Minority Mental Health Awareness Month: What It Gets Right (and What We Still Need to Do for Moms)
Every July, Minority Mental Health Awareness Month shines a much-needed light on disparities in mental health care.
And it’s an understatement to say that this is important.
Because for too long, conversations about maternal mental health have overlooked the experiences of people from marginalized communities—particularly Black mothers, who continue to experience significant disparities in maternal health outcomes and often face barriers to receiving compassionate, culturally responsive mental health care.
The increased awareness matters.
But awareness alone isn’t enough.
We’ve Made Progress
I’m grateful that maternal mental health is receiving more attention than it did even a few years ago.
More therapists are specializing in perinatal mental health.
More healthcare providers are screening for postpartum depression and anxiety.
More moms are sharing their stories publicly.
And more conversations are happening around topics like birth trauma, pregnancy loss, infertility, and maternal mental health.
That’s worth celebrating.
But Many Moms Still Don’t Feel Seen
Awareness campaigns can only go so far if they don’t change what happens in the therapy room.
For many Black mothers and other moms from historically marginalized communities, the barriers aren’t just about finding a therapist.
They’re about finding someone who understands that culture, race, family systems, lived experiences, and healthcare experiences all shape mental health.
Research continues to show that Black women experience significantly higher rates of pregnancy-related complications and are more likely to report feeling unheard or dismissed during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum care.
Those experiences don’t simply disappear after delivery.
They often become part of the emotional story a mother carries with her.
Culturally Responsive Care Is More Than Representation
Representation matters.
Many people understandably hope to work with a therapist who shares or deeply understands important parts of their identity.
But culturally responsive care goes beyond demographics alone.
It looks like a therapist who is willing to listen before making assumptions.
Who understands that every family’s story is different.
Who recognizes the impact that racism, discrimination, medical mistrust, financial stress, and systemic inequities can have on mental health.
Who remains curious instead of assuming.
Who is committed to learning—not just during July, but throughout their career.
Every Mom Deserves to Feel Believed
One of the things I hear most often from moms is:
“I felt like no one was listening.”
Sometimes that’s about birth.
Sometimes it’s postpartum anxiety.
Sometimes it’s mom rage.
Sometimes it’s simply feeling invisible while everyone focuses on the baby.
Regardless of your background, every mother deserves a space where she doesn’t have to convince someone that her experience mattered.
She deserves to be believed.
What That Looks Like in My Practice
As a maternal mental health therapist, I know I won’t share every client’s lived experience.
What I can promise is this:
I will listen before I assume.
I will stay curious.
I will welcome conversations about identity, culture, race, family dynamics, faith, and the experiences that have shaped you.
I will continue learning because culturally responsive care isn’t something you master once—it’s an ongoing commitment.
And I will never expect you to leave important parts of yourself at the door when you come to therapy.
What to Expect in a First Session
Our first session isn’t about fitting you into a diagnosis.
It’s about getting to know you.
Your story.
Your strengths.
Your challenges.
Your family.
Your hopes for therapy.
I want to understand what motherhood has been like for you, not what I assume it has been like.
Because healing begins with feeling seen.
You Deserve More Than Awareness
Minority Mental Health Awareness Month is an important reminder that we still have work to do.
Not just in July.
Every day.
You deserve care that feels safe.
You deserve to be heard.
You deserve a therapist who recognizes that your mental health doesn’t exist separately from your lived experience.
And you deserve support that honors your whole story.
If you’re looking for online maternal mental health therapy anywhere in New York, I’d be honored to be part of your support system.
Online Therapy Across New York
I provide online therapy for mothers across New York navigating mom rage, birth trauma, pregnancy loss, postpartum anxiety, high-functioning anxiety, and the challenges that can come with motherhood. My approach combines trauma-informed therapy, Brainspotting, attachment-focused work, and nervous system regulation to help moms move from survival mode toward feeling more grounded, connected, and supported.
If you'd like to learn more about my background, approach, and specialized training in maternal mental health, I invite you to visit my About page.
Schedule a Free 15-Minute Phone Consultation
If you're ready to take the next step, I offer a free 15-minute phone consultation where we can discuss what's bringing you in, answer any questions you may have, and determine whether we're a good fit.
