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I. Understand African American Therapy

Everyone faces life stressors that can impact their mental health. African Americans may seek mental health therapy from African American therapists because this type of therapist already understands Black culture and psychological stressors specific to the Black community, and thus can provide more culturally competent care.

Mental health therapy can help you understand that you can improve your situation. With the right therapist, you can learn to control or eliminate symptoms that have been troubling you and make changes that promote healthy behaviors and a happier life.

What you should know about mental health therapy:

  • What’s it like to get mental health therapy?
  • How to find an African American therapist near you
  • What does mental health therapy help with?
  • How can you prepare for mental health therapy?
  • What are common mental health therapy treatments?

II. What’s it like to get mental health therapy?

You may seek mental health therapy for many reasons that deal with mental illnesses or emotional difficulties. African American therapists may treat depression, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), mood disorders, substance abuse, phobias, eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and many other psychological issues faced by Black women, men and children in the United States. Therapists can also help you work through stressful situations that put a strain on your mental wellness, such as relationship problems, job loss, sexual abuse, domestic violence, losing a loved one, or a serious illness.

Not everyone is affected by mental illness in the same way. African Americans may face personal, societal, and cultural differences when it comes to depression and anxiety, which African American therapists may better understand. Every person should watch for signs that they might benefit from mental health therapy. For example, it’s common to feel sad, angry, anxious, worried, or even hopeless sometimes.

When feelings become overwhelming and/or linger for a long time, it might be time to seek professional assistance.

Frequently drinking to excess, difficulty focusing on work or everyday activities, or engaging in behavior that’s harmful to yourself or others can all signal you need some mental wellness help.

Symptoms of psychological disorders and emotional difficulties can affect your ability to function normally and your quality of life profoundly. Black Americans may need additional help from African American therapists to fully overcome the stress and psychological impact of discrimination, racism, and inequity in the United States. Mental health therapy can address all types of distressing symptoms, assist with severe or ongoing stress, and improve your overall well-being.

African American therapists near you may take a variety of approaches to provide you with optimal mental health therapy. Treatment may combine various forms of talk therapies, cognitive behavioral therapies, and Black-centered psychology. Medications may be combined with therapies for diagnosed conditions.

III. How to find an African American therapist

To find Black therapists, look for a health professional who you feel will be comfortable to talk to and make you feel understood. You may want to consider gender. For instance, a black woman may feel more comfortable talking to a Black female therapist.

It can be challenging to find an African American therapist near you as this group of health professionals is often underrepresented in the field of psychology. If you can’t find therapists who are a good fit for you in your geographic area and accepting new patients, consider teletherapy, which lets you receive therapy online through video conferencing. Online therapy can also be more convenient than needing to meet in person.

Finding the right therapist depends on many factors that might influence your comfort level. These might include a therapist’s age, gender, and views on spirituality or sexuality. Minority patients may be sensitized to racial insults, making race and ethnicity a vital part of the therapeutic relationship. African American therapists effectively deliver culturally sensitive mental health interventions to Black patients and can honestly discuss ethnic and racial factors to quickly increase trust and mutual understanding.

If you’re seeking therapy for a specific concern, find a therapist who’s had experience addressing your issue with other clients, not someone who is new to treating your concerns. More importantly, ensure you choose a qualified therapist. Every state requires mental health professionals to be licensed, which usually includes earning a master’s or doctoral degree, thousands of hours of supervised training, and passing a state licensing exam.

Therapists set their own fees, which largely vary based on education, experience, specializations, location, length of therapy sessions, whether they accept insurance, and whether they offer a sliding fee scale based on your income. Most therapists charge clients per session and may recommend a set number of sessions to address your issue or leave this open-ended. Cost is one of the biggest barriers to  treatment. Many mental health professionals will work with clients on a sliding fee scale, but they don’t always advertise this, so it doesn’t hurt to ask.

IV. What does mental health therapy help with?

African American therapists understand the customs, attitudes, and behaviors of Black Americans, making them better equipped to address common mental wellness issues directly affecting the Black population in the United States. Mental health therapy can help with:

  • Racially motivated trauma: Race-based traumatic stress can be a response to a racially motivated encounter, such as a hate crime. Some individuals of racial and ethnic minorities experience racial discrimination as psychological wounding, sometimes leading to PTSD.
  • Depression: Depression can occur in anyone of any age, gender, race, or ethnicity. Chronic depression or major depressive disorders impact how you feel, think, and act.
  • Anxiety: When exposed to high levels of social or economic stressors, increased anxiety may lead to disorders that cause lingering anxiety that often becomes worse over time.
  • PTSD: Post-traumatic stress disorder can develop in anyone who’s witnessed or experienced a traumatic event. Studies show African Americans  have a high rate of PTSD.

V. How can you prepare for mental health therapy?

Consider what you want from behavioral therapy and what concerns you want to cover. Write down what’s bothering you most and document your specific symptoms, how long you’ve had them, and their intensity. Document any medications you’re taking, especially those prescribed for symptoms related to your mental health. Create a list of family members who have dealt with behavioral issues, what those issues were, and the outcomes. If you’ve been to therapy before, note what worked and what didn’t. Have this information ready to share with your Black therapist, so they have an overall picture of you.

VI. What are common mental health therapy treatments?

The treatment used in mental health therapy can vary based on your specific problem, but it often involves a combination of psychotherapies or talk therapies and sometimes medications. Black therapists may utilize one of several methods.

VII. What else can help?

To get the most out of your therapy, your therapist will likely give you homework assignments related to specific goals to do in between your sessions. These assignments typically focus on what you learned during your therapy sessions and may include activities, such as journaling, practicing coping strategies, and rehearsing new skills. Exercise, healthy eating, and adequate sleep are physiological strategies that can help you mentally.

author-img
LCSW

Caitlin Kingston is a licensed clinical social worker at Yale New Haven Hospital and has worked in the field since 2013. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Penn State University and her Master of Social Work, clinical/medical social work in 2020 from Fordham University. Her licenses and certifications include LCSW, LMSW, and CASAC.

Kingston has always had a passion for helping others and knew early on that she wanted to support others in her profession. During her undergraduate studies at Penn State, she met a social worker who inspired her to pursue a career as a therapist. She’s also trained in psychoanalytic psychotherapy with the New York School for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy. Kingston completed internships working in an after-school program with underprivileged youth and their families and with inmates in the high-security sector of Rikers Island jail.

Kingston’s career has included work at a drug treatment center, where she became the supervisor of intake and assessment for individuals with alcohol and substance use disorders. Today, she’s a social worker in the Psychiatric Observation Unit of the emergency department. Kingston is also trained in perinatal mental health with a focus on helping new mothers adjust to motherhood, especially in these very difficult times of isolation.

author-img
LCSW

Caitlin Kingston is a licensed clinical social worker at Yale New Haven Hospital and has worked in the field since 2013. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Penn State University and her Master of Social Work, clinical/medical social work in 2020 from Fordham University. Her licenses and certifications include LCSW, LMSW, and CASAC.

Kingston has always had a passion for helping others and knew early on that she wanted to support others in her profession. During her undergraduate studies at Penn State, she met a social worker who inspired her to pursue a career as a therapist. She’s also trained in psychoanalytic psychotherapy with the New York School for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy. Kingston completed internships working in an after-school program with underprivileged youth and their families and with inmates in the high-security sector of Rikers Island jail.

Kingston’s career has included work at a drug treatment center, where she became the supervisor of intake and assessment for individuals with alcohol and substance use disorders. Today, she’s a social worker in the Psychiatric Observation Unit of the emergency department. Kingston is also trained in perinatal mental health with a focus on helping new mothers adjust to motherhood, especially in these very difficult times of isolation.

VIII. Sources