Mental Health Resources for Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC)

Mental Health for BIPOC Summary

In addition to COVID-19, recent events have brought heightened attention to the specific stressors faced by Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities, who may be experiencing heightened fear, anger and grief at this time. Consistent with the Guide’s mission to provide timely mental health resources, we highlight a range of resources that may be useful to BIPOC-identifying individuals seeking support for mental health concerns and/or coping with race-related stressors, whether current and/or historical, as well as those hoping to share available resources to their patients. Mass General Psychiatry is not affiliated with, nor does it directly endorse, any non-MGH organizations listed here. This list is intended only to share resources currently available in the broader community.

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In this guide:

• Local Resources 
• Mental Health Provider Directories
• Online Support Groups
• Self-Guided Virtual Resources
• Further Resources for Clinicians

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Local Resources

• The Social Impact Center's Cory Johnson Program for Post-Traumatic Healing: Free weekly trauma support programming held at Roxbury Presbyterian Church, open to all 
• Our MGH Chelsea HealthCare Center and MGH Revere HealthCare Center sites offer mental health treatment services in languages other than English

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Mental Health Provider Directories

• Inclusive Therapists: Virtual directory of culturally competent and social justice-oriented therapists; includes list of therapists currently offering reduced-fee teletherapy
• Asian, Pacific Islander, and South Asian American (APISAA) Therapist Directory: Virtual directory of APISAA mental health providers 
• Latinx Therapy: Virtual directory of mental health providers for Latinx community
• QTPoC Mental Health Practitioner Directory: Virtual directory of mental health practitioners across the country for queer and trans people of color, provided by the National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network
• Black Emotional And Mental Health (BEAM) Virtual Therapist Network: Virtual directory of Black mental health clinicians who provide virtual (i.e. telemedicine) services  
• Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation Resource Directory: Virtual directory of mental health providers, programs and resource materials for the African-American community
• Black Mental Health Alliance: Virtual directory of culturally-competent and patient-centered licensed mental health professionals
• Melanin & Mental Health Directory: Virtual directory of culturally competent mental health clinicians for Black & Latinx/Hispanic communities
• Therapy for Black Girls Directory: Virtual directory of culturally competent therapy providers for Black women and girls, searchable by location. Fellowships and financial assistance are available through the Loveland Foundation
• Therapy for Black Men Directory: Virtual directory of clinicians providing therapy for Black men

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Online Support Groups

• Therapy for Black Girls: Online space founded by Dr. Joy Bradford dedicated to encouraging the mental wellness of Black women and girls, including a free podcast aimed at making mental health topics accessible
• Talkspace Support Group: Free therapist-led support group for coping with racial trauma
• Sister Afya Online Sister Support Group: Support group for learning from other women and learning life skills to improve mental well-being ($10/session fee but can contact booking@sistaafya.com if fee is prohibitive)
• Ethel’s Club: Paid membership-based virtual community with classes, live events and wellness resources for promoting wellbeing in people of color 

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Self-Guided Virtual Resources

Apps and Materials

• The Safe Place: Free smartphone app focused on psychoeducation and self-care for minority mental health, geared towards the Black community
• Liberate: Free meditation app designed specifically for the BIPOC community and led by BIPOC teachers
• Racial Trauma Guide: Virtual guide on coping with racial stressors and being an ally, developed by the EMPOWER (Engaging Minorities in Prevention Outreach Wellness Education & Research) Lab
• Black Emotional and Mental Health (BEAM) Toolkit & Resources

Reads

• Experiences of Racism and Stress and Anxiety for Black Americans: A Mindfulness and Acceptance-Based Coping Approach (ADAA; Drs. Tahirah Abdullah & Jessica Graham-LoPresti): Article discusses link between experiences of racism and mental health, with a specific focus on anxiety; coping strategies that may be beneficial in the face of experiences of racism; and recognizing broader responsibilities outside individuals to reduce racism
• Resources for Asian and AAPI Students Experiencing COVID-19 Related Harassment (Harvard Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations): Discusses coping strategies for responding to harassment, potential resources for assistance, and a list of culturally relevant mental health organizations

Other Resource Compilations 

• Mental Health Resources For and By People of Color
• Four Ways People of Color Can Foster Mental Health & Practice Restorative Healing
• Black Mental Health Matters
• 44 Mental Health Resources for Black People
• Black Advocacy, Resistance & Empowerment (BARE) Resources

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Further Resources for Clinicians

• Racism and Psychiatry. Edited by Drs. Morgan Medlock, Derri Shtasel, Nhi-Ha Trinh, & David Williams. Springer, New York, 2019.
• Stigma and Prejudice: Touchstones in Understanding Diversity in Healthcare. Edited by Drs. Ranna Parekh & Ed Childs. Current Clinical Psychiatry. Springer International Publishing, Switzerland, 2016
• Sociocultural Issues in Psychiatry: A Casebook and Curriculum. Edited by Drs. Nhi-Ha Trinh and Justin Chen. Oxford University Press, New York, 2019
• The Massachusetts General Hospital Textbook on Diversity and Cultural Sensitivity in Mental Health (Second Edition). Edited by Drs. Ranna Parekh & Nhi-Ha Trinh. Humana Press. Springer, New York, 2019

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With special thanks to the Division of Public and Community Psychiatry (Drs. Luana Marques and Derri Shtasel) and the Psychiatry Center for Diversity (Drs. Nhi-Ha Trinh, Anne Emmerich and Nadia Quijije) 

If you have comments or would like to suggest an addition to the guide, contact: Karmel Choi, PhD and Jordan W. Smoller, MD, ScD