How black women and men can find mental health therapists online
July is BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) Mental Health Month, also referred to as Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. In an effort to bring awareness to struggles that people of color face regarding mental health in the U.S., Yahoo Life is republishing this story. It was originally published on April 16, 2020 at 12:45 p.m. ET.
For many people, the idea of seeking therapy can seem overwhelming, stressful and even shameful. One New York City organization, HealHaus, is working to eliminate those barriers once and for all.
Located in Brooklyn, N.Y., HealHaus provides resources for people looking to improve their mental health by offering access to therapists, and even yoga and meditation classes.
Yahoo Life’s Kennedy Johnson sat down with co-founder Darian Hall and HealHaus therapist Alisashie Nutakor to talk about overcoming the stigma of seeking therapy in the black community.
“A lot of black families — we don’t talk about this in the house,” said Johnson. “The idea of going to a therapist is so foreign,” she added.
“I think the stigma comes from a couple of places,” said Nutakor. “I think it becomes hard for us to trust because there haven’t been a lot of spaces that we should trust as a people, especially the medical space.”
She continued, “It’s really important for us to find people who can really see us authentically.”
If you’re looking for a therapist and don’t know where to start, Nutakor recommends heading online.
“There’s a website called Therapy for Black Girls that people use a lot and it’s nationwide, so no matter what state you’re in you know you can have access there,” she says.
“And what about for our black men?” asked Johnson.
“HealHaus.com!” said Hall. He added, “We want everyone to be able to have access to a full range of services and amazing practitioners and find the right fit for them.”
Head over to Yahoo Life’s Youtube channel to watch the full interview with Darian Hall and Alisashie Nutakor of HealHaus.
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