How Family Trauma and Racial Inequities Impact Mental Health and Suicide Risk

In this powerful episode of Giving Voice to Depression, Trony Small shares his family’s journey through trauma, loss, and resilience. Growing up in Milwaukee with a mother living with cerebral palsy, Trony and his brothers experienced discrimination, instability, and profound grief after their mother’s death. When his younger brother Justin was later diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, stigma and lack of resources made getting help difficult. Justin’s eventual suicide left a lasting impact, fueling Trony’s mission to support other families navigating mental health challenges.

This conversation explores the ways family trauma, cultural silence, and systemic inequities intersect—and how breaking stigma, increasing resources, and starting honest conversations can save lives.

Link to video with more information: https://www.facebook.com/2016557181923354/posts/2948490168730046/?d=n

MHA of WI's Next Step Clinic: http://www.mhawisconsin.org/mha-wi-counseling-clinic

Primary Topics Covered:

• The impact of family trauma and generational silence on mental health
• Growing up with poverty, discrimination, and instability
• Grieving a parent’s death at a young age
• The effects of unaddressed trauma on siblings and family dynamics
• Stigma and cultural barriers in Black communities around mental health
• A brother’s struggle with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and suicide
• How lack of resources and systemic inequities worsen outcomes
• Finding hope through advocacy, education, and breaking silence

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction to the episode and theme of family trauma
 01:31 - How trauma shapes family dynamics and belonging
 02:27 - Growing up in Milwaukee with poverty and discrimination
 03:42 - The loss of Trony’s mother and its impact on his family
 05:00 - Prayer as the family’s response to trauma instead of open discussion
 06:05 - Writing a poem about his brothers and their mother’s legacy
 07:22 - How the youngest brother, Justin, was most affected by loss
 08:12 - Early signs of Justin’s struggles and the family’s response
 09:12 - Learning about mental illness through NAMI and conversations with Justin
 10:40 - Justin’s diagnosis of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder
 11:34 - His death by suicide at age 23
 12:03 - The need for better family and community support
 13:06 - Barriers to mental health care in underserved communities
 14:39 - Trony’s work today helping families access treatment and resources
 15:22 - Closing reflections and advocacy for change

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Terry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/