetings throughout the year, each focusing on a different issue affecting the Texarkana area and surrounding communities.
Bridging the Gaps of Arkansas hosted its meeting on Tuesday at the Sandflat/Glendale Center.