Benefits of Working with a Black Therapist
Are You In Search Of A BIPOC Therapist?
Is the discrimination you face as a person of color leading to emotional distress?
Are you looking for a culturally competent mental health clinician?
And could you benefit from the empathetic support of a Black therapist to walk alongside you on your healing journey?
As a Black man or woman, it's possible that you’ve carried the burden of racism, microaggressions, and stereotyping for generations. You’ve grown up in a society where your goals, gifts, and safety have not been valued, and you might be suffering as a result. Symptoms of anxiety and depression may have compromised your outlook on life, while the consequences of post-traumatic stress keep you from ever feeling at ease. Instead of getting joy out of your relationships, work, and everyday experiences, you may feel defeated by or disconnected from what’s going on around you.
And though you want to combat discrimination and fight for what you deserve, you don’t want to fall prey to unfair stereotypes. Black men and women, in particular, are often written off as “aggressive” or “angry,” which often results in unfair policing of these communities and negative assumptions about BIPOC individuals. Living with such detrimental racism inevitably has an impact on our ability to function and understand the full extent of the trauma we’ve internalized.
Yet, mental health clinicians don’t always take the most effective approach among BIPOC communities. Though therapists are required to fulfill cultural competency requirements, they may not be familiar with diverse populations or have the insight that lived experience provides.
That’s why, when seeking a counselor, it’s important to work with someone who can relate to—and not just tolerate—your perspectives as a Black person. As a therapist of color, I will meet you where you are with genuine understanding and compassion as we develop meaningful strategies to address your mental health concerns.
Racial Trauma Impacts Communities Of Color Across The Country
Racism and sexism are ugly realities of being a living, breathing, contributing member of this society. Discrimination and ignorance exist in every pocket of American culture, and BIPOC communities, in particular, carry the heavy burdens of racial prejudice and systemic, intergenerational trauma.
These issues are particularly evident in the workplace, where white supremacy plays out in real-time for most of us. As Black workers, many of us have had to contend with lower wages and different treatment than that of our white counterparts. In fact, when black professionals were surveyed about returning to the workplace after the Covid-19 quarantine period, only 3 percent felt ready to go back to their jobs, citing that “remote work has buffered them from microaggressions” demonstrated by their white peers.
Of course, these behaviors aren’t just specific to the workplace. BIPOC individuals experience racially fueled disadvantages in every aspect of modern life—from restrictions at the ballot box to challenges within educational and housing systems to setbacks in their physical and mental healthcare. Even professionals who are trained to be aware of the long history and impact of racial trauma in this country often fall short of providing culturally competent care to Black communities.
Many Barriers Prevent POC From Seeking Therapy
Unfortunately, because we have internalized so much mistreatment as people of color, we develop the belief that there is no relief or that therapy will somehow signal weakness. We’re expected to rise above adversity, free from the lingering wounds of racial trauma, despite being given less autonomy and fewer resources than others.
But counseling can be your refuge. Working with a Black therapist, you can explore your stressors and emotions so that you can foster coping strategies uniquely tailored to your experience. In therapy for people of color, you have a chance to regain some of the power and control that has been taken away from you for too long.
A Black Therapist Can Help You Feel Less Alone On Your Journey
In a society designed to minimize or obscure Black pain, it can be difficult to find a safe space for POC to process their experiences. Therapy offers you a meaningful opportunity each week to examine emotional burdens and injuries so that you can navigate challenges in a healthy way. As you develop tailored coping skills for managing stress, trauma, and hostility, you can embark on a path toward true healing.
My Approach
Once we have established that we’re a good therapeutic match, I will spend initial counseling sessions learning more about you and your experience as a POC. Together, we’ll explore the institutional, familial, and personal dynamics impacting you psychologically as we discover more about the patterns and behaviors you’ve adopted. With insight into these influences, you can gain a newfound understanding of the ways that racial trauma has affected you.
In addition, I will offer actionable coping and communication strategies so that you can create strong boundaries and combat microaggressions. Such skills can help you be more functional at work and in your relationships, and you’re likely to notice a reduction in stress and anxiety along the way.
My approach is a blend of behavioral methods and a systems framework, so you will gain insight into your symptoms while developing a deeper awareness of how oppressive systems have contributed to your distress. As a Black therapist, I will blend my professional training with personal experience to meaningfully support you on your healing journey.
If you identify as BIPOC and feel the struggles of being a minority in this country, you are not alone—therapy can help. Your challenges are painful and complex, but there are lifelong skills you can learn to reduce emotional stress and injury. By cultivating effective solutions in therapy for people of color, you can feel more confident in yourself and your abilities—even when the world around fails to recognize your value.
Maybe You’re Considering Therapy For POC But Aren’t Sure If I’m The Right Fit For You…
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I understand that, as people of color, there aren’t a ton of therapists out there who can truly relate to our experiences. As a Black woman, I can meaningfully connect with you as a POC, offering guidance tailored to identity-specific concerns.
These days, therapists are expected to have a certain amount of cultural competence and understanding of the Black experience in America, but they might inadvertently add to our distress in therapy if they’re not people of color. With me, you can speak candidly about your experiences and take comfort in the fact that I am not approaching your emotions from a textbook point-of-view but rather from my own personal and professional insights as a Black therapist.
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Mental healthcare is healthcare, so it’s important that you prioritize your emotional well-being on the path to self-actualization. While therapy is an investment, it is an investment that will continue to pay off throughout your life in the form of stronger relationships, better self-esteem, and an improved outlook as a POC.
As a therapist, I have moved away from taking insurance because I saw the way insurance models negatively impacted my Black clients in particular. Most insurance companies require a diagnosis and treatment plan, so therapy lacked the confidentiality and tailored care that is essential for my BIPOC clients’ success. On the other hand, private-pay therapy is designed to meet your needs specifically and not fulfill some impersonal, un-confidential treatment plan.
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I offer therapy sessions online, ultimately saving you time in the long run. Working with me, you can feel free to have your therapy sessions in the spaces where you’re most comfortable. And because online appointments offer more flexibility in general, you will be able to schedule (or reschedule) at your convenience.
I Will Walk Alongside You On Your Healing Journey
If you’re Black, indigenous, or a person of color (BIPOC), working with a Black therapist can make the counseling process more supportive, direct, and meaningful. You can find out more about my approach to therapy for people of color (POC) by scheduling an appointment here.
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