Updated on 2/22/2022

Racism has always starkly undergirded American life. While many white Americans have only recently become alerted to the realities of police brutality and other racist horrors against Black communities, people of color have always known and borne this burden.Racismis a form of traumaso it’s understandable why experiencing forms of brutality, harassment, and stigma can lead to PTSD symptoms. From police brutality tohealth inequalityandracist microaggressions, people of colors’ lived experiences of racism take a severe toll on mental health. Even if one does not personally experience these negative issues, repeated exposure to videos of racist police brutalityon social mediacan also lead to similar PTSD symptoms. As a result ofthis profound stress, Black Americans are 20% more likely than white Americans tolive with mental illness.“Dr. Poussaint,along with seven other black psychiatrists,appealed to the American Psychiatric Association to add racism to the diagnostic manual in the 1970’s. While their request was turned down, they acknowledged that this matter needed to be addressed.”Talkspace therapist Dr. Karmen Smith LCSW DDConcurrently, the conventional mental health establishment has systematicallyfailed communities of color. A lack of access toculturally responsive care— that is, care tailored to the experiences, values, and needs of marginalized people — can further exacerbate the mental health effects of racial trauma.Yet communities of color have also always invented and invested in healing practices that challenge the structures and effects of white supremacy — part of what communitymental health practitioner Obari Cartman, in aprevious interview with Talkspace, called the “inherent genius” of Black communities.Today, dozens of Black and people of color-led grassroots organizations, clinics, and collectives provide therapeutic resources for communities that experience racist oppression. Below, we’ve compiled a list of some of these groups as a starting point; countless more are doing difficult, phenomenal community wellness work every day. These resources include both conventional talk therapy — often at subsidized rates and available remotely during thecoronavirus pandemic— as well as self-care resources and healing practices.

Racism has always starkly undergirded American life. While many white Americans have only recently become alerted to the realities of police brutality and other racist horrors against Black communities, people of color have always known and borne this burden.

Racismis a form of traumaso it’s understandable why experiencing forms of brutality, harassment, and stigma can lead to PTSD symptoms. From police brutality tohealth inequalityandracist microaggressions, people of colors’ lived experiences of racism take a severe toll on mental health. Even if one does not personally experience these negative issues, repeated exposure to videos of racist police brutalityon social mediacan also lead to similar PTSD symptoms. As a result ofthis profound stress, Black Americans are 20% more likely than white Americans tolive with mental illness.

“Dr. Poussaint,along with seven other black psychiatrists,appealed to the American Psychiatric Association to add racism to the diagnostic manual in the 1970’s. While their request was turned down, they acknowledged that this matter needed to be addressed.”

Talkspace therapist Dr. Karmen Smith LCSW DD

Concurrently, the conventional mental health establishment has systematicallyfailed communities of color. A lack of access toculturally responsive care— that is, care tailored to the experiences, values, and needs of marginalized people — can further exacerbate the mental health effects of racial trauma.

Yet communities of color have also always invented and invested in healing practices that challenge the structures and effects of white supremacy — part of what communitymental health practitioner Obari Cartman, in aprevious interview with Talkspace, called the “inherent genius” of Black communities.

Today, dozens of Black and people of color-led grassroots organizations, clinics, and collectives provide therapeutic resources for communities that experience racist oppression. Below, we’ve compiled a list of some of these groups as a starting point; countless more are doing difficult, phenomenal community wellness work every day. These resources include both conventional talk therapy — often at subsidized rates and available remotely during thecoronavirus pandemic— as well as self-care resources and healing practices.

Melanin and Mental HealthMelanin and Mental Health is a network that connects Black and Latinx people to mental health resources. They providea database of culturally competent therapists, and produce theBetween Sessions Podcast, which includes candid conversations on mental health, self-care, trauma, and joy from “two brown chicks changing the face of therapy on both sides of the couch.” Their social media feeds also feature inspiration, resources, andtips on self-care during trying times.

Melanin and Mental Health

Melanin and Mental Health is a network that connects Black and Latinx people to mental health resources. They providea database of culturally competent therapists, and produce theBetween Sessions Podcast, which includes candid conversations on mental health, self-care, trauma, and joy from “two brown chicks changing the face of therapy on both sides of the couch.” Their social media feeds also feature inspiration, resources, andtips on self-care during trying times.

Therapy for Black GirlsDr. Joy Harden Bradford founded Therapy for Black Girls as a blog in 2014, in order to start often-neglected conversations about Black girls’ and women’s mental health. Since then, the site has grown to includea database of culturally competent therapists,a podcast, andThe Yellow Couch Collective, a membership-based virtual community that offers community connection and resources supporting mental thriving for Black women.“It feels like we have this ongoing conversation,”Dr. Joy told Talkspace’s Ashley Ladererof the podcast and online community, during a May 2020 interview for National Mental Health Awareness Month. “It’s been a great way for our community to continue some of these conversations around mental health and how we can prioritize our mental health as Black women.”

Therapy for Black Girls

Dr. Joy Harden Bradford founded Therapy for Black Girls as a blog in 2014, in order to start often-neglected conversations about Black girls’ and women’s mental health. Since then, the site has grown to includea database of culturally competent therapists,a podcast, andThe Yellow Couch Collective, a membership-based virtual community that offers community connection and resources supporting mental thriving for Black women.

“It feels like we have this ongoing conversation,”Dr. Joy told Talkspace’s Ashley Ladererof the podcast and online community, during a May 2020 interview for National Mental Health Awareness Month. “It’s been a great way for our community to continue some of these conversations around mental health and how we can prioritize our mental health as Black women.”

The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation

Actress Taraji P. Henson founded the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation in 2018 in honor of her father, a Vietnam War veteran who struggled with the effects of wartime trauma throughout his life. The foundation works to increase mental health care access, anddecrease mental health stigma,in Black communities. The Foundation also offersa directory of culturally-sensitive Black-centered healing and therapy resources.

Sista Afya

Sista Afya is currently offeringseveral virtual support groupsfor Black women to collectively process the moment of heightened trauma communities of color are currently living through. They also offerBlack women-centered merchandisethat make great, wellness-centered care gifts to oneself and others.

Black Emotional and Mental Health CollectiveThe Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective is a group of “advocates, yoga teachers, artists, therapists, lawyers, religious leaders, teachers, psychologists, and activists” dedicated to,in their words, “a world where there are no barriers to Black healing.” They take a healing justice approach, meaning that they emphasize the structural and intersectional nature of trauma and harm, as well as joy and resilience, in Black communities.The group includesa directory of Black therapistscertified in providing telemental health services,a series of video discussions on Black healing, event series onmen’sandtrans wellness, andtoolkits for self-care.“Mothers that experienced violence in a Black Community in the midwest came together and formedMother’s in Charge.This organization’s mission was to support all mothers to increase their wellbeing, which affects all those around them. Their methods of dealing with trauma are traced back to African tribal solutions.”Talkspace therapist Dr. Karmen Smith LCSW DD

Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective

The Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective is a group of “advocates, yoga teachers, artists, therapists, lawyers, religious leaders, teachers, psychologists, and activists” dedicated to,in their words, “a world where there are no barriers to Black healing.” They take a healing justice approach, meaning that they emphasize the structural and intersectional nature of trauma and harm, as well as joy and resilience, in Black communities.

The group includesa directory of Black therapistscertified in providing telemental health services,a series of video discussions on Black healing, event series onmen’sandtrans wellness, andtoolkits for self-care.

“Mothers that experienced violence in a Black Community in the midwest came together and formedMother’s in Charge.This organization’s mission was to support all mothers to increase their wellbeing, which affects all those around them. Their methods of dealing with trauma are traced back to African tribal solutions.”

National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network

While much of the group’s resources are oriented toward therapists, they also includea directory of QTPOC therapistswho provide culturally competent care. TheirRadical Syllabusfor queer and trans mental health workers of color is a great resource for practitioners as well as those looking to learn more about structural racism, queerphobia, and mental health.

Loveland Therapy FundThe Loveland Therapy Fund is a nonprofit organization helping to defray the cost of therapy for Black women and girls. Academic, writer, and lecturerRachel Carglefounded the Fund in 2018, after her birthday fundraiser raised over $250,000 to support therapy access for Black women.Black women and girls can apply to be part ofan upcoming therapy cohort here. Those selected can choose from a number of telehealth providers, including Talkspace.

Loveland Therapy Fund

The Loveland Therapy Fund is a nonprofit organization helping to defray the cost of therapy for Black women and girls. Academic, writer, and lecturerRachel Carglefounded the Fund in 2018, after her birthday fundraiser raised over $250,000 to support therapy access for Black women.

Black women and girls can apply to be part ofan upcoming therapy cohort here. Those selected can choose from a number of telehealth providers, including Talkspace.

Rest for Resistance

“All people need to feel loved, safe and cared for. People of color may not feel safe or appreciated in certain spaces. Increasing activities and thoughts that cultivate self love and safety illuminates hope.”

Self- and Community CareOne demand of the ongoing movement against racist police brutality is for localities across the United States todivest from policingand to invest, instead, in community wellbeing, including education, housing, and healthcare. While protestors and policymakers have put forthmany different versionsof this demand, the underlying emphasis is clear.People of color and marginalizedpeople, especially Black Americans, have an enduring and inalienable right to heal, thrive, and receive the support and care they need.

Self- and Community Care

One demand of the ongoing movement against racist police brutality is for localities across the United States todivest from policingand to invest, instead, in community wellbeing, including education, housing, and healthcare. While protestors and policymakers have put forthmany different versionsof this demand, the underlying emphasis is clear.People of color and marginalizedpeople, especially Black Americans, have an enduring and inalienable right to heal, thrive, and receive the support and care they need.

Our goal at Talkspace is to provide the most up-to-date, valuable, and objective information on mental health-related topics in order to help readers make informed decisions.

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