4:22
- wellness
- Mental Health
- January 20, 2021
How to protect Black mental health during crisis
Experts weigh in on best practices and resources for pouring back into yourself.
Video by Elisa Tang
4:22
During this mental health state of emergency, Black communities are not only protesting, but many are also looking for ways to find peace.
African Americans are 10% more likely to experience serious psychological distress than other races, according to Health and Human Services' Office of Minority Health. Experts agree that these alarming statistics will only increase without elevated access to coping mechanisms.
\"Self-care is how we take our power back and go farther,\" Lalah Delia, author of \"Vibrate Higher Daily,\" and a wellness educator, told \"GMA.\"
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Lalah Delia (@lalahdelia) on May 29, 2020 at 7:52pm PDT
This is especially true during a time of activism. Delia reflected on how longtime civil rights activists, such as Ericka Huggins and Ruby Sales, have admitted to experiencing burn out in years past.
\"They also were moving so fast, and in survival mode, they too burned out without proper care,\" Delia said.
\"This is why pouring into ourselves is vital, especially at this time and in this uprising,\" she said, adding, \"This time, we have wellness awareness and tools to help carry us through.\"
Mental advocates such as Latham Thomas, who is a doula and founder of wellness platform Mama Glow, as well as psychologist and founder of mental health platform/podcast \"Therapy for Black Girls,\" Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, have also become guiding lights leading the charge in uplifting the spirits of people of color and have provided best practices for surviving through this triggering time.
![\"PHOTO:](\"http://a.abcnews.com/images/GMA/GMA_MentalHealthExperts_060520_V01_BV_hpMain_4x3t_384.jpg\")
Finding stillness
For starters, Delia advises that it is important to listen to your body and take time to process everything being experienced. \"Allowing ourselves time to be still and fully process is how we access our calm mind as well as access higher solutions,\" she said. \"A calm mind is a powerful mind and tool.\"
\"This is vital, especially in times of challenge, chaos, planning, organizing and uprising,\" she added. \"Spend some part of the day centering into your power. Meditations and breathing practicing are great for this.\"
There are a wide variety of virtual meditations available for free or at very low cost from Liberate, Insight Timer, Calm, Beditations and more.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Latham Thomas (@glowmaven) on Apr 4, 2018 at 4:43am PDT
Join a safe space or group therapy
\"I really love the idea of coming together,\" said Thomas. \"I think that's a great way for people who haven't necessarily gotten their feet wet in therapy to have access to a free source.\"
She also mentioned that while the coronavirus pandemic has made it difficult to physically come together due to social distancing practices, many group therapy sessions have been moved online.
Therapy for Black Girls is a great place to start. Led by Bradford, this platform offers group-style therapy through Instagram Live and podcasts.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Therapy for Black Girls ™️ (@therapyforblackgirls) on May 29, 2020 at 6:02am PDT
Move mindfully
\"One more way to mental relief is to circulate the energy in your body around,\" said Delia. \"Do some type of physical movement in or outdoors. Think of the terms 'walk it off, 'shake it off' or 'dance it out.'\"
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Sisters Of Yoga Collective (@sistersofyoga) on May 19, 2020 at 8:58am PDT
A message on mental health for Black mothers
Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, Black maternal mortality rates had already risen to four to fives times higher than that of white women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Now, in addition to the disproportionately rising death tolls of Black people due to coronavirus, studies show this could impact that rate even further.
There are also several mothers that fear for the future lives of their Black children and how they will be viewed in the world.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Mama Glow (@mamaglow) on Jun 4, 2020 at 9:14am PDT
\"This is a hot-button issue, but it's not an issue that's going anywhere,\" said Thomas.
As someone who is also raising a son, Thomas has embraced the importance of reclaiming joy. \"I am centering my son's joy, and that is how I'm moving forward in this time,\" she said.
\"I want to talk about joy, I want to talk about what's possible for us, I want to talk about our greatness and our excellence, but I also want to talk about just what it means to reclaim your joy and exist as a Black person in this time,\" she continued. \"That's our birthright.\"
Breaking historic patterns
\"Black people have generationally had to overlook their own emotions, pain, well being, mental health and trauma to take care of white people's feelings,\" said Delia. \"We have had to perform this numbed-strong role for so long that we forgot, or perhaps didn't realize, it was necessary to take care of ourselves first and foremost.\"
Experts advise that now is really the time to pour back into yourself if you haven't done so in the past, and make time for yourself paramount.
Additional Black mental health resources to follow on Instagram:
DRK Beauty
View this post on InstagramA post shared by DRK BEAUTY (@thisisdrkbeauty) on May 13, 2020 at 8:44am PDT
This digital community's mission is to celebrate women of color in all of their diversity.
The collective recently partnered with actress Cynthia Erivo and began a fundraising campaign to raise $500,000 to continue its mission of providing mental health resources to women of color.
Additionally, DRK Beauty launched an initiative \"DRK Beauty Healing\" with an aim to bring 10,000 hours of free therapy to women of color in every state to immediately address the access and attention disparity that women of color face within the mental health space.
Black Girl in Om
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Black Girl In Om (@blackgirlinom) on May 28, 2020 at 1:22pm PDT
This platform was created to give Black women a space to breathe easy, and create a world where womxn of color are liberated, empowered and seen.
HealHaus
View this post on InstagramA post shared by HealHaus (@healhaus) on Jun 4, 2020 at 5:00pm PDT
This wellness concept and cafe offers virtual yoga, meditation, workshops and private sessions.
Black Female Therapists
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Black Female Therapists (@blackfemaletherapists) on Jun 4, 2020 at 7:16pm PDT
Consider this your go-to directory for Black female therapists in addition to being an online community focused on mental health and wellness.
Ethel's Club
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Ethel’s Club (@ethelsclub) on May 28, 2020 at 12:05pm PDT
This is a welcoming social and wellness club designed to celebrate people of color -- online and in real life.
Balanced Black Girl
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Balanced Black Girl™ (@balancedblackgirlpodcast) on May 22, 2020 at 11:59am PDT
Balanced Black Girl is a podcast that highlights wellness from a Black woman's perspective.
OMNoire
View this post on InstagramA post shared by OMNoire (@omnoire) on Jun 4, 2020 at 5:33pm PDT
OMNoire is a social wellness community for Black women and women of color dedicated to living well.
If you are in crisis or know someone in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741. You can reach Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860 (U.S.) or 877-330-6366 (Canada) and The Trevor Project at 866-488-7386.
Editor's note: This story was originally published on June 5, 2020.
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