Unmasking Our Minds: Why Mental Health Matters More Than Ever for Black Women
Between the ever-changing political landscape, endless stories of traumatic events, and the daily micro (and macro) aggressions of just existing in this country, the weight we’re carrying right now is not normal.
It’s not business as usual. It’s trauma. And it’s taking a toll—on our bodies, our sleep, our joy, and our sense of safety.
May is typically framed as Mental Health Awareness Month, but for us? This isn’t just a month on the calendar. It’s a moment to pause, reflect, and radically reimagine what it means to care for ourselves and each other. Because mental health isn’t optional—it’s essential.
The Emotional Toll of Living While Black and Woman
The political noise, the racial violence, the attacks on our rights—it all adds up. And we feel it everywhere. This constant state of stress creates a mental and physical burden.
There’s even a name for it: weathering—a term coined by public health researcher Dr. Arline Geronimus to describe the cumulative, corrosive effects of racism and stress on Black women’s health. Layer that with what the American Psychological Association calls “racial trauma,” and it’s no wonder so many of us feel constantly on edge, depleted, or emotionally raw.
But instead of rest, we’re often handed the “strong Black woman” script and expected to keep moving like nothing’s wrong.
Therapy Is Not a Trend—It’s a Lifeline
It’s time to rewrite the narrative. Prioritizing your mental health doesn’t make you weak. It makes you wise. It’s a sacred act of self-preservation. And in this season—when the world keeps turning up the heat—we owe it to ourselves to cool the temperature wherever we can.
Therapy is not about fixing you. You’re not broken. It’s about having a safe space to process, unpack, and breathe. Especially when you work in systems that don’t see you, live in a country that doesn’t always protect you, and move through a culture that expects you to smile through the storm.
The good news? We are no longer accepting invisibility as the cost of survival.
The Healing Is Ours to Claim
Let’s make healing our protest. Let’s make joy our strategy.
Healing looks like:
- Releasing the guilt when you choose rest over productivity
- Speaking truth in your group chat or your therapy session
- Holding space for grief and hope
- Saying “I need help” without shame
- Creating room for both anger and softness
Let Us Support You
Whether you’re taking your first step or your fiftieth, you don’t have to do this alone. We’ve gathered trusted, culturally grounded resources to support your mental wellness journey:
Therapy for Black Girls
Find a therapist who gets you. This directory is full of professionals who understand the unique experiences of Black women.
therapyforblackgirls.com
Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective (BEAM)
From healing tools to peer support, BEAM offers training and resources that center Black folks and emotional wellness.
beam.community
Sad Girls Club
A safe space for BIPOC women and girls navigating mental health challenges—with online community, resources, and a powerful podcast.
sadgirlsclub.org
Black Mental Health Alliance
Get connected to culturally competent therapists and explore webinars, events, and educational tools designed for our communities.
blackmentalhealth.com
Melanin and Mental Health
This nationwide directory helps you find Black and Latinx therapists who offer affirming, culturally competent care.
melaninandmentalhealth.com
You’ll find:
- A growing list of Black women therapists who get it
- Mindfulness tools designed for our rhythms and realities
- Guidance on how to talk about therapy at home or in faith spaces
- Support for navigating grief, trauma, burnout, and more
You Are Deserving
You deserve joy. You deserve rest. You deserve to be seen—and supported.
Let’s unmask for real. Let’s choose healing. Let’s make mental health our priority, not our afterthought.
You’re not alone. And you were never meant to carry it all by yourself.
This month—and every month—your mental health matters. Show up for yourself the way you show up for everyone else. You deserve care, ease, and joy.