Dr. Raquel Martin is a clinical psychologist who discusses the mental health of Black Americans in a profound interview during Mental Health Awareness Month. Dr Martin claims that community can be a source of healing for Black Americans who, when dealing with the extra burden of racism, discrimination, and economics on top of work and family life often don‘t have access to medicine, therapy, and other health measures.
According to Dr. Martin, conventional care models often overlook or overlook issues faced by Black Americans experiencing psychological distress. Misdiagnosis, a lack of cultural humility and a history of negative experiences with health care systems have led many to distrust the clinician and turn to informal supports including faith leaders, family and friends for the majority of support, Fr. Martin urges helping professionals to appreciate this fact and to develop collaborative relationships rather than insist there is one “correct” approach to navigating mental health issues.
During this interview she underlines that for in communities it can help make feeling supported for Black American people‘s mental health more safe and validating potentially through the comfort and familiarity of a support group with a Black facilitator, the talking at the barbershop or beauty shop, a church based wellness ministry or just by having a space on the Internet where you can talk out about mental health without having to say, I‘m sorry and explaining.. When coupled with accessible, culturally-relevant clinical care, these can be the types of programs that close the gap..
Stigma will still pose as a large barrier to Black Americans who are seeking help for mental health problems. Dr. Martin feels that, “There are still many families who see mental health diagnosis as weakness or shame it and you don‘t tell anybody. It‘s a family secret. We try to re-define helpseeking as facing a brave act of survival.”
For the reader, the conversation offers a hopeful, realistic outlook on the mental health of Black Americans. It acknowledges the actual pain and obstacles while refusing to turn Black culture into trauma. Dr. Martin’s most disarming message is that healing can be honoring: community, faith, art, history are not waiting to pull Black lives away from mental health they can be the articulation of cure.
Source: For Black Americans suffering from mental illness, the answer may lie in community
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