by Kiran Sabharwal
You may have heard that running is a mental sport. Richmonder Antoine Craig takes this literally! Between working as a mental health counselor and training for the US Track and Field Paralympic Team, he is invested in bettering the mental and physical health of our communities one step at a time.
RHHD sat down with Antoine ahead of this year’s Paralympics to chat about how to best take care of our mental health.
Take the first step, even if it feels intimidating. After losing his vision in 2010, Antoine focused on “just showing up and participating.” A friend asked him to run together with a shoelace tied between their hands. That track training led to road races and sprints until ultimately, he won silver in the 100m dash at the Tokyo Olympics qualifiers.
In 2021, Antoine switched gears to soccer. Although his first blind soccer game was “so fast and scary, something told me to stick with it,” and he was named to the first National Men’s Blind Soccer Team in 2022. He is currently back on the track, competing in the Track and Field Paralympic Trials this weekend!
It can be hard to know where to start when we encounter something new or overwhelming. One first step you can take if you’re experiencing struggles with mental health is to call 988. The national lifeline is open 24/7 to provided free, immediate help from a trained crisis worker and referrals to mental health resources.
Get expert support. Antoine credits his interest in mental health to early interactions with mental health professionals in middle school. After seeing “how cool they were,” he decided that counseling was the path for him. Antoine now works to change his clients’ relationship with therapy. Instead of viewing it in the negative, he says, “therapy is just like sitting with a friend that can help you navigate the challenges in your life.” He loves to steer people in the right direction and advocate for his clients.
From athletic training to mental health counseling, it’s all about “surrounding yourself with the right people.” It can feel like there is stigma around finding and receiving help, but connecting with mental health professionals can positively transform the way we view and take care of ourselves.
RHHD is proud to partner with mental health professionals like the teams at Richmond Behavioral Health Authority, Daily Planet Health Services, and The Hive, all of which are supported in part by the Health Equity Fund. These organizations are working to make sure that everyone in our region has access to mental healthcare when they need it.
“Create spaces for open conversations.” Whether it be on the track, the soccer field, or with mental health, Antoine notes that it is all about “creating spaces for open conversations.” This past year, he served as an ambassador for the US Association of Blind Athetes, advocating for more opportunities for all athletes to complete, regardless of disability.
Antoine is especially passionate about men’s health because “identity plays such a huge part in connecting people to care”. Less than half of men experiencing mental health issues seek help, in part because of the stigma surrounding men’s mental health issues. If we create spaces for open conversations, we can eliminate false stereotypes and encourage folks to take action for their mental health.
At RHHD we are taking big steps to continue our work supporting health in all our communities across Richmond and Henrico. The best way to support these efforts is to fill out the Community Health Assessment survey. This anonymous survey will help us to plan our outreach and provide the services and resources you need! Laura Bennett, the COO of Sportable, chose to support the CHA survey because “people with disabilities are underrepresented in healthcare, research, funding, and advocacy. ‘What gets counted counts’—we want people with disabilities to be counted and have their voices heard!”
We need input from every community in Richmond and Henrico! You can access the CHA online at rhhd.gov/2024-CHA or using a paper form at one of RHHD’s clinics, resource centers, or outreach tables at summer community events. The survey is available in English and Spanish.
What’s next for Antoine? He is competing in the US Paralympic Team Trials in Track and Field. (Insider knowledge – his favorite training spot is Forest Hill Park.) And you can follow his journey at the Trials on his YouTube page!
