The Unapologetic Guide To Black Mental Health

An unapologetic exploration of the Black mental health crisis—and a comprehensive road map to getting the care you deserve in an unequal system. We can’t deny it any longer: there is a Black mental health crisis in our world today. Black people die at disproportionately high rates due to chronic illness, suffer from poverty, under-education, and the effects of racism. This book is an exploration of Black mental health in today’s world, the forces that have undermined mental health progress for African Americans, and what needs to happen for African Americans to heal psychological distress, find community, and undo years of stigma and marginalization in order to access effective mental health care. In The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health, psychologist and African American mental health expert Rheeda Walker offers important information on the mental health crisis in the Black community, how to combat stigma, spot potential mental illness, how to practice emotional wellness, and how to get the best care possible in system steeped in racial bias. This breakthrough book will help you: Recognize mental and emotional health problems Understand the myriad ways in which these problems impact overall health and quality of life and relationships Develop psychological tools to neutralize ongoing stressors and live more fully Navigate a mental health care system that is unequal It’s past time to take Black mental health seriously. Whether you suffer yourself, have a loved one who needs help, or are a mental health professional working with the Black community, this book is an essential and much-needed resource.

It’s past time to take Black mental health seriously. It’s time to intentionally cultivate resilience, build unshakable confidence, claim your truth, and step into unapologetic joy with this workbook. There is a Black mental health crisis in our world today, and it is tied to disproportionately high rates of chronic illness, poverty, under-education, unacknowledged and untreated trauma, and structural racism. Depression, anxiety, and suicide were increasing before the global pandemic, but have since escalated even further. In order to reclaim a life worth living, you must first reclaim your mind. Whether you suffer yourself, have a loved one who needs help, or are a mental health professional working with the Black community, this workbook will be your lifeline. This workbook—from the author of The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health—offers a step-by-step, interactive journey toward better mental health. You do not have to be at the mercy of everyday circumstances that would otherwise demean you or steal your joy. Grounded in both cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), you’ll gain powerful skills to help you effectively manage stress, make self-care a priority, and find lasting emotional balance and well-being in a world still steeped in systemic inequality, discrimination, and microaggressions. With this workbook, you’ll discover: What “psychological fortitude” is, and why’s it’s so important How to set boundaries and say “no” when you are feeling overwhelmed How racism can impact your mental health—and what to do about it How to overcome internalized racism and explore meaningful Blackness If you’re ready to reclaim wholeness, build resilience, and thrive, this powerful workbook will be your guide.

Do you avoid asking Black clients certain questions because you're embarrassed about something you think you "should" know about "Black culture" or racism? Are you hesitant to have conversations about race or racism with Black clients because you're afraid you'll look ignorant or unintentionally offend them? Do you believe that if a Black client doesn't mention race-related issues as a presenting concern, then it's not worth bringing up at all? The reality is that although many Black clients will not zero in on the impact of racism in their lives, ignoring the issue of race in therapy leaves a very large elephant in the room. And you can't build rapport with elephants in the room. So what do you do? In No Racial Elephants in the Therapy Room, Dr. Rheeda Walker, author of the bestselling The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health, provides the answers to this question. With her no-nonsense and unapologetic style, she provides useful language, tips, and guidance that will allow you to: - Navigate the first session with Black clients who are wary about working with you - Create case conceptualizations without missing well-disguised emotional distress - Feel more comfortable talking about race, racism, and what it means to be Black - Move beyond cultural competence to assume an attitude of cultural humility - Use CBT to reframe unhelpful thoughts without minimizing a client's experiences with racism - Integrate religion and spirituality into therapy given its value in the Black community - Avoid common pitfalls and not to-dos when working with Black clients Mental health care isn't designed with Black people in mind. If you truly want to meet African American clients where they are, you will have to confront the sometimes deafening, and surely distracting, elephant in the room.

Major Health Crisis Among Black Women Generated from Systemic Racism “Marita Golden’s The Strong Black Woman busts the myth that Black women are fierce and resilient by letting the reader in under the mask that proclaims ‘Black don’t crack.’” ―Karen Arrington, coach, mentor, philanthropist, and author of NAACP Image Award-winning Your Next Level Life Sarton Women’s Book Award #1 New Release in Reference Meet Black women who have learned through hard lessons the importance of self-care and how to break through the cultural and family resistance to seeking therapy and professional mental health care. The Strong Black Woman Syndrome. For generations, in response to systemic racism, Black women and African American culture created the persona of the Strong Black Woman, a woman who, motivated by service and sacrifice, handles, manages, and overcomes any problem, any obstacle. The syndrome calls on Black women to be the problem-solvers and chief caretakers for everyone in their lives―never buckling, never feeling vulnerable, and never bothering with their pain. Hidden mental health crisis of anxiety and depression. To be a Black woman in America is to know you cannot protect your children or guarantee their safety, your value is consistently questioned, and even being “twice as good” is often not good enough. Consequently, Black women disproportionately experience anxiety and depression. Studies now conclusively connect racism and mental health―and physical health. Take care of your emotional health. You deserve to be emotionally healthy for yourself and those you love. More and more young Black women are re-examining the Strong Black Woman syndrome and engaging in self-care practices that change their lives. Hear stories of Black women who: Asked for help Built lives that offer healing Learned to accept healing If you have read The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health, The Racial Healing Handbook, or Black Fatigue, The Strong Black Woman is your next read.

From doctors' experimentation on slaves to the Black Lives Matter movement, mental healthcare for Black Americans requires an in-depth investigation into how we got to where we are today. Racism in America: Black Mental Health provides an overview of the historical and modern development of mental health among Black Americans. Issues such as the criminalization of mental health issues, distrust in healthcare systems, and the effects of racial discrimination are explored to offer insights into the future of Black mental health.

Your journey to healing and wholeness after domestic violence begins here. Domestic violence is about power and control. As a Black woman and a survivor of domestic violence, you have had your power taken away from you against your will. You are not alone, and there are tools you can use to feel whole and in control of your life again. Written by two psychologists and experts in BIPOC mental health, this book will show you how to start healing—mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Grounded in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), this compassionate book addresses the unique struggles faced by Black women who have experienced domestic violence. You’ll find practical and empowering skills to help you understand and heal from trauma, leave harmful situations, and regain a sense of safety and freedom. You’ll also learn how to build a safety net, trust yourself—and others—again, and let go of the shame and guilt resulting from your experience. Finally, you’ll discover ways to reclaim your self-worth, set boundaries in your relationships, and make room for self-care in your day-to-day life. If you’re ready to leave—or have already left—an abusive situation, this book can help you heal from the trauma of domestic violence and discover personal freedom in mind, body, and spirit.

Powerful, body-based practices to help you reclaim confidence, dignity, and self-worth. As a woman of color, you are more likely to experience oppression, discrimination, and physical or sexual violence in your lifetime. In addition, your family may have experienced generational trauma and systemic racism going back for centuries. This old and new trauma can manifest in both the mind and body. However, there are ways you can free yourself from this trauma, build confidence in yourself and your abilities, and restore your powerful sense of self. Written by a woman of color for women of color, Decolonizing the Body offers proven-effective somatic, body-centered practices to help you heal from systemic oppression, trust the profound wisdom of your own body, and reconnect with your true self. And by slowing down, cultivating a daily ritual, and setting strong boundaries, you can reclaim your inherent dignity and worth—as well as those aspects of yourself that you may have cast aside in an effort to survive. With this empowering guide, you’ll discover: How bodies are colonized through systems of oppression Why slowing down is essential for healing How to listen to what your body needs How to create a space for ritual in your daily life How to strengthen feelings of capability How to cultivate community—starting with yourself To decolonize the body is to become whole again, and to come home again. Let this book be your guide on this crucial journey.

This unique resource is now in an extensively revised second edition with more than 90% new material and an expanded conceptual framework. Filled with rich case illustrations, the book explores how children's cultural identities--as well as experiences of marginalization--shape the challenges they bring to therapy and the ways they express themselves. Expert practitioners guide therapists to build competence for working across different dimensions of diversity, including race and ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability. Purchasers get access to a companion website featuring chapters from the first edition on play therapy with major cultural groups: African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and Asian Americans. New to This Edition *Virtually a new book; incorporates a broader definition of culture and an increased social justice focus. *Chapters on working with children of color, LGBT children and adolescents, undocumented families, and Deaf children. *Chapter on dismantling white privilege in the play therapy office. *Chapters on school bullying and on how technology is transforming play, including tips for conducting tele-play therapy.