SOUTH CAROLINA, USA — As mental health continues to be a top priority in so many lives, a Charlotte clinical therapist is using his platform to build a culture of mental health for Black and Brown boys.
He’s doing so with affirmation cards that he hopes can make a difference if a therapy session is out of reach.
“Sometimes I feel like our clients when they get in sessions, yes they hear everything we’re saying, but the real work is when they leave," Earl C. Martin Jr. said.
Earl C. Martin Jr. got to work back in December and came up with 26 affirmation cards tailored for Boys of Color.
“Each [card] was created from my own personal experience and from clients," Earl C. Martin Jr. said.
He said the cards are like a therapist in your pocket. Four additional cards are blank so those who use them can create their own affirmations.
“My personal favorite is actually the first one I created," Earl C. Martin Jr. said.
It reads:
"Brown boy your skin is as radiant as the sun, it's charged with power strength knowledge and beauty embrace all the magic that is knitted in your melanin."
Earl C. Martin Jr. said the cards can be used for Black and Brown boys of all ages. The goal is to build self-esteem and serve as a catalyst for love and healing.
“The card has a two-fold approach. At the tip, there is me pouring into you but at the bottom, it’s the self-affirmation so you have something to say back to yourself like my melanin is knitted beauty in my skin," he said.
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