Racism and racist structures place an enormous mental health burden on Black, Latinx, and indigenous communities, alongside other people of color. Dr. Alfiee joins Forrest to discuss the unique challenges faced by marginalized youth, disparities in access to mental health services, and the importance of “naming and claiming.”
About our Guest: Dr. Alfiee is a wonderful psychologist, researcher, recovering academic, and expert in the mental health needs of racially diverse adolescents, young adults, and families. She spent 20 years in academic medicine, and is the lead author of the new book Community Mental Health Engagement with Racially Diverse Populations 1st Edition and The Handbook of Mental Health in African American Youth, the host of the podcast “Couched in Color with Dr. Alfiee,” and the founder of the mental health nonprofit the AAKOMA Project.
To join me in donating to the AAKOMA Project, follow this link.
Sponsor Message: Every week Forrest creates detailed show notes for our Patreon supporters. Due to the essential nature of this topic, we’ve made the notes for this episode publicly available. They give a deep dive into the research behind the topics this episode explores, and we hope you’ll check them out.
Key Topics:
- 2:00: The impact of institutional racism on mental health.
- 7:00: Forms of exposure to racism.
- 9:45: Allostatic load, weathering, and secondary traumatic stress.
- 15:30: Ways to manage traumatic stress.
- 19:45: Confusing stress and anxiety.
- 22:30: The importance of accurate labeling.
- 25:00: AAKOMA and availability of mental health resources.
- 29:00: Access, and the stigmatization of mental health.
- 33:30: Removing the stigma.
- 37:20: A message to your younger self.
