A conversation on race, culture, and mental health - BIPOC Mental Health Awareness

DBSAlliance

In this DBSA podcast, host Dontae Freeman welcomes guests to an open conversation on the unique experiences and barriers that people of color face in seeking effective mental health care. We offer these perspectives as part of the wider conversation on race, culture, and mental health taking place during Black, Indigenous & People of Color (BIPOC) Mental Health Month 2020. In the first part of the podcast, we hear from Michele Bibby, a trained peer facilitator living in Austin, Texas, who hosts national support groups for DBSA, and Mario Lemos, a Chapter Leader with DBSA San Francisco. Both Michele and Mario identify as persons of color, and their own experiences give us a clear sense of what it's like to attend a support group where your fellow peers may not have faced the same struggles in finding care, resources and social support. In the second part of our podcast, Dontae speaks with Dr. Obari Cartman, a clinical psychologist working with Black high school students in Chicago. Dr. Cartman is program director at Real Men Charities, where he hosts a weekly men's wellness circle. In his remarks, Dr. Cartman reflects on the unique forms of stigma surrounding mental health in the Black community and suggests how mental health organizations can improve outreach to communities of color. DBSA welcomes your thoughts and feedback on this conversation. Please remember to rate and review our podcasts so we can continue to bring you the most interesting, informative guests with the most useful perspectives.