Black Mental Health Matters: A Resource Guide
Published in
5 min readJul 8, 2020
Black Americans have faced discrimination and racism daily since this country’s inception. This generational racial trauma has a profound effect on mental health and the impact is exacerbated by disparities in access to mental health care and a lack of culturally competent mental health resources. At One Mind PsyberGuide, our mission is healthy brains for all. Meeting this mission means both providing access to mental health resources to those who lack access to care, and calling out systemic and structural racism that runs counter to this goal.
Recent senseless and inexcusable acts of racist violence have provided another reminder of the systemic racism that exists in the United States of America. Racism is presented overtly in these violent acts, and covertly, in our actions, corrupt systems, and in our silence. This can have a profound impact on mental health and wellbeing.
In addition to creating meaningful ways to support, uplift, and be in solidarity with the Black people, our team has compiled a list of mental health resources specifically for the Black community.
Mental Health Apps Created by & for Black People
- Liberate Meditation is a subscription-based meditation app that includes practices and talks designed for the Black, Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) community. The app is designed to support BIPOC on their path to healing by naming and offering resources for common cultural experiences, like internalized racism and microaggressions. You can read One Mind PsyberGuide’s review here.
- The Safe Place is a mental health app that teaches the Black community more about mental health from a minority standpoint. The app can also be used as a tool by mental health professionals of all colors to understand their Black patients better. You can read One Mind PsyberGuide’s review here.
Mental Health Directories for Black People in Search of a Black (or allied) Therapist
Ayana Therapy
- For: Black Community.
- Services: Online mental health therapy for marginalized & intersectional communities. Ayana aims to match users with culturally competent counselors. Currently offering free therapy for frontline workers.
- Website: https://www.ayanatherapy.com/
Black Emotional & Mental Health (BEAM) Virtual Therapist Network
- For: Black Community.
- Services: Mental health directory, with an option to filter by location and therapists offering virtual sessions. They aim to remove the barriers that Black people experience getting access to or staying connected with emotional health care and healing.
- Website: https://www.beam.community/bvtnnj
Black Mental Health Alliance
- For: Black Community.
- Services: Through an expansive database of culturally-competent and patient-centered licensed mental health professionals, BMHA offers confidential referrals for those seeking mental health services.
- Website: https://blackmentalhealth.com/connect-with-a-therapist/
Boris Lawrence Henderson Foundation
- For: Black Community.
- Services: Individuals with life-changing stressors and anxiety related to the coronavirus will have the cost for up to five (5) individual sessions defrayed on a first-come, first-serve basis until all funds are committed or exhausted.
- Website: https://borislhensonfoundation.org/
Henry Health
- For: Black Community.
- Services: Provides culturally intentional mental health services. They believe cultural intentionality equals cultural integrity and put culture first in their approach to delivering therapy and self-care support.
- Website: https://www.henry-health.com/
Melanin and Mental Health
- For: Black Community, Latinx Community.
- Services: Mental health directory created by two BIPOC mental health professionals. The directory was born out of a desire to connect individuals with culturally competent clinicians committed to serving the mental health needs of Black & Latinx/Hispanic communities.
- Website: https://www.melaninandmentalhealth.com/
My Tru Circle
- For: Black Community.
- Services: a directory of mental health providers created by Black Therapists Rock, an organization focusing on bridging the gap in mentorship, knowledge sharing, and unity among helping professionals. Their goal is to decrease the stigma and other barriers to psychological and social well being among African Americans and other vulnerable populations.
- Website: https://www.mytrucircle.com/
Open Path Psychotherapy Collective
- For: Black Community, Everyone.
- Services: a network of therapists provides affordable, in-office, and online psychotherapy sessions between $30 and $60 (between $30 and $80 for couples & family sessions). Online sessions are available.
- Website: https://openpathcollective.org/
Psychology Today
- For: Black Community, Everyone.
- Services: a comprehensive directory of mental health professionals, treatment centers, support groups, and other mental health resources. Can search for Black mental health therapists and psychiatrists, and clinicians who offer teletherapy.
- Website: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/african-american
Inclusive Therapists
- For: LGBTQ+ BIPOC.
- Services: a reduced-fee directory of LGBTQ+ identified and allied mental health therapists. They celebrate all identities and abilities in all bodies. They believe all people deserve equal access to quality mental healthcare.
- Website: https://www.inclusivetherapists.com/reduced-fee-virtual-teletherapy
National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network
- For: Queer and Trans BIPOC.
- Services: an interactive directory that helps Queer and Trans People of Color (QTPoC) locate QTPoC mental health practitioners across the country.
- Website: https://www.nqttcn.com/directory
Black Male Therapists
- For: Black Men.
- Services: a directory of Black men, mental health providers. Can filter by location, insurance, in-person or virtual sessions, and can connect directly with therapists. This is an extension of the Black Female Therapists directory.
- Website: https://www.blackfemaletherapists.com/black-male-therapists
Black Men Heal
- For: Black Men.
- Services: provides mental health treatment, psycho-education, and community resources to men of color. Their goal is to remove the stigma, match Black men with qualified mental health providers of color, and reduce therapy cost barriers.
- Website: https://blackmenheal.org/
Black Female Therapists
- For: Black Women & Girls.
- Services: a directory of Black women, mental health providers. Can filter by location, insurance, in-person or virtual sessions, and can connect directly with therapists.
- Website: https://www.blackfemaletherapists.com/directory
Loveland Foundation
- For: Black Women & Girls.
- Services: provides financial assistance to Black women and girls nationally seeking therapy. Sign-up to apply for financial assistance for therapy here.
- Website: https://thelovelandfoundation.org/loveland-therapy-fund/
Therapy for Black Girls
- For: Black Women & Girls.
- Services: a mental health directory for Black women and girls. Created by Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, a licensed psychologist, and host of the podcast Therapy for Black Girls.
- Website: https://providers.therapyforblackgirls.com/
Additional Reads & Resources:
- A Guide to Finding an Anti-Racist Therapist
- How to Find a Black Therapist: Resources and Advice
- Reasons for Therapy
- Resources for Social Work Students: 55 Mental Health Resources for People of Color
Resources for Allied Mental Health Professionals:
- One Way To Be An Ally Right Now? Support Black Mental Health.
- Why We Need More Culturally Competent Therapists
If you are in need of immediate assistance, contact the National Suicide Prevention Line at 1–800–273–8255 or text CONNECT to 741741 to reach a Counselor at the Crisis Text Line.
Please note: The resources included here are not endorsed by One Mind PsyberGuide, and One Mind PsyberGuide is not responsible for the content of or service provided by any of these resources.
