Essay On Counseling African Americans

Seeking counseling in the African American community has not only been seen as taboo in the community but lack of studies or cultural relevant research has left many willing counselors without the tools to be effective with this group. Misdiagnoses, inadequate treatment and lack of cultural competence by health professionals cause distrust and prevent many African Americans from seeking or staying in treatment. Economics play a factor also according to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2012, 19% of African Americans had no form of health insurance. So, you have lack of knowledge on one side and an unwillingness or not being able to seek counseling on the other side. In the recent history, there has been more research on counseling African Americans along with techniques published on way to counsel African Americans also. Talib Wright wrote a peer-reviewed …show more content…
In a lot of instances Africa Americans have taken care of themselves when it comes to social issues, but the church alone can not solve the issues that come with mental health alone. African Americans have created a unique culture in America. It is a culture defined by the importance of our African heritage and hardened by coldhearted enslavement, the immorality of the "Jim Crow" era, and the microaggressions that persist in daily life or seen on social media (Wright, 2014). These realities have evolved into the current African American culture of resilience and spirituality that is the reality of today. This culture emphasizes a spiritual understanding of mental and emotional disorders first because the medical support system has never been there. It is likely that many of the young black men who seek therapy initially prayed about their problem or asked a family member before they ever thought about a formal counseling session. Effective therapy and treatment embracement and culturally