OXON HILL, Md. — More than 1,000 people came together on Saturday for a mental health symposium in Prince George’s County, focused on supporting teen mental wellness through innovative and holistic approaches.
The event was organized by County Council Chair Edward Burroughs and actress Taraji P. Henson, a D.C. native and mental health advocate. Their goal: to create space for open dialogue and provide alternative mental health resources for young people.
“Being a student today is tough,” said Marley Cashwell, a student at Oxon Hill High School. “People don’t always recognize how much we’re dealing with.”
Attendees had the opportunity to engage in nontraditional therapeutic activities like yoga, hip-hop therapy, sound healing, and plant therapy — all aimed at making mental health support more accessible and relatable to teens.
The symposium featured support from the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, founded by Henson in honor of her late father, who battled mental illness. The organization is dedicated to removing the stigma surrounding mental health in underserved communities.
“It’s a blessing to give back,” Henson said. “My dad always told me, ‘If you’re blessed, be a blessing.’ I’m honoring that.”
Burroughs emphasized the importance of alternatives to conventional counseling, noting alarming statistics: nearly 20% of high school students in the county have seriously considered suicide, and about 10% have attempted it. One 11-year-old tragically died by suicide earlier this year.
Bullying remains a serious issue in county schools, and many students report discomfort when seeking help from school counselors. As a result, officials are expanding mental health programming to all middle and high schools through partnerships with Henson’s foundation and other community groups.
“We’re going to keep these efforts going long after today,” Burroughs said.
For students like Cashwell, the impact is personal.
“Sometimes, it’s okay not to be okay,” he said. “Even a small compliment can pull someone back from the edge.”
