Category: multicultural counseling

Black People and Mental Health: Transcending the Stigma

by Sharde Taylor, LPC-Intern, Supervised by Shelley Zavodney, LMFT-S, LPC-S

There is no denying that in recent years more and more Black people are bravely seeking out mental health services for themselves, but many of us remain reluctant or even adamant about not getting the help we need. Here are some of the factors and barriers that contribute to this long-standing issue:

TRUST

The lack of trust between Black people and those in the medical and mental health fields is completely understandable and even heightened in this current political era. Given our lengthy history of oppression by judges, police officers, scientific researchers, educators, and others in positions of authority, it is not difficult to see why some may be leery of mental health providers. This very reason for not seeking help also happens to be ...

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