COLUMBUS, Ohio — The African American Male Wellness Agency has been tackling men’s mental health for years since their Real Men, Real Talk initiative began.
According to the National Institute of Health, people of color are more likely to end therapy prematurely because of cultural divides with their therapist. Dr. Rayshawn Wilson, who serves as the Director of Mental Wellness for the African American Male Wellness Agency, can attest to this finding. He said that trauma, unforgiveness, racism and discrimination are some of the main reasons Black men show up to the event or seek therapy.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Health, suicide is the third leading cause for Black men ages 15 to 24. The Real Men, Real Talk initiative allows Black men to talk with someone that they can relate to, trust or seek mentorship in.
“What happens is, once individuals start hearing that other people are dealing with the same thing, it really prompts them to open up, to share even more,” said Wilson. “We start building a community of people that have these shared experiences and then what happens is that we start helping one another and say, ‘Hey, man, you know what, I was dealing with that, too. I have useful tools or strategies that I’ve done that have been able to help me in the past, and deal with some of these same issues.’”
The African American Male Wellness agency serves 18 cities across the country, including Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Toledo. They will have a national Real Men, Real Talk event on July 18.