Fifty community members gathered at the Rockwell Park Amphitheater on Thursday for the Fourth Annual Community Conversation that focused on mental health with the goal of fostering an open dialogue within the community.
“That was the first time I could tell someone else that I was struggling,” said Wes Woodson, who facilitated the conversation, including this recollection of his decision to call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline.
“But at the end of that call, Janis told me something I had never heard before; it’s also one of the best things that you can say someone too: ‘It’s okay to not be okay,’” he said.
“It was like in that moment I had permission to take off this mask that I was hiding for so long. ‘It’s okay to not be okay.’ That really changed everything for me.”
Woodson spoke candidly about his struggles with anxiety throughout the evening, which was hosted by Bristol Parks, Recreation, Youth and Community Services Department.
Left: BPRYCS Superintendent Dr. Joshua Medeiros. Right: Mayor Jeffrey Caggiano. | Laura Bailey photos
Woodson said that the following day he went to his therapist to tell her about the dangerous suicidal thoughts that he was experiencing. Woodson’s therapist told him to go to the emergency room where a doctor helped him find outpatient therapy.
“I was in group therapy, I was sitting there, and I was thinking for the first time in my life I’ve never met anyone who had these feelings, I felt validated. I also learned too that we can all tell our own stories, and by telling your story it also opens up the door for someone else to tell theirs.”
The crowd at the Fourth Annual Community Conversation. | Laura Bailey photos
Following Woodson’s speech, the community members in attendance had the opportunity to ask questions and have a conversation as a group. Wheeler therapist Stephanie Jane asked, “In our community, what do you think specifically stops people here from seeking help and having these conversations?”
The small but lively crowd discussed the stigma surrounding mental health and the benefits of more open community dialogues.
“Mental health isn’t an easy conversation to have,” said Mayor Jeffrey Caggiano, “but it’s an important conversation to have. This is why today is so important.”
“Mental health is important, and we need to be able to discuss it as a community,” said City Councilor Erick Rosengren. “When I was a kid, if I had a problem, I was just told ‘toughen up.’ We have to talk more about this to stop the stigma.”
Laura Bailey can be reached at lbailey@bristoledition.org
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