Minority Mental Health Articles #depthofmyidentity

3 min read

We love July for many reasons, one important reason is because it was minority mental health month! Therapy is not just a white person thing, but an every person thing. We all have mental health concerns and we believe we should all have access to culturally competent, quality care. We are highlighting articles and other forms of media that have enriched the discussion on #MMHM. Historically ‘minority’ has been associated with racial, ethnic, or cultural minorities. However, Mental Health America, HRC, and others are working to make the term more inclusive so that individuals from a range of marginalized and underserved communities are included.

Looking for a therapist who identifies as belonging to a marginalized community and also specializes in college mental health? Visit The Shrink Space and apply our detailed filters to find just that!

Michelle Obama on Mental Health

A first generation student herself, former FLOTUS Michelle Obama, spoke to first generation students this month during her 5th Annual Reach Higher Beating the Odds Summit hosted at Howard University. She shared the importance of being mindful of your mental health during your transition to college. “Going away to school and being homesick-that’s mental health.  Having some depression, some anxiety, feeling nervous- that’s a part of your mental health.  So the first thing I think you guys have to do is not just own it, but you have to recognize mental health is one of the pegs to success.” Read more about Obama’s advice to students on caring for their mental health in college.

Twitter Chat on Minority Mental Health

For Minority Mental Health Month, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC) held a twitter chat #MMHMChat on mental health stigma that LGBTQ communities of color face. They asked important questions like (1)What are some of the unique mental health disparities facing minority communities? (2) How does having multiple marginalized identities inform and impact an individual’s mental health? (3) What are some of the barriers and challenges for LGBTQ people of color when accessing care and talking about mental health issues? Visit the chat thread to read more on this important dialogue!

Grown-ish – Only Human

Grown-ish is a tv series about a young woman and her friends navigating college and adulthood. Last week it featured a great episode on university mental health! Only Human, Season 2, Episode 19 depicts the impact of a black student’s suicide attempt on how their university’s limited on-campus mental health resources were unable to meet students’ (particularly black students’), mental health needs (long wait lists, few counselors, no POC counselors). Check out the episode to learn more about this issue. Visit The Shrink Space to learn how we are tackling this problem by helping universities expand their resources and supporting students to access quality mental health care.

Dr. Alfiee on Minority Mental Health

Dr. Alfiee M. Breland-Noble is a researcher, clinician, consultant and director of The AAKOMA Project. We are big fans of Dr. Alfiee’s work and the awareness she spreads on youth mental health within marginalized communities. We really enjoyed listening to The Curiosity Hour Podcast  where she openly shares her experiences as a black woman during her graduate training on several college campuses. She also discusses the importance of mental health for everyone and the unique mental health needs of our youth of color. Listen to the Episode 106 on SoundCloud, or where ever you listen to your podcasts.

“Model Minorities” & Mental Health

NBC News details here how certain minority students tend to have lower rates of usage of mental health services than their white (non-Hispanic) counterparts. Minority students may also think about and express symptoms differently and may be more hesitant to seek out help. Check out this related video about “model minorities” and “Studious Asian” stereotypes and how these labels can create added pressure and prevent such students from seeking the care they may need.

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