05/16/2026
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and while we are incredibly grateful for the conversations this month creates, our hope is that one day mental health awareness will not be limited to a single month on the calendar.
At Erin Williams Counseling, one of our biggest goals is helping our community understand this truth: everyone has mental health. Not everyone has a mental illness, but every single one of us has a responsibility to care for our mental wellness just like we care for our physical health.
For far too long, mental health has been treated like something that only affects “certain people,” something made up, something to hide, or something to be ashamed of. Meanwhile, people are struggling quietly under the weight of anxiety, trauma, depression, grief, burnout, loneliness, relationship pain, and overwhelming stress while trying to appear “fine” on the outside.
When someone receives a physical diagnosis, people often rally around them. We send flowers. We drop off meals. We check in. We offer support. But when someone is navigating a mental health diagnosis, they are often met with silence, misunderstanding, judgment, or even dismissal.
That narrative has to change.
Here in East Texas, we are passionate about helping make conversations around mental health more commonplace, more human, and more compassionate. We believe mental wellness should be talked about as naturally as blood pressure, exercise, sleep, or nutrition because our emotional health impacts every part of our lives, relationships, families, and communities.
We are grateful for May because it shines a light on these conversations. But our mission reaches far beyond one month. We want to continue building a community where people feel supported, educated, and less alone. A community where seeking help is seen as strength, not weakness.
And again, a HUGE thank you for all our partners who sponsored THE BOOK CLUB - your participation helps us in our pursuit of making mental health a priority.