Troy University’s Rosa Parks Museum will host a community forum on the topic of mental health at 6 p.m. on Sept. 26.
The free event, “You are Not Alone in Your Journey Towards Better Mental Health,” will take place in the Museum’s auditorium. The event will include a panel discussion on topics such as mental health issues and their impact on students and families, anxiety, depression and suicide, the role the COVID-19 pandemic has played in the increase of mental health issues among students and available resources for mental health concerns.
The panel will include District 4 Montgomery County Commissioner Isaiah Sankey, Alana Taylor and Dr. Kanessa M. Doss, Associate Professor in Troy University’s Department of Psychology.
“Mental health issues can impact people in any stage of life and know no boundaries with regard to age, gender or race,” said Donna Beisel, Director of Operations for the Rosa Parks Museum. “With the challenges presented by daily life, it is more important than ever that we treat our mental health with the same regard that we do our physical health. We hope that this forum will help raise awareness of mental health issues and the resources that are available.”
Commissioner Sankey serves as the Vice Chairman of the Montgomery County Commission. He is a Certified Family Nurse Practitioner and a U.S. Army veteran who served during Desert Shield/Desert Storm. He is a three-time Troy University graduate.
Taylor was born in San Francisco and raised in Minnesota’s Twin Cities and now resides in Montgomery. Art became her refuge during a turbulent childhood. Through her work she seeks to symbolize healing and connect with audiences in meaningful ways. She founded Mindful Meta Art to offer art meditations for self-reflection to foster positive mental health.
Dr. Doss has been a member of the TROY faculty since 2013. Doss, along with TROY faculty members Dr. Sherrionda Crawford and Dr. Shelley Reed, received grants to establish the Trojan Suicide Prevention Program, which seeks to raise awareness about suicide risk factors and provide resources to aid in suicide prevention. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Alabama A&M University and earned her master’s and Ph.D. from Auburn University.
For more information, contact the museum at 334-241-8615.
