The murder-suicide of a Muslim family in Texas sent shockwaves across the United States as an entire family lost their lives due to unresolved mental health issues. When this news broke out, our Mental Health Advisor, Sheikh Yassir Fazaga, alongside our Mental Health Services Coordinator Noor Aljawad, and Mohammed Qazi of Muslim Family Circle, organized a virtual Emergency Town Hall meeting to discuss the importance of tending to our mental health. Speakers included Sheikh Yassir Fazaga himself, Sheikh Mohammad Faqih, Imam of Memphis Islamic Center, Sheikh Tariq Atta, Iman of Orange County Islamic Foundation, and Dr. Imran Rajput, Child Psychiatrist. This town-hall witnessed a robust discussion between the speakers and the attendees. The participants were grateful to be part of this dialogue as one said, “It’s helping break the barriers that exist in our community on this important topic.”
Some of the key points that were highlighted include:
- • Spirituality as a protective factor and path for healing
- • The importance of connectedness between family members, particularly between parent and child
- • The importance of normalizing that mental health challenges exist, and are worthy of our attention, recognition, and treatment
- • Demystifying the process of pursuing professional mental health support services
Many of those in our community may be reluctant to seek services for a variety of reasons. We urge community members experiencing mental health challenges and symptoms impairing mood and functionality (e.g. difficulty getting out of bed, persistent irritability) to approach our staff for a check-in. We are one call away to help you to explore your options and identify the interventions that may reduce the impact these challenges may be having on your life.
