- By TYLER FENWICK
TaMara Breeding-Goode wrote her first #suicide letter when she was 11 years old. She was sexually abused, bullied and dealt with #mentalhealthissues ranging from #depression to post-traumatic stress disorder. Breeding-Goode’s mother found the letter, and she didn’t try to kill herself then. She did five years later, though, and has done so a total of four or five times.
Now 48 years old, Breeding-Goode is trying to tell children, teenagers and adults that #mentalillness and #suicidalthoughts aren’t things they have to deal with alone. She founded Project WINGS Mental Health and Wellness Ministry to be a safe place for those who have been affected by #suicide and #mentalhealthissues.
“I asked God that if I was able to survive that I would be able to give back to other people,” Breeding-Goode said.
#JamesDonaldson notes:
Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes.
Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is oe of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use.
Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space. #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle
WINGS stands for We Inspire, Nurture, Guide and Support. The project has been at Scott United Methodist Church, on the corner of East 22nd Street and Dr. Andrew J. Brown Avenue, for the last two years. Those who attend have options, including a group for youth and a group for people who have lost loved ones to #suicide.
What Breeding-Goode has learned both from her own experience and by working with people, including teenagers, who struggle with mental health issues and have #suicidalthoughts is that for many, “the stressors outweigh their coping skills,” she said. Much of Project WINGS then is about teaching people how to get through what Breeding-Goode calls those “moments,” where a #suicidal thought surfaces and it seems like killing yourself is the only way out.
“This, too, shall pass,” she said, recalling the famous Persian adage that reflects on the temporary nature of the human condition. “Don’t take yourself away today when there’s a promise tomorrow.”
Those who attend the meetings and workshops learn about different ways to cope with the stressors that threaten to become too much. There’s journaling, art therapy, music therapy and meditation.
Alleyah Getter, 14, said she developed her own coping skills through the program after losing three friends to #suicide and thinking of harming herself. She likes to sketch eyes and draw cartoon characters. She said the project made her feel like she found her purpose, which is to “help people out with their problems, to show them that they can make it, too.”
Project WINGS leaders also encourage attendees to get professional help with a therapist or physician.
“We preach that to the children and adults,” Breeding-Goode said. “One of our sayings is, ‘It’s OK to have a #therapist and #Jesus, too.’”
This is where professionals and advocates worry about initiatives such as Project WINGS that are based primarily in a religious setting. Especially in #AfricanAmerican and other marginalized communities, religious leaders are tasked with much more than preaching the Sunday service because churches have historically served as a physical and spiritual refuge from persecution.
Kelsey Steuer, the state’s area director for the #AmericanFoundationforSuicidePrevention, said rather than pulling people away from churches, it’s more important to make sure religious leaders know enough about #mentalhealth and resources so they can be helpful.
“It’s a big responsibility on their shoulders,” she said. “… We can’t expect them to know everything,” but they can at least know what resources are available.
Breeding-Goode said one of her goals is to take the project out into the community because she understands not everyone is comfortable in a religious setting. She also understands religion can taint what people think of their own #mentalhealth, since it’s common in the #AfricanAmerican church to be taught that people who kill themselves go to hell or that praying hard enough will take away the pain.
“I know in the minority community it’s such a stigma about getting #mentalhealthprofessional help,” she said, “and a lot of that has to do with being perceived as weak or admitting that you even have a #mentalhealth condition, let alone admitting that you have been thinking about taking your life. All it does is compound those negative feelings. It compounds the shame.”
Contact staff writer Tyler Fenwick at 317-762-7853. Follow him on Twitter @Ty_Fenwick.
James Donaldson is a Washington State University graduate (’79). After an outstanding basketball career with WSU, he went on to play professional basketball in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, San Diego/L.A. Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz. He also played for several teams in the European Leagues in Spain, Italy, and Greece, and he toured with The Harlem Globetrotters to wrap up his career. James was an NBA All-Star in 1988 while playing center for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2006, James was inducted into the Pac-10 Sports Hall of Fame and also the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2010, James was elected as a board member for the NBA Retired Players Association.
James frequently conducts speaking engagements (motivational, inspirational, educational) for organizations, schools, and youth groups.
In 2010, James was the recipient of the NBA Legends of Basketball ABC Award, awarded for outstanding contributions in Athletics–Business–Community.
He believes in being a role model for success and professionalism to the scores of young people to whom he devotes so much of his time. He currently serves on several boards and committees and is a member of many organizations.
James believes in developing relationships that create a “Win-Win” environment for everyone involved, and in being the best he can be!
For more information about James Donaldson or to request he speak at your event, contact him at:
www.StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
JamesD@StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
1-800-745-3161 (voicemail & fax)
James Donaldson is the author of “Standing Above The Crowd” and “Celebrating Your Gift of Life” and founder of the Your Gift of Life Foundation which focuses on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, especially pertaining to our school aged children and men.
If you’re interested in having James come and speak to your group of young adults, business entrepreneurs, aspiring political and community leaders, and athletic teams, please contact him at jamesd@yourgiftoflife.org and or leave a personal message for him at 1-800-745-3161. Keep up with him and read about how he is reaching out and making a difference in the lives of so many around the world at www.yourgiftoflife.org
