CONNECT Vice Board Chair Dr Itai Mafa (pic by Daphne Machiri)
BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA
Mental health experts have called on Zimbabweans to prioritise their mental wellbeing, seek professional help when needed and break the culture of suffering in silence.
The calls were made last Friday, during the official opening of the CONNECT Zimbabwe Institute of Systemic Therapy, Mental Health and Family Therapy Clinic in Harare, which is expected to provide accessible mental health and family therapy services for individuals, couples, families and groups.
Speaking at the event , Connect Vice Board Chairperson, Dr Itai Mafa, said the clinic was established to help address the growing mental health challenges affecting many Zimbabweans.
“Today is not just the opening of a building. It is the opening of a door to healing for Zimbabwean individuals, families and groups needing psychosocial support,” said Dr Mafa.
the new clinic (pic by Daphne Machiri)
Dr Mafa noted that while people appear connected through modern life, many continue to struggle with loneliness, stress, trauma and other mental health challenges in silence.
“We live in a time where we are more connected than ever yet more lonely than ever before. We celebrate success on the outside, while battling storms inside.”
Dr Mafa said many mothers carry the burden of caring for families, fathers shoulder the responsibility of providing, while children are dealing with trauma but are still expected to appear strong.
She urged people to stop ignoring mental health challenges and seek professional assistance when they need it.
“Getting over it, saying I’m fine and ignoring issues is not a treatment plan. Silence is not strength. Admitting we are not okay and we need help is neither weakness nor a lack of faith,” she said.
Dr Mafa said society needs a change in attitude towards mental health saying : “it is okay not to be okay. It is okay to admit we are not okay. It is okay to seek professional help.”
She said the new clinic will provide individual therapy for mental health and relationship challenges, couples therapy, family therapy, group therapy and mental health workshops, while offering a safe and non-judgmental environment for healing.
Dr Mafa said CONNECT is committed to treating every client with dignity, giving hope to those facing mental health challenges and working with churches, schools, corporates, health institutions, non-profit organisations and communities to improve mental health services.
some of the people who attended the official opening (pic by Daphne Machiri)
Former CONNECT Board Chairperson Dr Masimba Mwazha said the clinic represents a promise fulfilled and demonstrates the organisation’s commitment to improving mental health and strengthening families.
“When we broke ground here, we weren’t just starting a construction project. We were making a statement to Zimbabwe and beyond, that mental health matters and your family matters,” said Dr Mwazha.
He said the project was inspired by the need to respond to broken families, struggling marriages and young people silently battling mental health challenges.
“We broke ground because we had gotten tired of seeing broken marriages, dysfunctional families, young people struggling with mental health challenges in silence and people being told to be strong, to get over it or just pray. We decided: the silence ends here. We will break the culture of silence and create a safe space to talk and heal,” he said.
Netsai Risinamhodzi, CONNECT Executive Director thanked the board, management, staff, partners and stakeholders for supporting the project from its conception to completion, saying the new clinic will bring hope and healing to many Zimbabwean families.
