(Re)humanizing Blackness: Integrating BlackCrit in the Mental Health Counseling of Black Clients

Abstract

Does Black mental health matter? Historically, mental illness in the Black community has been inadequately addressed. Yet Black Americans experience more severe psychological distress than other races, and they are also more likely to experience poor outcomes in counseling. When considering the dehumanizing impact of racism on the mental health of Black Americans, Black critical theory (BlackCrit) is presented as a useful and scarcely utilized exploratory lens. The author provides a brief history of Black mental health, followed by an explanation of the need for and benefits of utilizing this theory to center Blackness when counseling Black clients. Implications for theoretical integration in clinical practice to (re)humanize Blackness in counseling are provided.