According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, a considerable quantity of Georgians lack access to adequate mental overall health pros, though more than 1.four million folks in Georgia have a mental overall health situation. This quantity exceeds the population of Atlanta by additional than double.
Therapist Chantel Cohen is especially concerned about a unique statistic: the lack of diversity amongst therapists. She highlights that only four% of therapists in America are Black, which has resulted in a mental overall health crisis amongst underrepresented communities in Atlanta and across the nation.
Cohen explains that there are economic barriers for folks of colour contemplating a profession in the mental overall health field, and the way therapists are paid has its flaws. She mentions that folks with a master’s degree typically acquire inadequate payment of only $16-$25 per hour. This economic strain faced by folks of colour typically leads them to pursue unique careers, even following getting the required degree.
Cohen herself had to leave an agency simply because she couldn’t afford to cover her simple necessities due to the low spend.
Through a discussion on “Closer Appear,” Jermail Shelton, the founder of nonprofit organization Undugu, joined Cohen. Undugu focuses on building a protected space for Black guys to talk about their life experiences and address their mental overall health. Shelton emphasizes that prospective sufferers in communities of colour face a economic burden, getting to opt for involving paying bills and searching for assistance for their mental overall health.
To address this situation, Shelton explains that Undugu has decided to emphasize group therapy as a additional cost-effective alternative. They strive to develop protected spaces inside communities exactly where open conversations can take location.
The group discussions cover numerous subjects, such as the effect of early childhood experiences on Black guys as adults and Black men’s partnership with commitment.
