Why Working with a Person of Color Can Empower Your Mental Health Journey!

In Honor of Juneteeth and the second anniversary since it was named a nationally recognized holiday as of June 17, 2021

We are moving to a time when mental health services are becoming more accessible. Only ten years ago when I was in high school was mental health pathologized as having issues, or something wrong with you. Now, it’s a normal thing that we do. However, despite the change, that doesn’t mean everyone is accepting. In communities of color often families still ignore generational trauma and continue the cycle of toxic and harmful relationships. People of color are taught to be strong and care for others. Or to stay out of the way and keep your head down. We internalize our feelings and experiences. To say this is only done within families would be a huge disservice to recognizing the systemic impact of being a person who identifies as non-white. We operate from a systems perspective. Unfortunately, therapy and support were not created with the person of color in mind. Over the years mental health has adapted itself to become more multicultural competent.

Mistrust is Prevalent

Therefore, many communities have the mindset that therapy is for those who are rich, well off, and have less intense issues. Many black communities believe that you should tough it out. This can be more harmful than good. Many individuals end up struggling and not understanding why.

The truth is therapy is for anyone. However, not all therapists are for everyone.

We are created in such different ways that we are not the best fit for everyone. In more recent years, people of color have been encouraging individuals to begin therapy, but what ends up happening is they are sitting across from a therapist who doesn’t understand their culture, religion, ethnicity, values, and ethics. Many individuals in an attempt to be helpful, end up causing more harm to people of color who are already distrusting the mental health field. The last thing we want to do is cause harm. Therefore, I want to encourage you to understand why you may be resistant to therapy and consider how the experience could be different working with another person of color who gets where you’re coming from and won’t invalidate or dismiss your experiences.

Common reasons people of color don’t come to therapy:

Distrust of mental health

The truth is that many people of color have been wronged by medical providers and mental health professionals. People of color are often misdiagnosed and ignored when they feel something is wrong. Additionally, sitting across from a provider who is not multicultural competent makes the likelihood of invalidation and hurt easier to achieve.

Sitting with discomfort

If we think about this from the black family dynamic, often families pass on their traumas and how they handle certain issues. It ends up repeating in a cycle. So when we consider being in an uncomfortable situation, it may be hard to understand why your therapist is quieter or why you’re struggling to feel less anxious during a session. What therapists need to recognize is that your emotions are valid. The anger, sadness, and disappointment. Some individuals may feel that they will frighten someone or make it seem like they are the problem.

Context matters

Some individuals may wonder why they have had so much bad luck with therapists, I mean don’t we all get the same training? The truth is you can only learn so much from the DSM. It requires intentionality and further education, supervision, and cultural humility.

Finding voice and value

Individuals often come to therapy because they are trying to seek confidence and find their voice. However, they have been quieted, overlooked, and ignored so much. While a therapist may not be able to understand everything you have been through, they can empathize with you on your work struggles, and understand where your identity as a person of color may be challenging for you to address.

The trauma of racial violence, ethnic, or religious

Perhaps you feel that no one can understand what you have experienced. Since these issues are systemic and require a huge overhaul of the system, it may feel pointless to be in therapy. Therapy can help you better understand the impact of your experiences and help you build skills so you can move forward in life.

What Therapists are Doing to Support You!

As a person of color who knows how challenging it is to find a therapist who gets you, it is my mission to be able to support individuals in the community who feel like they have a place to exist, process, and find purpose. Aspire Counseling in Columbia, Mo is providing a space for you to feel safe, seen, and heard. Rather than talking about what we can do to make the services more accessible, we are here to take action in order to help make strides forward.