Understanding Concurring Mental Health Equity Allows Highest Level Of Health

BY VANESSA RIOS

The therapy I was initially taught was tailored to a standard American lifestyle. My own experiences were not represented, and I couldn't help but feel others from minority communities might feel the same way. I knew once I began my journey as a Mental Health provider that cultural humility and cultural competence would be necessary to gain your client's trust. There is no effective treatment plan without trust. I began to wonder if there are any changes we can incorporate in our studies to no longer oppress people of diverse backgrounds because trauma is as complex as the perspectives of our client's cultural and linguistic identities. Therefore, our psychological studies are sometimes inadequate for our BIPOC communities due to the complexity of our cultures.

According to the CDC, "individuals from racial and ethnic minority groups have difficulty getting mental health care... Stigma or negative ideas about mental health care may also prevent people from seeking services". How do we become a bridge to the Latin, BIPOC, and veteran communities and educate individuals on the more significant social issues in their various walks of life? We can begin by decolonizing our minds, eventually unlearning, grieving, and, most importantly, acquiring new ways to heal and move forward—we start to believe that mental health equity and radical hope are attainable. The goal is to represent those who don't have the platform to do so, as there is a need for bilingual therapists to empower and understand the life experiences of people of color. 

BIPOC communities are dehumanized, and the mistreatment they face is often overlooked. We, as therapists, need to be able to look inward at our own unconscious biases and empathize with the people experiencing soul-wounding as a result of oppression. We also must study our traditional healers' work. I wonder how we can implement the practices of our conventional healers in our mental health services and how we can begin to decolonize the psychological practices that mental health professionals (unintentionally) use when treating indigenous communities.

Shirley Chisholm wrote, "Racism is so universal in this country, so widespread, and deep-seated, that it is invisible because it is so normal" (Bassett, 2017, p. 666). Some people don't even realize the United States is currently in a demographic shift where it's projected to become a "minority" country where people of color and indigenous people become the majority by the year 2040. Therefore, the focus of psychological healing has to be on systemic conditions that add to the trauma of racism and colonization. We have to raise awareness of this oppressive system first so that we can create hope, which then moves us towards envisioning a future dedicated to BIPOC needs. Furthermore, "research has shown that engaging in social action and activism can increase psychological well-being and a sense of empowerment" (Klar & Kasser, 2009; Thomas & Louis, 2013). 

There is evidence to demonstrate the disparities in mental health care access and use. According to the Mental Health America National and National Institute of Health, 41.8% of the U.S. population are people of color, 13.5% were born in a different country, and 4.5% identify as LGBTQ+. The following percentage of Americans have some sort of mental illness/diagnosis: 17% African Americans, 15% Latinx/Hispanic Americans, 13% Asian American/Pacific Islander, 23% Native Americans/ Alaskan Natives, 25% Multiracial, and 37% of individuals who identify as LGBTQ+. More than 70% of people with mental illness refuse to receive mental health treatment. Unfortunately, a low percentage is made up of BIPOC therapists and psychologists. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), 83% of psychotherapists and psychologists in the U.S. are white, leaving 17% of us being the minority. Making it quite discouraging to seek treatment.

Building a therapeutic alliance based on how much you know about your client, not just their diagnosis, is extremely important. Therapists of color need to understand that the DSM-5 is Westernized and it's not specific to BIPOC. Therefore, misdiagnosing and mislabeling a client can very much be a possibility. People must be treated through their culture-specific lens; this is the standard mental health approach for our "American" lifestyle. Understanding culture and diversity and concurring mental health equity allows people to attain their highest level of health , which allows us to grow as a community and slowly help one another heal. That is where my studies have led me, and continued inclusion awaits as my colleagues, and I continue to break down barriers and think outside the box. 

This Article References

Bassett, M. T. (2017). Public Health Meets the Problem of the Color Line. American Journal of Public Health, 107(5), 666–667. CDC. How to Prioritize Minority Mental Health - FITDC. https://fitdc.com/2023/06/30/how-to-prioritize-minority-mental-health/French, B. H., Lewis, J. A., Mosley, D. V., Adames, H. Y., Chavez-Dueñas, N. Y., Chen, G. A., & Neville, H. A. (2020). Toward a Psychological Framework of Radical Healing in Communities of Color. The Counseling Psychologist, 48(1), 14–46. Toward a Psychological Framework of Radical Healing in Communities of Color - Bryana H. French, Jioni A. Lewis, Della V. Mosley, Hector Y. Adames, Nayeli Y. Chavez-Dueñas, Grace A. Chen, Helen A. Neville, 2020