PEORIA (25News Now) – Peoria’s East Bluff Community Center (EBCC) will host a mental health event Saturday aimed at providing a safe space for youth and their families affected by the trauma of violence.
Organizers of the event, called “Stop Tripping and Start Living,” said they organized it to break down barriers to mental health resources and find solutions to violence they say is on the rise in the city.
The event is being hosted by the New Millennium Institute in partnership with the Annie Malone Development Center in Peoria, an organization that helps people reach their goals through coaching.
New Millennium founder James Agbala Bryson said many of Peoria’s young people experience mental health issues, including PTSD, as a result of the violence.
“We want to know what we can do,” Bryson said, “what the impact is on individuals in the community so we can help them overcome their issues and their challenges and, more importantly, reduce the stigma around seeking services, mental health services.”
During the event, Agbara-Bryson said he would coach people on how to talk openly about their experiences, a conversation he hopes will help make the community a healthier place.
“Tell us strategies and solutions to help them, because individuals who have been impacted may have a completely different perspective than those who have been impacted in a different way,” Agbara-Bryson said.
EBCC Executive Director Demetrius Rundle said the event was designed to help participants feel comfortable and start an open dialogue about their feelings.
“Very often the community speaks on their behalf,” Rundle said, “and it’s really important that they feel and understand that what they say and how they feel matters.”
“Stop Tripping and Start Living” is the first in a series of events focused on mental health.
The Peoria Police Department and Carle Health will provide mental health resources.
The event will be held from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday at 512 East Kansas Street.
Walk-ins are welcome, but you can also register by calling the EBCC at 309-839-0781.
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