Written By Michele Hamilton // EEW Magazine Online

Oscar-nominated actress Taraji P. Henson, who recently released a children’s book, is offering kids valuable wisdom for their mental health journeys.

In a video published by Good Morning America, the New York Times Bestselling author of You Can Be a Good Friend (No Matter What!) shared advice for kids struggling with any sort of psychological distress stemming from bullying or mental health issues. “First of all, to that baby, I would say, you are not alone, number one. So, no need to isolate and go in a corner and feel like there’s no one in the world experiencing what you are going through. That is just false information,” Henson said.

The 53-year-old star of notable films like The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Hidden Figures, and more recently, The Color Purple, continued, “Let me put it to you this way: there are billions of humans on this planet, so there is at least one other person, for sure, that’s going through what you’re going through. And the only way that you’re going to find out that you’re not alone is if you say something. And when you say something, the pressure’s released because it’s not a secret anymore.”

Henson, founder of the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, a mental health advocacy organization, is passionate about serving Black communities lacking trusted mental health and wellness support systems. Thus, it comes as no surprise that Henson’s newly released book, written for ages 4 to 8, focuses on the mental health of a young girl named Lil TJ, who is getting ready for her first day of school and looking to make new friends. Throughout the book, Lil TJ talks about feeling nervous, especially after experiencing bullying.

Henson, a former substitute teacher, understands the importance of teaching mental health principles and practices—especially among minorities. “It’s a learning process for the Black community,” she told Parenting Magazine. “It's new to a lot of us because we've never really talked about it. I didn't really talk about or start dealing with my mental health on a real serious level until later on in life—I was 40 something.”

Research shows only 1 in 3 Black people who need mental health services receive them—something Henson is striving to change by encouraging those who need help, even kids, to speak up.

On GMA, Henson assured children that “when you say something, I guarantee you’ll see about ten other hands go up and go, ‘Oh my goodness, that’s me too!’ Then, you’ll know you’re not alone.”

She added, “You know how they always say, ‘The squeaky wheel gets fixed?’ Well, when you say, ‘Hey, I don’t feel good,’ someone is going to come and try and help you. Trust me. But there is no need to suffer in silence. That is not being fair to yourself.”