Beyond the Stigma: Mental Health Seminar Recap
On Friday, September 19, the Coalition for a Healthier Frederick County, in partnership with the Msingi Institute, hosted Beyond the Stigma: Understanding, Acceptance, and Action. This day-long seminar, held during a month that honors National Recovery and Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, brought together community members, health professionals, and advocates to reframe how we talk about mental health and to explore what it means to build stigma-free communities.
The day began with opening remarks from Malcolm Furgol, Executive Director of the Coalition for a Healthier Frederick County, and Dr. Sharon Holder, CEO of the Msingi Institute, who set the tone by sharing stories about their own mental health journeys and reminded us just how much of a barrier stigma is. Malcolm and Dr. Holder reinforced the fact that mental health, including suicide, must be talked about to break down the stigmas surrounding it and educate our community on such an important public health issue.
Beyond the Stigma was packed with several interactive, educational, and thought-provoking presentations, including...
Keynote: Learning to Embrace Joy After Decades of Depression and a Disabling Suicide Attempt
Our keynote speaker, Shannon Parkin, shared her powerful journey of “Learning to Embrace Joy After Decades of Depression and a Disabling Suicide Attempt.” Shannon is a long-time mental health advocate and is a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist and Support Group Coordinator at On Our Own of Frederick County. Shannon’s story of resilience highlighted the role of peer support and faith communities in her healing process, and she reminded us of the hope found in connection, storytelling, and recovery. One participant shared that “her testimony is so inspiring and empowers us to talk about it more.”
Rewind for a Better Life
Next, Steven Marchitelli and Sathya Krishnan of UNESCO Body Mind Wellness led participants through “Rewind for a Better Life,” an interactive session on resetting our brains through self-realization, mental stillness, and inner reflection. Attendees reflected on personal biases, participated in live polls, and left with small, practical steps for reducing stigma in their own circles and achieving inner peace.
Interactive Breakout Groups
The heart of the seminar was in conversation. During breakout groups, participants reflected on designing inclusive spaces, the kinds of mental health conversations we wish were normalized across different life stages, and how small actions can shift community culture toward empathy and openness. Participants also worked together to positively reframe common verbal and non-verbal stigmas.
Men’s Mental Health Panel Discussion: Centering Men’s Voices
In the afternoon, City Council Member and Vice President Dr. Derek Shackelford moderated a panel on men’s mental health, featuring Jacques Fischer (The Ranch), Dr. Amit Kumar (Urbana STEMM), Julien Patrick (Asian American Center of Frederick), and Korey Cobb (Frederick Health Hospice). Each panelist shared candidly about personal and professional experiences with mental health, touching on cultural challenges, stigma, and the importance of not staying silent about your challenges. The discussion also connected to recent findings from the “You Good?” men’s mental health survey, presented by Marci Corea and conducted by the 2022-2025 Mental Health Workgroup earlier this year. Receiving a standing ovation, there is no doubt that the stories and challenges shared hit home for many participants.
Building Stigma-Free Communities
The day concluded with Dr. Sharon Holder and Dr. Sarita Battish of the Msingi Institute, who facilitated an interactive workshop on practical strategies for dismantling stigma. Through activities like empathy mapping and stigma-spotting, participants explored how language, policies, and cultural assumptions impact mental health and brainstormed actionable steps to create inclusive, healing-centered communities.
Moving Forward
The message of the day was clear: stigma thrives in silence, but conversation is the antidote. From personal stories of survival to collective dialogue, Beyond the Stigma reminded us that recovery is possible, every story matters, and we all have a role in building stigma-free communities.
We extend our deepest gratitude to the Delaplaine Foundation for funding this event and making this important community conversation possible.
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Together, we can move from understanding, to acceptance, to action.
If you or someone you know is struggling, you are not alone. Help is available.
Call or text 988 or 211 to connect with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline anytime, day or night
Call 301-662-2255 to be connected with Frederick County's hotline for crisis intervention, information, referrals and phone support
Visit the Mental Health Association of Frederick County's 24/7 Walk-In Crisis Center at 226 South Jefferson Street, Frederick, MD. You can walk in any time to speak with a trained specialist. No appointment needed.