Local Nonprofit Black Men Heal Giving Men Free Access To Counseling, Mental Health Resources
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A local nonprofit is giving men free access to counseling and mental health resources. It's targeting a sector of the population, often less likely to seek help.
It's a difficult place where many men may have found themselves.
"I was at a point where I felt myself struggling and I didn't want to repeat the cycle," Taj Murdock said.
But Murdock also wasn't comfortable asking for help.
"The idea just came from the need of masses of men of color who don't go to therapy," Black Men Heal founder Tasnim Suliman said.
That's how the organization Black Men Heal was formed.
"It comes from issues such as racism, poverty, economic disparities, so people of color are 10 to 20% more likely to have a mental health diagnosis, but also more likely to not have treatment," Suliman said.
It's why Suliman and Zakia Williams began the nonprofit based in Philadelphia, offering eight therapy sessions to men all free of charge.
"We're like jump-starting their healing journey, giving them the opportunity to understand how something like this could help them," Williams said.
"Typically, men of color may not want to walk into a system that they think is not for them, but this they know. This is for them. They're invited in like VIPs," Suliman said.
The response has been overwhelming.
"I was miserable, so it was kind of at that point where I crashed and burned and lost everything," Murdock said.
Murdock says the services have been life-changing.
"We do need it and I'm just glad more brothers are stepping up and taking advantage of it as well," Murdock said.
He has a message for other men who may be battling their own demons and are reluctant to get help.
"Stop suffering in silence is the first thing," Murdock said. "And their motto is 'healed men, heal men.' So I feel like even the culture that we have now in order to help others, we first have to help ourselves."
The organizers of Black Men Heal want you to know that their services are not just limited to black men -- they are open to helping any men in need of help.
So far, volunteer counselors have donated nearly 400 free therapy sessions.
They are always looking for more volunteers. For more information, click here.
