Please see the transcript below for Terrie Williams’ recent CNN appearance:

WHITFIELD: And as you can see, talking about depression is very difficult for anyone. But Jordan is an amazing, remarkable example. So in the African-American community in particular it is even more difficult to talk about, sometimes it is actually taboo. In a few minutes, we will be joined by author Terrie Williams. Her new book, “Black Pain,” brings this taboo topic right out in the open.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: More now on a very tough and touchy topic of depression, especially in the African-American community. Our next guest says that it’s a topic often not even discussed openly. Author Terrie Williams is trying to change that in her new book, “Black Pain”. She joins us this morning from Philadelphia to bring this issue out in the open. Terrie, thanks so much for joining us. It is a tough topic for anyone to discuss. And then just seeing how Jordan right before the break expressed himself about his lowest low and what he is going through now in this every day recovery. What was the impetus of you wanting to tell your story?

TERRIE WILLIAMS, AUTHOR: Well I want to just say, first, Fredricka, that I really thank God for Jordan and his testimony, as I sat here and listened to it. I felt as if I was going through my own experience all over again. He was so powerful and so very eloquent. And I think it’s the healing that starts with us. So he is still here to share his testimony. That is really, really what it is all about, sharing our stories with each other.

WHITFIELD: It really is. And while you try to share your story, what is so remarkable too and perplexing about this whole thing of depression is, here you were at a point when you started to hit some of those lowest lows, very successful, owner of your own operation and business, you managed to lure all these celebrity clients, everything seemed to be going right in your world. Then suddenly, you started feeling very overwhelmed. At what point did you say, this is depression and not just, I’m pooped?

WILLIAMS: Well it was characterized — I had my breakdown, Fredricka, about four years ago where I was paralyzed almost every morning as I tried to get up. I was highly, highly irritable. I ate all the time, I slept all the time. And it was really, really devastating. Ultimately, some friends who really came to really.

WHITFIELD: Oh, no. I think we have lost that satellite signal. We are going to try and get that sorted out because this really is an incredible topic in which to discuss and flush out. And Terrie Williams has an incredible story to tell through her book. We are going to try and reestablish that. And when we do, we will bring that right to you. In the meantime, let’s look ahead on what is ahead this hour.

[…]

In the meantime, much more of our conversation which got so rudely cut off because of our satellite window. The topic was depression. The subject that we were talking to was Terrie Williams. She’s the author of a book out about depression called, “Black Pain.” Much more of that conversation right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: We want to continue our conversation about depression that we were having moments ago. We had some satellite problems. In the midst of it all, we were talking to author Terrie Williams, who is out with a new book called “Black Pain”. It is entitled that in part because, talking about depression, particularly in a number of black households, has been considered taboo for a long time. Terrie joins us again from Philadelphia. We apologize for the satellite window problem. Let’s pick up where we had left off.

We were talking about how you had a successful business, you were dealing with so many. You had a lot of balls up in the air. But somehow, you know, you got home and you were just wanting to sleep it all away. You felt terrible, why?

WILLIAMS: I felt terrible as I think so many do because I was giving away all of myself to other people. I was the last person on my to-do list. I wasn’t eating properly. I wasn’t exercising and then I wasn’t, quite frankly, dealing with a lot of emotional issues from just early childhood.

All of us inherit the pain of our parents and particularly for the African-American experience, there is that legacy of slavery where you had to really suppress all emotions. You could not really show love or affection for your child or your mate for fear that if the slave master witnessed that, that you would be sold off.

And so we kept a lot of our emotions in. I think most of us do that, that we are not dealing with our stuff. At some point, the wearing of the mask, which we all do, it cracks. And it is a horrific, horrific experience. And what we are trying to do is to create an awareness. Part of the program was to write “Black Pain,” an easy to read, accessible book that the young person who’s on the street all the way up to people who are really accomplished and successful can really see themselves.

I think many of us have not named our pain. We don’t know what it looks like. We don’t know what it feels like, and we don’t know what it sounds like.

As you mentioned, there is this great taboo in our community. It is a stigma. We don’t want to air our dirty laundry. And then for many of us to do anything, because we are a faith-based people, to do anything other than pray is a betrayal of God. Then, there is a basic mistrust of the medical establishment. Years ago, there was the famous Tuskegee experiment where black men who had syphilis were given placebos and they all died. And then years ago during slavery times, the psychiatric industry coined a phrase called drapetomania, which meant that if you tried to run away as a slave, that you were crazy.

WHITFIELD: And now, you are dealing with the modern day dilemma that you underscored particularly among women, which is kind of the invincible sister syndrome, where you don’t want anybody to think that you have pain inside and that you are dealing with stuff, that you’ve got to have this mask, as you put it, this strong face that, you know what, I have got it all under control.

WILLIAMS: Yes. And I will say to you and to your listeners, your viewers, that you will die trying to be super man or super woman. At some point, if you do not give yourself time and attention, if you do not seek therapy, as Jordan said, if you do not talk about what’s going on, at some point, the mask will crack.

We do ourselves a great injustice, which is part of life. We have launched a campaign. It is called “Stay Strong: The Healing Starts With Us.” And we are hoping, Fredricka, that on March 1st, that people will pledge to commit to their own self-healing and to that of others. We are stronger because other people shared their testimonies with each other. Jordan’s story and my story — I am a clinical social worker. So I am supposed to know what the symptoms are. It all falls out of the window.

WHITFIELD: It is hard to pinpoint.

WILLIAMS: Yes, it does.

WHITFIELD: Well Terrie Williams, thanks so much for sharing your testimony as well, in book form, especially, “Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We Are Not Hurting” is the book. Terrie Williams, thanks so much for joining us from Philadelphia and I’m glad we were able to get on air again.

WILLIAMS: If we could just ask people on March 1st to reach out to the StayStrongFoundation.org, to pledge their commitment to healing.

WHITFIELD: All right, well done. Thanks so much, Terrie. A look at the top stories, straight ahead. “YOUR MONEY” is next, here’s a preview.

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