Therapy Resources for People of Color / Queer Folx

Hello! Thanks for opening this document. My name is Gladys, I’m a 26 year old queer Kenyan woman living in Massachusetts. After a distasteful and violent experience with a white therapist gaslighting my reaction to the lynching of Aumand Arbery, and the subsequent dismissal and lack of accountability from her supervisor, I felt compelled to compile this list of therapists who specialize in supporting BIPOC and queer folks.

This resource is for

  • BIPOC (Black, indegenous and /or People of Color) & queer folx who have had bad experiences with therapists who don't understand the racial & queer part of your trauma
  • BIPOC & queer folx who have been hesitant to seek help due to the fear that a white/cis/straight therapist will not understand them
  • Anyone who is interested in therapy but cannot afford it

Resource

Features in this resource

45 Therapists of color in Boston  

POC therapists in the Boston area

Includes into on

  • Insurances accepted        
  • Sliding Scales / Flexible Fee Systems
  • Area of clinical focus        
  • Treatment Modalities / Practice Theories        
  • Populations specialize in         
  • Experience working with queer and/or trans people of color?        
  • Website

Resources for

Trans & Queer youth

  • QTPoC Mental Health Practitioner Directory
  • an interactive digital resource to connect QTPoC to QTPoC practitioners
  • the Mental Health Fund, which provides supplemental financial assistance for QTPoC who cannot afford psychotherapy.

Therapy Matcher 

  • provides free, personalized, and confidential referrals to licensed social workers across Massachusetts.

Therapy for Black Men

  • A mission that prioritizes men of color
  • A location finder for a practitioner near you
  • Opportunity to join as a therapist

Therapy for Black Girls

  • Directory
  • Prompts for journaling
  • Podcast
  • Three for Thursday on IG live  

Brown Girls Therapy list of Therapy of Color by State during COVID

  •  Broken down by state
  • POC providers
  • Specific to COVID relief

How to find affordable therapy

  •  A tool to search for affordable care in your area
  • Helpful articles on how to use a therapist
  • Discourse about therapy vs other mental health practices like meditation

Race, Identity Politics, & DEI Resources for Beginners

  • A tool for BIPOC who want to understand how systemic oppression affects their lives
  • A beginners course for white therapists & health care providers who want to understand the multifaceted experiences of BIPOC
  • Includes
  • Books
  • Films
  • Shows
  • Podcasts
  • Organizations to support
  • anti-racist vocabulary!

Listening Space for Women who are BIPOC (Trans Inclusive)

Kanupria, an ally and a woman of color, is offering 45 min listening sessions to listen to femme-identifying BIPOC (women of color) nothing formal, just a listening ear

Application for Free Therapy Service

BFT has partnered with some licensed therapists across the country, that would like to service those in need at this time. These therapists have agreed to lower their fees or to offer services pro bono. You will be offered 2-3 sessions at the cost of $0 to you. Currently, BFT is raising fund to cover all cost for your services. If more sessions are needed, you can discuss this with your therapist.

Tips for finding a therapist who is right for you

  • You can request a therapist with a particular specialty. Here's a list you can use to narrow your search. This is also a good primer on what therapy is and what it is not.

  • Counseling psychologists (PhD in counseling psych rather than clinical psych) and licensed clinical social workers tend to have training in programs that are more social justice oriented. Counseling psychology is a break away from clinical psych because those in the field wanted to pay more attention to multiculturalism and positive strengths based therapy.

  • If you have trouble with your therapist at a practice and don’t know how to proceed, ask to speak to the psychiatrist. They usually have authority over clinicians and can take more institutional action.

  •  If you have the energy, also speak to the supervisor and make sure your experience is documented so they can create a plan to address it whether you choose to stay or not

  • Therapy is for you! If you’re not satisfied with the service you’re receiving, do not feel like you have to stay. There is definitely someone else who can better attend to your needs. Even if you’ve been with one person for years and it’s worked until now, acknowledge your growth and bounce to the next!

  • Mental health is part of overall health and should be covered by your healthcare provider. If you do not have insurance, many places will provide care via a sliding scale model. You can inquire about this when you contact the practice or organization.

I did not do all the work of collecting these resources myself, they were sent to me after I shared my story on Twitter & IG. Thank you to everyone who sent me a link or the name of a trusted provider. This is a collective measure that should grow and be shared widely. We need to heal as much as we can from past traumas in order to fight for an equitable future in the years to come. My hope is that this document will eventually feature more inclusive / creative ways to heal outside of therapy as well. If you have any questions about how to use this document, need help reaching a provider, or want to add more resources, please contact me at gitau.gladys@gmail.com.  In the midst of all this chaos, we deserve to be cared for in all our complexity & glory. Hope this helps!

If you want to compensate me for my labor, you can venmo me: @gladys-gitau.

In solidarity,

Gladys.