Mental Health Resources For People Of Color

As a follow-up to my previous blog, I want to share resources that can help you with your depression or mental health issues, if you are ready to take the step to get professional help. It can be a hard step to ask for help so I want to share resources that people of color would feel the most comfortable with, not just any resources. Everyone has a preference and most of the time, people of color prefer resources that specifically speak to their cultural and ethnic backgrounds not just cookie cutter resources for everyone. Just like shoes, therapy is not one size fits all. It has to be customized to the specific person based on gender, race, age, religious or spiritual practice, theoretical discipline, etc.

So here are the resources I found for people of color that could assist you in your journey:

My Counsel Connect
A directory of therapists of color. This is a small directory with a mainly therapists located in the state of NC. The rates are as low as $40/session and it is private pay only. You can’t beat that! You can learn more here.
Clinicians of Color
A larger directory of therapists of color. It is unclear from looking at the website if they only accept private pay or if they accept insurance. You can learn more by visiting their website.
Therapy for Black Girls
This is a cult favorite and caters to a special niche. They also have a podcast you can follow as well available on most platforms for free. For more on their services, go to their website.
Employee Assistance Program
Consider contacting you Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for free sessions through this benefit. Most employers have EAP so simply contact your HR rep to get your EAP’s contact information. With EAP, you will receive a finite number of sessions per year to see if therapy is for you. When you call the EAP to get set up with therapy, you can ask for referrals with specific preferences. So don’t miss out on this benefit. Most EAP benefits don’t roll over from year to year. Also, if you don’t have insurance to cover sessions after your EAP sessions run out, consider asking your provider if they offer sliding scale options (which is based on your salary) so that you can continue therapy through private pay.
BetterHelp/TalkSpace
Even though they are many other virtual platforms that you can use, these are the tried-and-true ones that have been around for awhile and are established. Both are private pay offered through a monthly subscription. If you have trouble with paying, I know that BetterHelp offers scholarships, but I am unsure of the qualifications to receive this scholarship. I worked as a therapist on BetterHelp during the height of the pandemic back in 2020 so I can attest to the fact that this platform really works with its customers and offers a wide range of options when it comes to preferences not just for the type of provider you are requesting but the method in which you prefer to communicate with that provider (instant message, phone, or video conference).

I hope that if you are suffering with mental health issues that you contact one of these resources for assistance. No one should have to suffer in silence without knowing where to go for help. If you would like to include any resources not listed, please drop in comments below.

Love and light,

Kira

Social Audio and Mental Health

A letter to my son..

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We believe that the written word can spark and seek to increase awareness of various developmental disabilities and mental health disorders through children’s books. We also believe that reading books can be a form of “therapy” and help people cope with emotional problems, mental illness, or changes in their lives.

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MEET KIRA

Kira is a licensed family therapist who is the author of several children’s books; Trey the Chef, Suzy the Dressmaker, If Corona was a person, Our Masked Heroes, among many others. Her purpose of creating this company was to create...

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