If you need mental health assistance right now, call the NAMI Helpline at 800-950-NAMI or text “NAMI” to 741741.
Black lives matter (opens in new tab), and so does Black mental health. The Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health reports (opens in new tab) that African Americans are 10 percent more likely to experience serious psychological distress. At the same time, only 30 percent of African American adults with mental illnesses get help each year, which is below the U.S. average of 43 percent.
Racism and racial trauma continue to affect the mental well-being of Black people, who already face so many obstacles when it comes to receiving mental health treatment. As the National Alliance on Mental Illness stated (opens in new tab), “Racism is a public health crisis.”
If you feel like the continued incidents of police brutality and lack of injustice for Black lives (opens in new tab) (on top of living in a society that upholds systems of racism) are taking a toll on your mental health, here are some resources that could help you, your friends, or your family right now:
Finding a therapist can be so daunting that it almost doesn’t feel worth it sometimes. Thankfully, there are organizations that have made it much easier for Black people to get connected. Therapy for Black Girls (opens in new tab), founded by Joy Harden Bradford, PhD, compiled a useful directory of therapists who actually *get it*. (The organization also produces a podcast, publishes a weekly newsletter, and hosts free support groups on Thursday nights.)
Find a Therapist
As Healthyish pointed out (opens in new tab), Inclusive Therapists (opens in new tab) provides therapists with racial trauma training (opens in new tab) to ensure health care providers look at mental health holistically. The organization has a directory of professionals, and many of them offer reduced-price virtual sessions.
If you’re looking for an LGBTQ+ therapist of color, LGBTQ Psychotherapists of Color has a directory (opens in new tab) that also serves as a vital resource for the community.
Attend Virtual Sessions
Therapy can be really expensive, but online support groups like Sista Afya’s (opens in new tab) free virtual conversations make it more accessible. Their latest group session focused on how consuming news can cause stress and impact our mental health (opens in new tab) and provided tools that can be used when the news cycle is especially traumatic.
Also, look into Ethel’s Club (opens in new tab), a Brooklyn-based wellness group that centers people of color and hosts virtual group healing and grieving sessions twice a month. And if you’re into using tarot and astrology in your mental health journey, Dive in Well (opens in new tab) has a variety of programs in addition to donation-based therapy classes and wellness-focused workshops.
Hold Your Workplace Accountable
Working somewhere that acknowledges the burdens Black people face and is actively working to end systemic racism can drastically improve your mental health. It should not be on Black people to educate white people about racism, but if you’d like to reach out to your company’s leadership or if you’re an ally who wants to make sure your workplace is being held accountable, this template (opens in new tab) is so easy to complete and send to make sure your voice is heard.
Check Out These IG Accounts
Fill your feed with reminders and tips on caring for your mental well-being. For helpful reminders that taking breaks is a crucial part of our mental well-being, The Nap Ministry (opens in new tab) is a great follow. (This organization also offers virtual or Atlanta-based guided sessions (opens in new tab) of “rest coaching” and “spiritual direction.”)
Not only does the Black Mental Wellness (opens in new tab) account post about virtual support sessions, but it also provides helpful journal prompts if you prefer to write things out and reflect on them later.
HealHaus (opens in new tab) offers virtual wellness retreats, sound baths, and healing groups. This is also a great resource if you’re interested in private sessions across a variety of disciplines (opens in new tab), like astrology, tarot, energy healing, coaching, or holistic medicine.
Download The Safe Place App
The Safe Place (opens in new tab) is a free all-in-one destination where you can find stats about mental health in the Black community, advice on how to cope after incidents of police brutality, breathing techniques, open forum discussions, and tips about addressing mental health with your family and the Black church.
Asking for and getting help can feel scary, but please take care of yourself. And if you’re in the financial position, donate to The Loveland Foundation, a nonprofit that helps Black women get access to mental health resources through its Therapy Fund (opens in new tab).
Black Lives Matter
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