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These many accomplishments moved us to name Henson one of this year’sVerywell Mind 25, an award given to champions of mental health and wellness. We sat down with the multi-hyphenate to discuss her foundation and its impact, what clinicians and advocates can do to further destigmatize Black mental health, and how she’s prioritizing wellness in both her personal and professional life.
Breaking Down Therapy Stigmas in the Black Community
Mental health is becoming more normalized generally, but in the Black community, it remains a shamed subject — something Henson has worked to correct over the years. She points to COVID-19 and the pandemic as a turning point, saying, “More people are talking about it, including those in the Black community.” Though, these conversations, while groundbreaking, haven’t completely erased the mistrust many Black folks hold toward clinicians and professionals, as their fear of being shamed or demonized hinders them from seeking professional care and help: “However, we are still the least likely group to actually ask for help due to a lack of trust, and for good reason,” she adds.
But that’s where her foundation comes in.
Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation
[However] we are still the least likely group to actually ask for help due to a lack of trust, and for good reason.
Without it, Black folks and people of color will continue feeling therapy isn’t a safe and supportive environment, thus furthering this stigma. Tomental health providers, Henson says this: “What services may work for one group can actually be detrimental to another and that goes even deeper into layers of experiences and zip codes. We are not a monolith.”
Why Therapists Say Cultural Safety Is Essential in Mental Healthcare
On Self-Care, Motherhood, and the Power of Joy
“We have both gone through trauma, andfinding a therapist, a support system surrounding you, and accessible resources are a tremendous help and something that should be more readily available to all,” she says. But it’s not. Support systems and accessible care are privileges most don’t have.
But this shouldn’t stop you from practicing self-care. Because self-care isn’t just a spa day or journaling — it’s joy.
“Vulnerability is your strength, not a weakness," she advises to Black men, women, and children who are struggling. “We have to break the cycle of suffering so that we can live healthy whole lives without being shackled to our trauma. There are free services out here, whether it’s therapy or yoga or African dance that can help you at least start your journey to healing. Joy is our birthright, and you deserve that.”
Maintaining Wellbeing as an Activist
Being an advocate, whether that’s for social justice,climate change, or mental health, is often a thankless, exhausting job—one that Henson struggles with sometimes, but she credits her supporters for keeping her going.
“I broke my silence to free someone else to share their story and ultimately get the support they need,” she admits. “It wasn’t easy, especially when you’re in the public space, but it was worth it. When I get DMs on social media from people who have actually received the free therapy and resources my foundation offers, it fills my heart more than anything I’ve done as an artist.”
I broke my silence to free someone else to share their story and ultimately get the support they need.
She acknowledges that they “still have a lot of work to do, especially given the cuts in funding toDEI initiatives,” but Henson is proud of her accomplishments and welcomes the challenges she has to face. For, it is, she reveals, “the progress we’ve made in such a short period of time, that keeps me fighting for us.” And fighting she will do.
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