We recently connected with Marie Antoine-Pierre and have shared our conversation below.

Marie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

Carmel’s Depression & Anxiety Wellness Foundation (CDAWF) began with a message from God. It was clear and powerful: I was being called to use my own lived experiences with depression and anxiety to help others.

At first, I was hesitant, but I knew I couldn’t ignore it. That divine moment gave me the courage to step into something greater than myself. While CDAWF isn’t a faith-based organization, it was born through faith.

I founded CDAWF to create a space where adults 18 years and older could feel seen, heard, and supported in their mental health journeys. Too many suffer in silence, and I wanted to change that. Through education, advocacy, and access to resources, we are breaking barriers, creating safe spaces, and uplifting those navigating depression and anxiety.

Marie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Marie Antoine-Pierre, Founder and CEO of CDAWF. While CDAWF officially launched in 2023, its roots go back 22 years, when I first began silently battling depression and anxiety.

Back then, I didn’t have the words or support to understand what I was going through. Years later, I received a clear message from God that pushed me to act, not just for myself, but to help others come out of the silence. CDAWF is not faith-based, but it was absolutely born through faith and purpose.

What we offer is more than programs. It is connection, understanding, and empowerment. Through workshops like our free six-week Let’s Talk Mental Health: Depression & Anxiety Summer Empowerment Clinics, participants are speaking up for the first time, meeting professionals, and learning about mental wellness in ways that are empowering rather than intimidating.

The impact is clear. Our partner, the Cortelyou Branch Library, has seen more community members walk in asking for resources. People are sharing stories, reconnecting with families, discovering purpose, and realizing they are not alone.

Along the way, I also published A Recipe for Battling Depression & Anxiety: Buzz Off Funk, I Got This Mind. It is a heartfelt guide blending personal reflections, practical tools, affirmations, and recipes for emotional wellness. It is not a cure, but an educational and inspirational resource. For diagnosis or crisis support, I always point people to medical professionals and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

I often say “our people” because I want the CDAWF community to know they are not alone. I struggle too, and I am committed to sharing my voice for all of us. This isn’t about standing in front. It is about walking beside others.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

One of the most powerful moments came when I received the divine message to launch CDAWF. For years, I had been silently battling depression and anxiety. God told me, “I need you to share your story because I need you to help me save my other children.” That message shook me, but I still hesitated. For six months, I struggled with fear and stigma.

Then, one morning, I woke up to Ginger Zee on Good Morning America sharing her mental health journey. Just the day before, I had received God’s message, and now this. It felt like divine confirmation. I reached out to my friend and business coach, Mrs. Dana Cannon Bryson, who encouraged me to step forward. That sealed it for me. I knew the calling was real.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

For years, I thought I had to wait until I “had it all together” before speaking up. I believed people only respected strength, and to me that meant being completely over my struggles. So I stayed quiet.

But healing did not begin when I was “better.” It began when I allowed myself to be seen, messy, vulnerable, and still in progress. I had to unlearn that perfection makes you credible. The truth is, being real makes you relatable.

The people I serve do not need a perfect version of me. They need the honest one, the one who knows what it feels like to be in the dark, but also knows there is a way forward.

So to my CDAWF community I say: hang on tight. We will no longer live in fear or silence. We will be resilient, educate ourselves, advocate for the voiceless, and find healing together by keeping faith and hope alive.

I now live by this message: You don’t have to be fully healed to be helpful. Our CDAWF Core Values guide us: Compassion, Collaboration, Resourcefulness, Inclusivity, Integrity, and Honesty.

My motto is: “I struggle with depression and anxiety, so what? Kick butt.”

I am thankful to God, my family, and close friends whose love and encouragement gave me the courage to begin this journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cdawf.org
• Instagram: carmels.dawf
• Facebook: carmels.dawf

Image Credits

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