Mental Health in Black Communities – The need for more Black Therapists.

The importance of increasing black representation in therapy. The unique mental health challenges faced by the Black community.

By Ana Brown B.A Psychology, Mental Health Content Writer & Reviewed by Dr. Pascale Piron, Psy.D., M.A., LCPC.

March 06th, 2025

One of the finest memories I have is when I was teenager with my friends sharing the ups and downs of growing up. We all wore the same clothes and listened to the same music. Going to a party was especially fun when we saw familiar faces. Friends who shared the same background, went to the same school or had parents as strict as mine. I felt seen and validated in my experiences. When I shared my frustrations, it was easier to connect with someone with similar upbringing and cultural background. It felt safer. To this date, I love spending time with an old friend I feel connected to. Someone who feels familiar. Familiarity brings comfort. It means family.

Ongoing systemic racism is one of the major factors affecting mental health in Black Americans. The constant stress brought on by everyday discrimination creates chronic stress, anxiety and PTSD. In addition, the historical trauma from slavery and the stigma associated with mental illness, coupled with personal negative experiences, place the Black community in a top position for mental health struggles compared to other groups.

According to Mass General Brigham McLean Hospital “People of all ethnicities and cultures experience mental health conditions…However, when considering the mental health of Black Americans, it’s important to look at historical and cultural factors, some of which have led to significant disparities. For example, 25% of Black people seek mental health treatment when needed, compared to 40% of white people.”

Despite all the challenges and steps back, the Black community has demonstrated incredible resilience and a continuous effort to break paradigms and redirect the community to a place of healing. Not an easy journey and certainly one that needs culturally competent therapists to be part of this process.

Unfortunately, there is huge lack of Black therapists available in the mental health field. A disturbing only 2% of all US Psychologists are Black. Culturally competent Black therapists connect with their clients through their similarities in experiences and cultural backgrounds, through a deeper personal understanding of what their clients experience in their daily lives. It feels familiar and safe when we can talk to someone who has been through the same fears and traumas we have.

Kelsey Jordan, M.A., LCPC, ATR from Emerge Psychology Group explains the importance for more Black Therapists: “Black therapists are essential and meaningful to the mental healthcare. The visibility of Black therapists reflects that the mental and emotional wellness of Black people matter. There’s a need for more Black therapists, as we often bring a specific cultural context to our clinical work, even with clients who do not identify as Black. Much of my clinical work includes supporting Black and other racialized persons understand how identity, systems of oppression, internalized beliefs, cultural values, and minority stress contribute to experiences with anxiety, depression, relational issues, occupational challenges, Intergenerational trauma, and more. I believe an increase in Black therapists will help continue diversifying mental healthcare, reduce the imbalance between the number of Black therapists compared to the overall population, and create more inclusive and equitable mental healthcare and treatment.”

There is a need for increased recruitment, a change in narrative in school settings where Black students can feel more encouraged to enter the mental health field, more support and mentorship are necessary to increase an interest from Black students to study and work as counselors helping their community.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness “despite the needs (of the Black community), only one in three Black adults with mental illness receive treatment.”

To increase the number of Black therapists, there are important steps to be taken:

• Policymakers at Federal and State levels must address the systemic factors that foster the disparities between mental health care in Black communities and other groups.
• Schools and Universities need to address the stigma associated with mental illness in the Black community and create a more diverse and culturally inclusive school body along with scholarships and financial aid to students interested in becoming licensed therapists.
• Cultural and Ethnic agencies must continue working offering advisory and engaging services to support and guide all people of color on where to find Black mental health care providers.

HOW DO BLACK THERAPISTS CAN BETTER SUPPORT BLACK CLIENTS:

The Journal of Black psychology points out that “there is an unspoken level of comfort Black Therapists experience working with Black clients. Interpretative studies suggest that therapists most often feel a distinct sense of solidarity with their black clients, as evidenced by having a better understanding of the context of Black client’s lives.”

WHY DO WE NEED MORE BLACK THERAPISTS:

• Decrease the stigma associated with mental health illnesses by offering a familiar setting to Black clients.
• Promote visibility for other Black professionals and encouraging the youth to pursue a career in Psychology.
• Address specific issues such as racism, discrimination and prejudice which the Black Therapist may have ecperienced themselves, offering a more personal understanding of traumatic events.
• Foster trust and a safe environment where Black clients feel seen and validated by a professional who truly share their experiences. This connection leads to more engagement and more efficient treatment.

Licensed therapist Abena Ntim-Addae, M.A., LPC, NCC (she/her) from the Chicago based Psychology group Emerge clearly explains the importance of more Black representation in the mental health care field:

“Representation in therapy matters because the therapeutic space should be one in which the client feels seen, heard and understood. This is why it is important to have more Black therapists so that the Black people of all backgrounds and walks of life know that they are not alone in their experiences, including the cultural and systemic challenges that they regularly face. Additionally, having more Black therapists can help challenge the pervasive notion that Black people must always “be strong and deal with their struggles in isolation, which is a believe that remains widespread in many Black communities around the world.”

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Culturally competent therapists brake barriers to mental health care for Black people. The mental health disparities in Black communities can only decrease by increasing representation by Black health care providers.

There is so much power in seeing someone who looks like you in therapeutic spaces.

Tragically we cannot change the past, but we can build a future where all people of color are safer and cared for, a future with no place for hate, discrimination or fear. Where fairness and equality are the basis for a society built on true values of integrity and respect for the Black community.

Be kind. Be brave.Be well.

always with love,

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HELPFUL LINKS

Emerge Psychology Group – Chicago, IL

National Alliance on Mental Health – Black African American

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health

Call or Text: 988