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8 Helpful Mental Health Resources for African American Communities
Historically, the experience of African Americans in the United States has been characterized by trauma and violence more often than their white peers. This experience plays a major part in the emotional and mental health of the Black community.
Further, mental and emotional help for those in the Black community are often from faith-based organizations. Mental Health America (MHA) screening data shows that Black and African American people who screen positive for depression commonly plan to seek help at higher rates than the general population. However, Black providers make up a small section of the behavioral health provider workforce. Due to these factors and countless others, people of color are more likely to experience long-term and continual mental health conditions.
The desire for mental health recovery in the Black community should remain solid.
The MHA shares several mental health resources for African American communities:
- 1. Black Emotional and Mental Health (BEAM): BEAM is a training, movement building and grant-making organization dedicated to the healing, wellness, and liberation of Black communities. BEAM envisions a world where there are no barriers to Black Healing.
- Toolkits & Education: graphics on accountability, self-control, and emotional awareness; journal prompts; articles on Black mental health
- Videos: trainings and webinars, recorded and available for free
- 2. The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation: changing the perception of mental illness in the African-American community by encouraging people to get the help they need; focuses on stigma/self-stigma reduction and building trust between Black people and the mental health field.
- Resource Guide: directory of mental health providers and programs that serve the Black community; includes therapists, support groups, etc, but also digital content, faith-based programs, educational programs, etc
- 3. Therapy for Black Girls: online space encouraging the mental wellness of Black women and girls; referral tool to find a therapist in your area
- Therapist Directory: find trusted therapists that can help you navigate being a strong, Black woman; can search for in-office therapist by your location or virtual therapist.
- 4. The Loveland Foundation: financial assistance to Black women & girls seeking therapy
- 5. Therapy for Black Men: primarily a therapist directory for Black men seeking therapy; includes some resources and stories.
- 6. Dr. Ebony’s My Therapy Cards: self-exploration card deck created by a Black female psychologist for other women of color; created with the intention of helping other women of color grow and elevate in the areas of emotional and mental health.
- 7. Innopsych: InnoPsych’s mission is to bring healing to communities of color by changing the face and feel of therapy. They strive to make therapists of color more visible in the community by creating a path to wellness-themed business ownership; to make it faster (and easier) for people of color to match with a therapist of color; and to create a major shift in how communities of color (or POCs) view therapy.
- 8. Safe Black Space: Safe Black Space is the umbrella under which various services are offered to address people of African ancestry’s individual and community reactions to cultural and racial trauma.