DENVER — A Denver-based radio host is raising awareness for mental health, particularly in minority communities.
Amerykah Jones with 104.7 The Drop hosts a weekly "Therapy Thursday" from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Jones brings in mental health professionals to speak about topics, talk with listeners and point them in the right direction.
"This is something I started when we started this station. I wanted a place where we could actually reflect mental health in communities of color, and it’s so important because I feel like these are conversations that I feel like we aren’t having," Jones said.
This week's topic focused on suicide awareness. She wanted to reach out to people following the death of Cheslie Kryst as well as Regina King's son Ian Alexander Jr.
"I wanted to create a living room atmosphere over the air, have some questions, seek out information and get some details back and feel like you were really part of this movement with The Drop," Jones said.
This week, licensed counselor Michelle Simmons joined her on the segment. Simmons typically joins her in studio at least once a month, but there are others who also participate in the segment.
"Things have been so overwhelming for everyone," Jones said. "So I thought this would be a way to get a message of normalizing and encouraging mental health care to more people. So it’s really about exposing more people to the benefits of therapy, but also to take some of the stigma and shame away that typically follows that."
Listeners can call during a live segment, or they can speak with Simmons and ask that the call not be transmitted over the radio.
"That is my prayer that one person’s life has been changed by something that they heard or thought or something that they reconsidered, and that’s all I can hope for," Simmons said.
Saying you're not okay is not an easy thing to say. Simmons and Jones hope they are able to reach people who might not be able to take that step, or nudge those who have been thinking about getting help to do so.
If you are having suicidal thoughts or need to speak with someone, you can contact Colorado Crisis Services at 844-493-8255. It's a 24/7 hotline. You can also text "TALK" to 38255. They will either direct you to the nearest crisis center or connect you with someone over the phone to speak to immediately.
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