b'tributingnetsontheCongoRiver,Park Woodand we knew people there were men-tallyill.andtherewasnothingweDINERRESTAURANTcould do to help. It was professionally frustrating to have to walk away fromBook your next gathering in individuals who were mentally ill. our NEW Private Party RoomInadditiontothefirst-hand struggles that he witnessed in Africa,Fresh Ingredients Voted Best We Mayberry explains that mental illnessFresh Fish Diner in CATER!Daily Specials Essex County Free delivery to playedaroleinhisupbringing.Iyour home or grewupinruralwesternMassachu- Youre going to love our food! Gourmet Salads office!setts with severely depressed parentsa super blue collar, almost low-incomeBreakfastLunchDinnerfamily, he says. I know what depres- 1958 Springfield AvenueMaplewood (973) 313-3990fax (973) 313-3991sion does to a child and what its like having a mom and dad who cant re-ally engage and focus on you. This woman next to Sean Mayberry is a Fast forward to 2012, when May- Peer Facilitator who has undergone treat-ment for depression with StrongMinds and berryswifealertedhimtoacareer- is now leading groups of other women.changing article in The New York Times. Written by Tina Rosenberg, the articleare then monitored and evaluated after discussedarandomizedcontroltrialthe group therapy session is complete. thatusedpsychotherapytotreatde- One of the most promising statistics pression in Uganda back in 2002. shows that about 75 percent of these Ifoundthearticleandthere- groups continue to meet after the 12-searchers who did that trial in 2002week program has finished.manyofthemwereatColumbiaIts the social bonding in the group [University],hesays.Iliterallyranthats really our secret sauce, says May-up to Columbia one day at lunch andberry. A lot of times, women with de-asked the researchers if it was as goodpressionare,forexample,justselling as it soundsand if [the approach]cucumbers and they dont see how fu-wouldbescalable.Theybecamemytile it is because of the fog of depression. mentalhealthmentors,greatfriendsSomebody in that group will have the still to this day, and connected me tobusiness acumen to open their eyes. So the originator of interpersonal psycho- its the group waking them up.therapy, Myrna Weissman. Astoundingly, only 30 psychiatrists Andsocametheideatoformexist to treat the 35 million people in StrongMinds,anorganizationthatUganda.Andmedicalstafftypically uses Group Interpersonal Psychothera- have little to no mental health train-py (IPT-G) with the goal of ending de- ing. Mayberry points out that Uganda pression in African women. Mayberry,is a post-conflict country, which leads both founder and executive director,to intense pressure on daily life. started the organization in 2013 out ofA lot of these families have been his attic. We used our family savings,ripped apart. Some have 15 children he says. StrongMinds is Maplewoodbecausetheyrelookingaftertheir grown, born, and raised.brotherskidsbecausehewaskilled StrongMinds has developed a scal- during conflict, says Mayberry. Pov-able model of talk therapy. Led by aerty exacerbates depression and gives groupleader,thewomenmeetonceyou more triggers of depression. For per week for 90 minutes a session overexample, you can be arguing with your the course of 12 weeks. The womenspouseabouthowtospendthe$2 you earned today. Youre arguing be-cause you cant afford school for your kids, you cant buy food, you cant buy medicine, youre moving houses all the time, and youre trying to dodge bul-lets.Andgender-basedviolenceis pervasive, which adds to all the triggers of depression.Mayberry believes that the key to feature story /17'