MINNEAPOLIS — There's no question, the weight of the Chauvin trial is taking a toll on all of us, especially those reliving it all on the witness stand.
Which is why non-profit organizations like the National Alliance on Mental Illness or NAMI are specifically looking to assist those currently dealing with the inequities of social justice.
"A lot of people have never had any experience in the mental health system, don't know how to get started, don't know what to expect," said Cynthia Fashaw, a Director with NAMI Minnesota.
NAMI is hosting virtual training sessions on Tuesdays with a focus on race, discrimination and trauma.
"What this training really does is it walks us through kind of the layers of trauma, the way in which trauma effects people and then what to do about it," said Fashaw.
Fashaw says it's conversations like these which are vital to the healing process.
"Mental health is no different than physical health. If you had heart disease or cancer you would reach out for help to manage that and mental health is no different," said Fashaw.
Especially when it comes to young kids.
"If you are the parent of a white child, it's going to be even more important to talk about race and discrimination because if you fail to talk about it, the child may be left with a negative harmful message about race," said Fashaw. She went on to say, "for black parents it's important to talk about how to protect your children in those situations.”
For more information on the NAMI virtual training sessions click here.