The team at Ocean Blue Therapy is wishing you a Happy Black History Month!
As we embark on this month, we want to continually commit our support to combating anti-Black racism in all forms. In short, this may include but is not limited to microaggressions, beliefs, prejudices and discriminatory practices that are directed to Black identified persons. In line with the Mental Health Commission of Canada (2021), this extends to all African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) and individuals who fall within the multiplicity of intersecting identities (1). We aim to promote a safe space for Black and racialized clients who are seeking support, understanding and healing that integrates the importance of your unique cultural and racial identity.
Intersection of Black Identity and Mental Health
Black Identity is rich, complex and deeply rooted in the lived and diverse experiences of African, Caribbean and Black individuals. For many, developing an understanding of your racial identity can be deeply personal and subjective, but it is also implicated in the broader historical and sociocultural context of race. This personal relationship to racial identity can also influence how we engage with community, and form a sense of belonging. The overarching impact of this on mental health, we can explore all the vast ways or racial identity is intertwined with our overall well-being, self-esteem, and personhood. Current research has shown a stronger connection to racial identity can be a protective factor in face of difficulty and adversity (2).
Understanding and Addressing Racial Trauma in Therapy
The impacts of racial trauma can be deeply disruptive - shaping how we experience safety, self-understanding and impact our connection to the world around us. Working with a culturally sensitive therapist can help you identify these experiences as racial trauma. Additionally, it can provide a validating space in order to ease feelings of emotional distress, self-blame or confusion, that often put pause on our healing journey. In the therapeutic space, we work alongside you to name and understand these challenges, ultimately empowering to reclaim agency in your healing.
Importance of Culturally Competent Therapy for Black Canadians
An important aspect of therapy for Black Canadians can be finding a therapist that is culturally competent. ‘Cultural competence’ sometimes called cultural sensitivity can be defined as care and support that is respectful, mindful and informed of your diverse cultural background. This includes your unique values, beliefs and communication styles. As you enter the therapy space, you are bringing your own understanding and unique perspective of wellness and treatment. As a Black client, you deserve therapy that is free from assumptions and bias, and where your experiences are met with support that is respectful, open-minded and curious. There is a nuanced and rich tapestry of Black ways of knowing and healing, your therapist should be sensitive to this and moreso, willing to learn from you throughout your journey.
Mindfulness and Self Care Practices for Black Communities
Self-care is more than just trendy wellness. It can be a radical form of social justice and speak to higher systems of resistance, self-preservation and healing. For Black communities, prioritizing mental, emotional and physical well being in the face of systemic stressors is important. Here are some ways you can incorporate mindfulness and self care into your daily life!
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Mindfulness Practices:
- Yoga & Zen - connecting with movement and breath work to foster inner peace and release tension.
- Guided Meditation - Apps like Calm, or resources on Youtube, community-led meditation groups can be a great way to center yourself.
- Body Scanning - This is a mindfulness technique to check in with physical and stored sensations in the body.
- Stress Reduction & Physical Wellness- Activities like deep breathing, regular exercise and sleep, or spending time in nature can help regulate ongoing stressors.
- Journaling and Mapping out Emotions: Writing about your emotions can be a powerful way to process experiences. If you experience microaggressions, racial prejudice, or racism, documenting your experiences can help you recognize patterns, process emotions, and foster awareness.
- Personal Self Care: Design Your Own Self-Care Day: Set aside a day with detailed things that bring you nourishment, joy.
- Maintaining Community: Connecting with friends, family, faith groups or cultural spaces can be deeply healing and nourishing. Make sure to check in with local initiatives and community spaces!
Celebrating Resilience: Black History, Healing and Diaspora
Black history in Canada is an ongoing testament to resistance, resilience and community strength. To the early Black settlers in Nova Scotia, to the diverse tapestry of African, Caribbean and greater Black Diaspora immigrants in Canada, we have richly contributed to the social fabric of Canadian culture. However, we exist alongside persisting systemic racism, racial trauma that has continually impacted mental health and well being. Healing within the Black diaspora has deep roots in collective care, spirituality, storytelling and ancestral ways of knowing. Black Canadians continue to foster spaces of empowerment and agency in their healing whether it is rooted in Afrocentric wellness or reclamation of cultural traditions. We recognize and honour this resilience, as we remember the past, but work towards creating a sustainable and inclusive future where Black Mental Health is prioritized and celebrated. As we celebrate this Black History Month, let’s continually acknowledge the strength in collective Black history and the ongoing journey towards justice, healing and liberation!
References
- Taylor, D., & Richards, D. (2019). Triple jeopardy: Complexities of racism, sexism, and ageism on the experiences of mental health stigma among young Canadian Black Women of Caribbean descent. Frontiers in Sociology, 4, 43.
- Smith, A., & Lalonde, R. N. (2003). “Racelessness” in a Canadian Context? Exploring the Link between Black Students' Identity, Achievement, and Mental Health. Journal of Black Psychology, 29(2), 142-164.
A few Resources
Here are a few books by Black Authors to take a look at during this month! From stories of joy, disenfranchisement, from memoirs, poetry and fiction, consider this selection:
- Black Fatigue: How Racism Erodes the Mind, Body, and Spirit (Mary Frances Winters, 2020).
- The Joy Of The Disinherited: Essays On Trauma, Oppression, And Black Mental Health (Kevin Dedner, 2021)
- The Pain We Carry: Healing from Complex PTSD for People of Color (Natalie Y. Gutiérrez LMFT and Jennifer Mullan PsyD, 2022)
- Call Us What We Carry: Poems (Amanda Gorman, 2021)
- Invisible Boy: A Memoir of Self-Discovery (Harrison Mooney, 2022)
