Promoting Black Women's Mental Health
What Practitioners Should Know and Do

An invaluable resource for mental health practitioners working to support Black women clients heal and thrive.

Donna Baptiste (Author), Adia Gooden (Author)

9781108842938, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 6 July 2023

280 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.4 cm, 0.787 kg

'Promoting Black Women's Mental Health should be required reading for health professionals and training programs. Black women deserve to be better understood and this powerful book continues that dialogue.' Gail E. Wyatt, UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, USA

Promoting Black Women's Mental Health celebrates the strengths and complexities of Black women in American life. Many misunderstand and mis-characterize Black women and underappreciate their important contributions to families, communities, and the nation. In this book, a team of Black women mental health practitioners and scholars discuss a range of conditions that impact Black women's self-concepts and mental health. Drawing on a study of Black women across the United States, authors explore the social determinants of Black women's mental health and wellness and Black women's girlhood experiences. The book also explores Black women's stereotypes, their traumas, how they shift in relationships, and images that affect their racial and gender identity development. The book draws on scholarly and popular sources to present Black women's strength and challenges. Authors include commentary, case examples, re?ection questions, and resources to improve practitioners' capacities to help Black women clients to recover, heal, and thrive.

Introduction
Part I. Black Women in Context: 1. Our Black Women and Psychotherapy Study
2. Social Determinants of Health and Mental Health for Black Women
3. Black Girlhood: Developmental Experiences of Black Women
4. Stereotypes of Black Women: Clinical Implications
5. Black Women and Trauma
Part II. Therapy Contexts: 6. Therapist Cultural Self-Awareness
7. Building Strong and Effective Alliances with Black Female Clients
Part III. Core Themes in Black Women's Stress and Distress
8. Strong Black Woman Persona: Mental Health Impacts
9. Shifting in Black Women: Clinical Implications
10. Black Women's Mothering and Caregiving
11. Black Women's Romantic and Intimate Relationships
12. Appearance Prejudice and Discrimination Against Black Women
Part IV. Helping Black Women Recover and Thrive
13. Improving Black Women's Physical Health and Wellness
14. Black Women's Inner Healing and Resources for Thriving
15. Black Women's Spiritual and Religious Coping
Conclusion
Appendix
About the Authors and Contributors
Index.

Subject Areas: Clinical psychology [MMJ], Psychiatry [MMH], Mental health services [MBPK], Health psychology [MBNH9]