WRENS, Ga. (WJBF) – May is Mental Health Awareness Month. 

A new mental health office is now open, serving Wrens and surrounding cities.

At Self-Mental Health, Shakia Fuller is on a mission to combat stigmas and provide holistic mental health care to underserved communities. 

Self-Mental Health focuses on guiding people on a “self-investment journey”.

“We’re just trying to incorporate all the wellnesses so that it will become the norm in the communities around us,” said Shakia Fuller, CEO and Founder of Self-Health Mental Health, LLC.

While practicing counseling in Augusta, Fuller also traveled to do community therapy in Wrens. That’s when she realized a great need in the area.

“Transportation was an issue for some residents in the rural area,” said Fuller. “I started thinking there’s a great need here. Wrens is centralized to many cities: Waynesboro, Lewisville, Sandersville, Thomson, Grovetown…”

Fuller opened her Wrens practice in April. 

She says she works with people to discover a healthy presence that is equal parts mental, physical and spiritual. 

“I tell my people that I serve, it’s not the ‘h-o-l’ holistic always- it’s the ‘w-h-o-l’ ‘wholistic’ – the whole body,” said Fuller.

Fuller’s work is centered around creating a safe space and reminding people to, first, take care of themselves. 

“A lot of people say, ‘celebrate your wins’ and things like that,” said Fuller. “I’m just like, celebrate life…because it’s a big deal.”  

The first annual Self-Mental Health Awareness Expo will be held on May 27th from 1-6pm on Estelle Street in Wrens. It is open to everyone in the community. For more information, visit https://selfmentalhealth.com/.