Mental health is not a subject matter to sleep on; how you feel is valid and should not be gaslighted.

-@JayBuggam
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by Ajeé Buggam

If 2020 didn’t teach us anything, it taught us the importance of our mental health and how fragile it truly is if we don’t tend to it. Oftentimes in Black homes, checking in regarding each other’s mental health is not a common conversation we inquire about. The unfortunate truth is Black people have a long history of trauma that we’ve dealt with due to systemic racism, poverty, a lack of education, and accessibility, which we’ve normalized to keep it pushing and not seek mental health assistance. 

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Feeling mentally or emotionally off and in need of professional guidance is not a bad thing. The first time I sought therapy, I felt like I had to keep it a secret. Going to therapy has made me so much more intentional about my actions, boosted my accountability, made me more emotionally aware of triggers, and helped me understand the layers of trauma I needed to unpack to gain peace within myself. I share my story to say there is strength in vulnerability. 

After going to therapy to learn how to cope with my anxiety, I learned that it’s not the end of the world to acknowledge and prioritize my mental health. Now I have a space to learn to build tools to cope with overwhelming thoughts, the brain is an organ, and there’s going to be times it needs assistance, just like any other organ in the body. 

Here is a list of six podcasts and shows that helped advance my knowledge about mental health within the Black community. Take off the “strong Black woman” cape; you are human and deserve space to heal, just like everyone else.

1. Therapy for Black Girls: Hosted by Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, a licensed therapist based in Atlanta, Georgia. She gives excellent advice on several topics that Black women face in their daily reality, ranging from colorism, racial trauma, the importance of boundaries, how to thrive as a Black women business owner, etc. One of my favorite aspects of Dr.Harden is her push for representation throughout the podcast and amplifying Black women’s stories that are often overlooked. She frequently invites other Black mental health professionals on her podcast to give advice regarding any topic she may not have expertise in. Check out her website; she has a vast directory of Black women therapists in several locations in the country. Go get yours! Check it out on her website, iTunes, and Spotify. 

 

2. Red Table Talk! Hollywood actress Jada Pinkett Smith hosts her Facebook show with her daughter Willow Smith and her mom Adrienne Banfield-Norris talking about everything mental health, codependency, addictions, and being open about her family and marital issues. This show holds so much power because of Jada’s influence by being an adored actress, and she’s using her platform to help people heal. It’s impressive to see how open all three of the hosts are open to vulnerability without hesitation and speak about their traumatic issues and explain how they got through it. They don’t always agree with each other’s opinion, but they are open to understanding each other’s why for whatever they think, which is another way to learn how to honor our loved ones without feeling the need to sabotage the relationship because we may have opposing opinions.

 

3. Black Girls Heal: Licensed therapist Sheena Tubbs uses her podcast platform for providing resources to overcome trauma, codependency, attachment, love addiction, love avoidant habits, and much more. Black Girls Heal offers practical advice and support with breaking unhealthy habits that every woman should tune into! Check out her podcast on iTunes and Spotify.

 

4. Peace of Mind with Taraji One of my all-time favorite unapologetic actresses Taraji P. Henson, hosts Peace of Mind, a Facebook show about mental health with her long-time best friend, Tracie Jade. This is my favorite type of content to see in the media because within the Black community, we don’t have many shows targeting our struggles and how to overcome them. There are tons of historical reasons Black people often don’t look up to politicians and see ourselves more reflected in Black celebrities, our generation’s thought leaders. Taraji talks about her own mental health issues with being clinically depressed. Some of her episodes elaborates on police brutality, bi-polar disorder, anxiety, and mental health stigmas that hinder the Black community from excelling. She also brings on a range of Black therapists along with a range of guests, from Pop Smoke’s brother Obasi Jackson elaborating on how he’s dealing with grieving and incorporates everyday individuals to talk about their mental health issues. 

 

5. Black Girl in Om Lauren Ash is the founder of Black Girl in Om, a collective that centers Black women in wellness and resources for those looking to implement a healthy self-care routine. Their mission statement is, “Black Girl In Om exists to hold and catalyze healing within black women around the world on their unique journeys towards wholeness. We support the necessary transformation, spiritual awakening, consciousness shifts, and intergenerational healing occurring within the diaspora. Established in 2014, we sparkled far before the world called us magic. The reality is, under the glitter, Black women over-index in health disparities around the globe. Yet, we brilliantly possess the power to prevent, cure, and carry dis-ease out of our lives by inviting healing possibilities into our psyche. BGIO rewrites the narrative of what ‘well-being’ looks like to ourselves and in our communities.”

 

6. The Faith & Mental Wellness Podcast with Brittany Moses: Calling all followers of Christ! This Podcast focuses on balancing and thoroughly understanding how to combine your faith and mental wellness life. Brittany is a student pursuing a degree in Clinical Psychology. She invites medical professionals and Christians in various backgrounds to provide support with managing several mental illnesses and provides tips for unlearning unhealthy relational patterns. Tune in on iTunes and Spotify.

 

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Mental health is not a subject matter to sleep on; how you feel is valid and should not be gaslighted. These tools may help you dive deeper to learn about yourself and have access to gain tips. There is nothing wrong with seeking therapy. Take care of yourselves.

Ajeé Buggam is a content writer and fashion designer from New York City and an alumna from the Fashion Institute of Technology. She specializes in writing about race, social injustice, relationships, feminism, entrepreneurship, and mental wellness. Check out some of her recent work at https://www.notes-toself.com/portfolio-1.