The complexity of mental health issues in American is a for some reason a growing concern and not a crisis. Most black women look for black women counselors. Finding a counselor and engaging in the services can be challenging due to cost, accessibility, and compatibility. Black women can often be experiencing trauma, depression, anxiety, or grief when they seek a counselor. They may have also already had a negative or unhealthy experience in counseling. While others struggle to fully comprehend how counseling should work. When a Black Woman does seek counseling some of their issues could be:
Lack of support
Lack of childcare
Lack of trust
Feeling misunderstood
Issues with communication
Racism, Sexism and Sexualized, Colorism, Discrimination, Negative Stereotypes
The list could be longer and people who are not Black or a Woman may still not get the point so here are issues to among Black Women:
Average yearly salary for Black Women is $43,000
64% of single parents are Black Women
Black Women are 60% more likely to have negative health outcomes (Including but not limited to stroke, high blood pressure, cancer, fibroids, STDs, and mental health issues)
Black Women have higher rates of psychological abuse (including verbal abuse, financial abuse, and sexual manipulation)
In the year 2020 over 268,000 Black women were reported missing
Black Women experience high rates of sexual violence (ex. rape, incest, sexual trauma
1 in 4 Black Women/Girls/Females are murdered per day (often by a man)
As much as there could be more details the goal is not make it seem like other races or genders do not experience the same thing, but the research does indicate and specifical identify these areas among Black Women. So, to be fair and transparent since we are discussing counseling consider this fact as well. That if this is what a Black Woman is experiencing before, after, or as a reason to go to counselor, then what do we do because Black Woman counselors have the same concerns.
Contributing Author: Jamille J. Edwards
@GCW 2023
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