Taraji P. Henson Says Mental Health Advocacy Has 'Changed' Her Approach to Her Work (Exclusive)

Taraji P. Henson isn’t afraid to talk about mental health.

Purple the actress recently spoke with PEOPLE about her new children’s book, You can be a good friend (no matter what!). and what mental health means to her.

“What inspired this book is that I work in the mental health field,” Henson tells PEOPLE. “I’m a mental health advocate, so it’s always about meeting people where they are and trying to help as much as I can – make this journey that has made life a little easier for all of us.”

Taraji P. Henson.

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Henson, 53, has long been an outspoken advocate for mental health.

She co-founded the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation in 2018 in honor of her father, who served in the Vietnam War. Lawrence Henson died in 2005.

“I often remember how he just wore his heart on his sleeve. He wasn’t hiding anything,” says Henson. “He was brave enough to live and walk in his truth, no matter how beautiful or ugly you think it is, because it was about, ‘I’ll tell you the truth so you don’t have to go through it,’ the same things I went through .’ ”

Her focus on mental health also extends to her acting career, telling PEOPLE that she “always thinks about the mental state of my character in any character I play.”

“I don’t care what character I’m dealing with, they have a cross to bear, which affects their mental health,” says Henson. “Becoming a mental health advocate has changed the way I look at and approach my work.”

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‘You can be a good friend (no matter what!)’ by Taraji P. Henson.

Her approach to prioritizing mental health extends to her parenting, she told Verywell Mind. While raising her son Marcello, 30, she said she stressed the importance of being vulnerable and asking for help when you need emotional support.

Taraji P. Henson on breaking the ‘cycle of suffering’ with mental health: ‘Vulnerability is your strength’

“We’ve both been through trauma, and finding a therapist, the support system that surrounds you, and the resources available are a huge help and something that should be more accessible to everyone,” Henson told the outlet.

Henson’s book You can be a good friend (no matter what!) it is now available wherever books are sold.

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Source: HIS Education