Carl Binger

Before becoming a mental health counselor, I went through a lot of majors in college. I grew up most of my life in Niagara Falls, NY starting from age 5 to about my sophomore year in college and I saw a small promising city decline over that span. Before going to college, I vowed to try to fix the city by studying urban planning and sociology as my first majors but then I realized that Niagara Falls problems were too large for one person to fix and I am a people person, I didn’t want to be stuck behind a desk or just collaborating with a few people. I wanted to invest in the lives of people personally and directly, daily. I took up education as a major before switching back to sociology again. Then I went through 3 years of severe depression starting my junior year of college. It was after graduating with a bachelor’s in sociology and then going through depression that I decided to get a masters in mental health counseling. My thinking during the time of depression was, I went through a dark time mostly lonely and the feeling of being misunderstood, I never wanted anyone to feel the pain and isolation I felt and so I wanted to be a difference in the life of even just one person.

Depression had such a profound effect on me. So much so that I felt the need to write a book about my experience during the down time of COVID. As I mentioned previously, the three years of severe depression I went through really inspired me to help others who are suffering in silence. I wanted to be a light to depression by educating, giving hope, and breaking the stigma around depression.

I always share with my clients that I am not only educated in counseling but that I also have been through depression, received counseling, and been on medications myself. This alone is great conversation and session starters. People tend to drop their guard immediately when I admit that I was weak and needed help at some point and that’s ok.

Journaling, exercise, dieting, practicing good sleep habits.

My friend and I did a 3-part docuseries called Progressing from Darkness on Udemy. This docuseries sprang from the workshops that I do in the community in places like barber shops for an example. I do quarterly talk at the barber shop as well as requested talks and professional developments at organizations. I have impacted a lot of black men in urban communities. Encouraging men to get help when they are suffering. Helping them to identify depression and other mental health challenges and seeking help without shame when it’s appropriate.

The podcast and Facebook group mostly came from having time during COVID to really be imaginative and creative. It was torture for me to be away from people, so I needed a way to connect.

Being personal. Being vulnerable. I have found throughout my life that the more vulnerable and real you are can really help and heal people. People can try to use it against me but I don’t really care because I’ve reached a point where I just want to be a healer and helper and don’t care about being judged. I judged myself the worst in the depression. No human can judge me worse than that.

I stopped the podcast after about a dozen episodes or so. I recruited like minded and trusted friends as admins to help me run the Facebook group, and I am sure to practice self care and love for my family first and foremost. This gives me the energy and motivation to then help and love others.

They tend to hang on to abusive communities and friends. They think that the community accepting or rejecting them is God doing the same.

It's hard at times to separate the goodness of God from an organization that has failed to love them. Oftentimes they need to make a clean break, start new, and rediscover the love of Christ as found in the bible and then surround themselves with spiritually and emotionally healthy christians that are not just academic in their walk with Jesus.

While I was writing my book I was praying and saying and asking Jesus:

"I know that Isaiah 9:6 says that one of your attributes is a wonderful counselor, but in what ways are you a counselor in scripture? Can you show me an example?"

I believed he answered me and pointed me to Luke 24: 13-32 which is when Jesus drew near to the two men on the road to Emmaus. This was always one of my favorite passages because of how much intentionality and care Jesus had for these men, something dad you don't often see in church these days. When I am in my counseling office downtown, I make it a habit to go on walks and encourage my clients just as Jesus did here. I not only say encouraging things biblically or clinically, but I also remind them that as we walk, we are exercising and as we look around we see that life is bigger than us and it can tend to pull us out of ourselves and out of our depression even if it's just briefly.

I've been asked this question hundreds of times and my only answer is that somehow, God doesn't allow it to bother me at all.

I don't have any strategies or things I do to set boundaries besides just not taking calls or texts after sessions are over until the next time we meet again.

Another reason why it's easy to set boundaries is because I just love my job. I love counseling. It brings me joy to help others and it makes me truly appreciate God more because I know if I get joy from helping and loving others it must please him infinitely to do the same.

To be the best in my career and an effective citizen it starts at home. Loving my wife and my children well will give me the ability and freedom to love everyone else. If I give my family my all and my first, I have the freedom to know I did right by my family and go into the community and my career with a pure conscience.

There are so many parallels and layers to this question.

As a fan, sometimes we get too invested in the team to where all we do, and think is about the team. This is unhealthy and can quickly wear your mental health down especially if the team is bad. Football is a macho man sport, so it is very encouraging to see when players and formal players open about past or present struggles with mental illness. I do believe if the Bills win a Superbowl that the mental health of western New York is going to be good for a very long time.

I love to fish, journal, practice gratitude, pray, connect to God through his word, spend time with my family, go on vacations, and spend time with friends.

I joined last year after seeing a friend of mine there. She may have asked me to vote for her book cover and I think that made me aware of the site. I think it is a wonderful platform and I am thankful to be a part of it and to do this interview.