It's been a long time coming but self-care is all the rage right now.
The last few years have brought on an influx of revolutionized practices, sage burning, crystal rubbing, yoni steaming, hiking, meal prepping — you get my point, right? As unusual as the self-care bandwagon may seem, it is certainly the type of popularization that we encourage, especially for Black people. It's important, probably now more than ever, that we take the time and invest in the resources to help us protect our mental health by any means. COVID-19 still running rampant, the nation’s political system is a complete train-wreck, and with the revolving door of violence being directed at Black people by those who swore an oath to protect and serve, now is the best time to implement some serious self-care by preserving our mental health.
Our unique experiences being Black in America makes finding the right mental health outlets and resources feel like scut work for a year one medical resident — gruesome and tedious but necessary. We can’t simply go to any therapists or meditate with any app; we need things that we can relate to and that will actually be beneficial to our mental wellness journey. Luckily for you, I have taken the reigns and done the dirty work for you. Here are nine Black-owned or operated mental health apps that are sure to help you preserve or restore your mental health.
1. Therapy for Black Girls
There is a lot of weight on the shoulders of Black women and sometimes you need a good girlfriend to talk it out with. What if that good girlfriend was actually your therapist? Therapy for Black Girls consists of a hub of resources and counseling created by Dr. Joy Harden Bradford for other Black women.
Sharing everything from anonymous questions that we all wish we had the courage to ask, to self-help tools, and booking resources to find a therapist that is just right for you, this self-care hub for Black women is definitely worth supporting on your healing journey.
2. Melanin and Mental Health
Similar to Therapy for Black Girls, Melanin and Mental Health provides the same variety of resources, but this one is particularly inclusive of Black men and Latinx folks as well. So often, Black and brown people are expected to have and to hold themselves together as well as everyone else, at all times. Melanin and Mental Health lets their clients know that is okay to not be okay, as long as you are doing the work to change that narrative.
3. Ayana Therapy
Sort of the “new kid on the block,” Ayana Therapy is an app that uses your own information to match you with the best therapist and resources. By providing you with a detailed questionnaire, Ayana is able to bridge many intersectional gaps for marginalized people by connecting them to a therapist that is just right.
4. The Shine App
If your friend has been consistently sending you on-point inspirational quotes that, it may have actually come from The Shine App. This app provides daily affirmations and allows you to create your own self-care routine utilizing tools within the app itself, from mediation to community discussion boards, Shine makes sure you know you’re never alone.
5. The Safe Place
Meeting us where we are is just the right way to approach mental health in the Black community. With therapy and healing being such taboo topics for us, having the resources to get the help without the hassle is really a clutch concept. That is why The Safe Place matters. This free mental health app approaches healing for Black folks in a way that is personable and relatable.
6. Health in Her Hue
It is one thing to get counseling, but to also have research and information available addressing issues that face you and the women you know is an even bigger blessing. A bold leader in the healthcare space, Health in Her Hue not only connects Black women to therapists and a community of supporters, but it also advocates for the assessment of issues that impact Black women on a grander scale, from the home to the office.
7. Liberate
Whoever said Black people don’t meditate hasn’t seen a Black mom close her eyes, breathe deeply and tell her kids, through her teeth, “By the time I count to ten…”
Seriously, meditation can help bring calm in the face of potentially overwhelming emotions and responses. Liberate provides guided meditations specifically for Black people and our experiences.
8. Minds of the Culture
What sets the Minds of the Culture app apart from other mental health resources for Black people is their database of research dedicated to helping patients navigate mental wellness from a faith-based perspective. Their software will pair you with a therapist, help you navigate mental health symptoms and diagnoses, and gives you a faith-based community to lean in on, in those high and low times.
9. MindRight Health
Making therapy more attainable and desirable, MindRight Health is allowing customers to get the help they need through texting.
“At MindRight Health, we understand that healing is a pathway to liberation, which is why we work to make mental health support accessible and inclusive of Black communities. We're meeting young people where they are by providing mental health coaching over text message, designed intentionally to meet the needs of our communities. By prioritizing our mental health, we are able to honor both our pain and our strength, and begin the work of healing from intergenerational trauma,” founder Ashley Edwards told Blavity.
There's no time like the present — to get your mind right.
