The Interlude

Resisting, organizing, and quarantining has become quite a juggling act for many women of color, especially Black women, who are trying to change the systems that disproportionately disadvantage them. Even protesting has become a potentially life-threatening act since communities of color face a higher risk of death by Coronavirus, according to an April report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The stigma surrounding mental health in communities of color has exacerbated the stress, fear, and anxiety BIPOC are feeling lately. Not to mention, it is extremely difficult for a woman of color to connect with an appropriate practitioner for various reasons, including insurance worries, mistrust of the healthcare system, and inherent biases that lead to frequent misdiagnoses.

Here is a list of various free and low-cost mental health resources for women of color:

• The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation is a non-profit organization, founded by Taraji P. Henson, offering free therapy sessions to “individuals and families experiencing a life-changing event(s) related to or triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic and/or stress/anxiety regarding race relations and injustice towards people of color.” The application allows individuals to choose a participating provider in their state from a laundry list provided on the site. Up to five free therapy sessions are available on a first-come, first-served basis while funds last.
• National Queer And Trans Therapists Of Color Network is an organization that gives queer and trans people of color the space to focus on their mental healing. They created the Mental Health Fund as a way to provide financial assistance to queer and trans people of color to access mental health professionals. The application is available here.
• Real to the People is a program that was launched in March 2020 in response to the Coronavirus pandemic. Now it has expanded to become a service that offers free online group therapy sessions four times a week, specifically for Black women, people of color, and allies who are affected by the ongoing fight against police brutality. The link to register can be found here.
• Therapy for Black Girls is an online database of resources for Black girls and women who are seeking therapy and mental health resources. The site aims to connect Black women with therapists who are the perfect fit for them, thereby providing a smooth therapy experience. The site also has a blog and podcast available on Spotify, Apple, Google, and Stitcher. For women who want to be more involved with the Therapy for Black Girls community, there is also a membership-only group called The Yellow Couch Collective that offers perks such as connections to members in your area, access to Q&A’s with experts, and more, for a monthly fee of $9.99. The organization offers a free trial before purchasing.
• The Steve Fund has created a crisis response line available via text message for young people of color who are suffering from mental health crises, including but not limited to feelings of stress, depression, and anxiety. By texting “STEVE” to 741741 you will be connected to a crisis response counselor at any time of day. The Steve Fund also offers a free video toolkit for students of color in higher education.
• Sista Afya is a social impact business that’s sole mission is the mental wellbeing of Black women. Based in Chicago, the organization offers in-person and online low-cost therapy for Black women. They also have online group wellness and health sessions, some of which are free to join. You can register for their services here.
• Ethel’s Club is a digital safe space for people of color to create, heal, and thrive, with the goal to amplify their voice. The club offers exclusive perks to members, including access to events, connections, and a spot in their book club, among other things, for a monthly fee of $16.99. You can sign up for Ethel’s Club here.
• The Loveland Foundation hopes to empower women of color by offering financial assistance and opportunities to women, especially Black women and girls. With the Loveland Therapy Fund, the organization plans to aid Black women and girls in their quest to find the perfect mental health professionals and to ease their financial burden by providing financial assistance for between four to eight therapy sessions.

If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, please remember that you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1–800–273–8255 and the Spanish Language Nacional de Prevención del Suicidio at 1–888–628–9454, which remain active 24/7. Further resources are accessible at suicidepreventionlifeline.org. Trans and questioning callers can contact the Trans Lifeline, an organization run by trans volunteers, at 1–877–565–8860 (within the United States) and at 1-877-330-6366 (within Canada).