How do we heal from the mental, physical, and psychic assaults we each face just from work, personal interactions, news, and social media? Many Black people are recognizing that the stressful struggle of managing family, work, the daily acts of racism and microaggressions in society have damaging impacts on the mind and spirit. For this reason, Black psychologists are seeing a shift from the previous stigma about mental health in the Black community. In record numbers, Black men and women are seeking out therapy from Black Psychologists. Individuals are recognizing the need for help outside of their family and social circles. Have you experienced strong emotional responses to things going on in the world and in your life? If you are starting to, a psychologist can help you return to a sense of stability and peace. Sometimes we don’t even recognize when we are in distress. Here are 5 ways psychologists are saving lives.

Ease Loneliness by Having a Confidant for Human Connection

Have you been feeling lonely? When we are dealing with disruptive emotions or having significant problems in our lives, we may begin to isolate ourselves or feel that we have no one that we can speak to that can truly understand us. Being alone is a choice and is required for self-reflection from time to time, but being lonely can have damaging effects on your emotional well-being. Warm, positive, and reciprocal connections with others can help us to feel loved, valued, and appreciated. Energizing that connection to others and ourselves is a key to healing.

A Psychologist can be a relatable and consistent person that you can confide in with your secrets and stories, easing the burden of holding it all in. By building an authentic connection, you may begin to feel less alone and have more hope in yourself and life due to this newfound support. They can listen to you and also guide you towards a healthier state of being.

Getting Diagnosed Illuminates a Pathway to Healing

If we go to a hospital, we know that a doctor has to spend time identifying our medical issue before prescribing a cure. The same applies to our mental health. An assessment allows you and the psychologist to understand more about the source and symptoms of your mental health. This clarity allows for a more effective and personalized treatment plan that moves you quicker from suffering and closer to healing.

Don’t worry. An assessment and diagnosis don’t have to be a label. It may be an understanding between you and your therapist that never sees the light of day. It can just serve as a guide and pathway to healing.

Help You Mend Broken Relationships

Did you know that your relationships can impact your lifespan? It has been proven that those with strong family bonds have increased lifespans, which means that restoring a healthier state can literally save your life. For many of us that are struggling with mental illness, it often can strain our close relationships with parents, siblings, and other family members. It may feel that relationships are becoming disruptive and unhealthy or you may fear that a valued person may soon say good-bye due to problems in the relationship. A psychologist can guide you to the source of issues that may be causing a disturbance in your relationship so that you can return back to harmonious and loving relationships that can enrich and extend your life.

Improve Your Sense of Self-Worth

When you truly value who you are, you will treat yourself better. When we lack self-love, it is easier to adopt unhealthy self-destructive behaviors. A psychologist that can assist you in remembering your sense of worth. Maybe, with more self-worth, you would not have stayed in that relationship as long. You would have spoken up and acted when you felt disrespected, neglected, or abused. A psychologist can help you to see that self-love is not just a feeling or booking an appointment at a spa (although, you deserve that self-care too), but it is also in our everyday actions of what we do, where we go, and who we allow in our lives. Self-love reflects in our choices.

Make Healthier Life Choices

When infested with a sense of doubt or emptiness, we often commit “subtle suicide,” a term coined by Dr. Kamau Kambon. We may stay in damaging relationships, eat unhealthy foods, smoke, drink, or use drugs to cope with our circumstances. When we feel harmed emotionally and spiritually, we may harm our bodies on a physical level. As you improve a sense of self-love, you will also see a shift in how you make decisions. As you develop in your counseling sessions, your psychologist can suggest healthier life choices that reflect and maintain your healing. When we love ourselves, we may eat more fresh fruits and vegetables to nourish our body. We may adjust or end relationships toxic relationships. We may begin to dance, sing, draw, exercise, take up a hobby —we dedicate more time to activities that make us feel fulfilled and joyful.

We are grateful to the Black psych professionals in our community who save lives every day so that eventually, we become our biggest advocates and ultimately—our own hero.

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African American psychologist

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