BEAUMONT, Texas — Southeast Texans have a chance to join the conversation about mental health and search for solutions tomorrow.
The Southeast Texas chapter of the Texas Counseling Association (TCA) is hosting its first meeting of the year at the Spindletop Center North Campus.
Organizers have three goals:
- To engage community stakeholders in supporting mental health providers.
- To spread awareness about what services are available.
- To announce what's being called the Year of Visibility.
Counselors say there's a real need in our region for this kind of help.
As the community is still feeling the effects of hurricane Harvey, tropical storm Imelda and the COVID-19 pandemic on top of everyday life, the TCA is hosting this meeting to let those who struggle with mental health know they are not alone.
"Without unity there is no community," said President of SETX Veterans For Veterans Damian Bennett.
Bennett understands the struggle of mental health, both through personal experience and working with his fellow veterans .
"It's okay to talk about it. It's okay to, you know, admit you have a problem. For some to even admit and open and talk, you know, it's near impossible,” Bennett said.
Bennett is glad to hear Southeast Texas experts will come together Saturday to spread awareness about mental health treatment options.
"Mental health is a serious issue. It's about the mental health diagnosis, treatment and follow up,"
TCA local President Emily Ross works closely with Bennett as a clinical liaison for Veterans For Veterans.
She will be announcing the Year of Visibility at the first TCA meeting of the year.
"It's really a place for mental health providers to come together and to replenish and refresh and take care of one another," said Ross. "What we're trying to do is unify as a group and talk about what do we need, what would help us feel supported by the city.”
Ross tells 12News Southeast Texas mental health professionals haven't had a formal way to organize in almost five years. But now that TCA is back in order she invites all mental health professionals in the area to attend.
"A good first step would be getting the community to talk about mental health providers, and then we can talk about mental health struggles, and then maybe normalize mental health in general through the whole community,” Ross said.
The first meeting of the TCA will meet tomorrow at 11 a.m. at the Fowler-Harris room of the Spindletop North Campus.
Lunch will be provided and admission is free to the public.