10 mental health and wellness resources for Black people

Within the past few months, many innocent Black lives have been taken as a result of police brutality and racial violence. Whether it was Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, or George Floyd, none of these victims and their families have gotten full justice—and these are just the names that have received some amount of media attention.

Everyone in the country should be feeling angry, sad, or, in some way, upset at this injustice (if you aren’t, you aren’t paying attention), but there’s no doubt that the weight of the world is heaviest for Black people right now. Not to mention, all of this is taking place in the midst of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that is also disproportionately affecting Black and Brown people. This is why it’s important for Black people to find ways to preserve their energy and take time for meaningful self-care and mental health practices.

Reign x Shine, a luxury wellness brand created with Black women in mind, recently shared an Instagram post with five self-care tips for Black people who are feeling overwhelmed by the media as of late. In the post graphic, the brand provided tips for Black people to set firm boundaries, indulge in Black creativity, be mindful about social media use, feel intently, and connect with other Black people. See the full post below.

The caption, a quote by Audre Lorde, encapsulates exactly why self-care matters so much: “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it’s self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” But self-care isn’t something that has to be done alone, and there are resources out there to make mental health and wellness practices more accessible. Below is a list of those resources designed with Black people in mind.

10 mental health and wellness resources for Black people:

1Solar Flux

Seyi Adeyinka, a Black medical student training to become a psychiatrist, offers one-on-one trauma-informed breathwork sessions, which you can sign up for here, through the website Solar Flux. This Thursday, June 4th, Adeyinka is offering a free or donation-based virtual group breathwork session specifically for Black people to process the current and ongoing trauma from racial violence. Sign up for the group session here.

2The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation

Taraji P. Henson’s organization, the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation—which is centered on Black mental health—is offering free therapy through a COVID-19 Free Virtual Therapy Support campaign until funds run out. You can register for the free virtual therapy here. Non-Black people can help keep the campaign going by donating to the fund here.

3Sista Afya

Sista Afya is a Chicago-based organization dedicated to providing low-cost mental wellness services to Black women, with a focus on community support. Check out the site to access mental wellness resources, a list of recommended therapy providers, book a teletherapy session, or register for the next Sister Support Group session for June 28th. According to the website, the group session will provide a “place to process through the protests, police brutality, and current conversations about race in our nation.”

4Therapy For Black Girls

Therapy For Black Girls is exactly what it sounds like: An online space where Black women and girls can find racially informed therapy providers and access information on a range of mental health topics. The brand also has a podcast available online with over 150 episodes featuring conversations on mental health and personal development for Black women and girls.

5The Loveland Foundation

The Loveland Foundation is an organization that was established by Rachel Cargle in 2018 to serve Black women and girls through fellowships, residency programs, listening tours, and more. The foundation also has a Loveland Therapy Fund to provide financial assistance for Black women and girls seeking therapy across the country. Apply for financial support here. Plus, non-Black people or businesses can donate to the fund here to ensure more Black women and girls can access therapy support.

6HealHaus

HealHaus is a Black-owned wellness space in Brooklyn prioritizing the healing and overall well-being of BIPOC through yoga, meditation, workshops, and other wellness practices. The shop is currently closed due to coronavirus (COVID-19), but they’re offering livestreamed classes and workshops that each have a specific focus, like healing from a difficult paternal relationship or fighting fibroids naturally.

7National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network

National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network is a healing justice organization dedicated to increasing access to mental health resources for queer and trans people of color. The website offers an interactive directory to connect QTPoC with QTPoC mental health practitioners. You can access the directory here.

8Healing While Black

Healing While Black is a social platform run by Josh Odam, a Black, queer, aspiring social worker and suicide survivor from New York City. The platform is dedicated to curating a place for radical softness for Black people and uplifting Black and queer mental health. You can follow Odam’s work on Instagram and Twitter and become a patron here.

9Ethel’s Club

Ethel’s Club is a digital membership club and social space designed to give people of color a place to both heal and thrive. Joining the membership, which has a monthly fee of $16.99, offers access to classes, workshops, wellness sessions, book clubs, writing groups, design clubs, and other ways to connect with club members around the world. Sign up for a digital membership here.

10Naaya

Zimbabwean art director Sinikiwe Dhliwayo is the founder of Naaya, a Black-owned wellness space that offers race and trauma-informed classes and workshops. Naaya’s mission is to redefine wellness so that it centers BIPOC folks and is not synonymous with whiteness, affluence, and able-bodies. Upcoming classes include a conversation on how the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated racism and xenophobia, and a workshop on self-love and redefining masculinity for men of color. Find and sign up for digital classes here.