May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time for us to take a step back and look in the mirror to ask ourselves — are we doing okay? It’s also a reminder to check in with our friends and family members.
All month long on WRAL News at 9 a.m., local experts will dive into how mental health impacts our lives. Here’s what we’ve learned so far.
Mental health for diverse communities
Rosanna De La Rosa, a licensed clinical mental health counselor with WakeMed, discusses how mental health in diverse communities is viewed and how professionals can work to bridge the gap and change the narrative.
Mental health for youth
Dr. Valencia Hicks-Harris, CEO and co-founder of Empower All Inc., and board president Amanda West talk about how their organization works to help young people feel comfortable connecting mental health and growth.
Mental health for veterans
On May 12, Dr. Sarah Wilson, an associate professor of psychiatry in the Duke School of Medicine and a clinical psychologist with the Durham VA Health Care System, will share why it’s so important to support those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, explaining how veterans and active service members can access mental health services and ways to cut back on stigmas around mental health.
Get Help: County-by-county guide to mental health and crisis resources in NC
In the wake of tragic and traumatic events, feelings like stress, anxiety, grief and depression are natural. Here is a list of crisis counseling and county-by-county resources in North Carolina, as well as nationally.