06/01/2026
Healing the Hurt: A Message for the Last Day of Mental Health Awareness Month
On this final day of Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re sharing a moment that stayed with us.
Earlier this month at the Westchester Magazine Healthcare Heroes Awards, our very own Jamillah Blair—VP of Community Relations & Program Development at Choice of New Rochelle—was honored for her extraordinary work serving our community. Among her fellow honorees was Dr. Liane Nelson, Chief Psychologist and Director of the Trager Lemp Center for Trauma and Resilience at Westchester Jewish Community Services.
In her acceptance speech, Dr. Nelson shared a quote that captures the heart of trauma-informed care: “If you don’t heal what hurt you, you’ll bleed on people who didn’t cut you.”—Isabella De Bruno
She reminded the room that for survivors, anger often comes from a place of unhealed trauma—and that it can show up faster than sadness, before there’s even time to think. She also spoke to how trauma can lead people to withdraw, and how those around them often don’t understand where the anger or the distance is really coming from.
Yes—you need to protect your peace. But there’s a difference between protecting yourself and writing someone off. Some of what survivors experience is biological: a nervous system stuck in survival mode, reactions that are genuinely hard to control. That’s why education and destigmatizing mental health matter so much. When we understand the why, we respond with compassion instead of judgment.
That’s a truth we live every day at Choice. Our caseworkers walk alongside clients navigating trauma, connecting them to mental health resources, peer support, and care right here in Westchester. You don’t have to carry it alone—and you don’t have to heal alone.
If you or someone you know is dealing with trauma, reach out. Help is closer than you think.
