Aspiring Mind Blog
Black Maternal Health Week: Centering Mental Wellness and the Power of Equitable Care
When we talk about the importance of Black Maternal Health, we cannot forget to include the importance of mental health.
Each April, Black Maternal Health Week is a moment to pause and reflect—not just on the devastating statistics that too often define Black maternal outcomes—but on our resilience, our power, and the ways we can reclaim wellness for ourselves, our families, and our communities. As a psychotherapist and a Black woman deeply invested in building safety and healing spaces, I want to talk about something that is often overlooked in these conversations: the mental health of Black mothers.
Why Equitable Care Matters for Black Mothers
Black women in the U.S. are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women, and while much of this conversation focuses on physical outcomes, it’s imperative that we bring mental health into the center of this dialogue.
Equitable care isn’t just about access to hospitals or prenatal vitamins—it’s about being seen, believed, and treated with respect. When Black women don’t receive equitable care, the emotional toll can be immense: anxiety, trauma, depression, and even postpartum PTSD. This isn't a theoretical issue—it’s a lived reality for too many.
Imagine carrying a child while also carrying the weight of not being heard, of needing to self-advocate in spaces where your pain is minimized. That chronic stress, often referred to as weathering, compounds over time. It’s not just affecting their bodies—it’s impacting their minds and spirits.
Barriers to Mental Health Equity for Black Mothers
So what’s standing in the way? Here are some of the biggest barriers:
Racism and bias in healthcare: Many Black mothers report not feeling listened to or taken seriously when expressing pain or mental health concerns.
Lack of culturally competent providers: Finding a therapist or provider who understands the nuances of Black motherhood—without judgment or stereotype—is still too rare.
Stigma: Within many of our communities, seeking mental health support is still seen as taboo. There's strength in our survival, yes—but we also deserve support.
Access and affordability: Many Black mothers face financial barriers or live in areas with few quality mental health providers.
Ways to Support Black Maternal Mental Health
Healing starts with care—and care is collective. Here are a few ways we can show up:
Listen and affirm: Black mothers don’t need to be fixed—they need to be heard. Validation goes a long way.
Normalize therapy and mental wellness: Let’s shift the narrative from “strong Black woman” to supported Black woman. Strength doesn’t mean going it alone.
Advocate for policy change: Support initiatives that increase Black midwives and doulas, expand postpartum Medicaid coverage, and fund culturally aligned mental health services.
Support rest and recovery: Offer practical help—childcare, meals, emotional support. Rest is revolutionary for Black mothers.
Community Resources That Uplift and Empower
Here are a few organizations and tools that support Black maternal mental health:
The Shades of Blue Project – Offers mental health support for Black and Brown women before, during, and after childbirth.
Black Mamas Matter Alliance – A powerful advocacy organization pushing for respectful, holistic, and equitable care.
Sista Afya Community Mental Wellness – A Chicago-based organization providing affordable mental wellness services specifically for Black women.
Therapy for Black Girls – A directory and podcast that helps Black women connect to culturally competent therapists.
The Loveland Foundation – Offers financial assistance for therapy sessions to Black women and girls.
As we honor Black Maternal Health Week, let’s hold space for both the grief and the possibility. Let’s be intentional about caring for the mental and emotional wellbeing of Black mothers—because they deserve to thrive, not just survive.
To every Black mother reading this: I see you. You are not alone. Your story matters. Your wellness matters, and you are worthy of care—in all its forms. With deep love and solidarity,
Road Less Traveled Abroad
I have experienced two key transitions in my life to date...
Written by Jaime L. Roya
I have experienced two key transitions in my life to date. The first being the decision to pursue an international career when I accepted my first position in Doha, Qatar. That decision was a catalyst of change and transformed me professionally, personally and most importantly spiritually.
As someone that has never lived outside of my home state Texas, this was a huge leap of faith. I did not have any expectations because I honestly did not know what I was signing up for other than something new and a road less traveled amongst my immediate family and close friends.
The transition to Qatar was quite easy, in retrospect, and in comparison to some of the horror stories I have heard from colleagues and friends I have met on this international journey. One aspect I appreciated most about life in Qatar is I worked alongside people that not only looked like me (race/ethnicity), but we also shared lived experiences. (Side bar: If you have ever heard the phrase “all skinfolk ain’t kinfolk” you may understand why I added the emphasis on lived experiences.)
Having a solid core group of girlfriends from various backgrounds and career sectors allowed me to maintain a healthy work-life balance which helped me to feel psychological safe. My mental health in Qatar was at peak performance. I did not allow “aloneness” to be mistaken for “loneliness” but instead strengthened my personal relationship with God through regular prayer and devotion.
When I chose to accept my placement in Qatar, my friends working in Egypt (a married couple I worked alongside in Houston, Texas that influenced my decision to move abroad) warned that the ease of that transition might prove to make moving most places in the world difficult. Those words rang true when I decided to pivot to South Korea. I was stripped of a comfortable expat lifestyle (think “soft-life”) and sisterhood. The former I can adjust accordingly but I realized sisterhood or even access to a community that looks like me is a non-negotiable. I spent the past year walking through life in South Korea blindly trusting my Korean-speaking coworkers to navigate daily nuances, tuning out my environment 90% with AirPods since I do not understand any of the conversations around me and not seeing a single person of color more than 1-2 times a month (that’s being generous).
Culture shock is an understatement. And yes, my mental health suffered. But GOD! I leaned into a newly created group of Black Counseling Professionals I met at a conference and made intentional efforts to stay in contact with my Qatar sisterhood circle and family in The States.
This year, I am focusing on finding joy and stepping out of my comfort zone to explore this place that God strategically placed me. While the road less traveled can bring it’s fair share of anxiety and challenges, what you gain for the experience is one of a kind and possibly a once in a lifetime opportunity.
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You connect with Jaime and follow her journey via the following platforms:
Instagram- @JaimeLRoya
LinkedIN- Jaime LaDawn Roya
Email: jaimelroya@gmail.com
Tidy your life, manifest your best!
A few years ago, Marie Kondo, famed organizational expert, gained world-wide notoriety and became a household name. If you ever viewed her show on Netflix, then you know that this petite, quiet woman’s superpower was empathetically guiding people through the challenging yet rewarding process of decluttering their homes.
As a therapist, it was such an intriguing process to witness-to see how people accumulated things over the years; how they clinged to things out of comfort and how that need for comfort and familiarity led to clutter; how they endured the emotional rollercoaster of emotions as they processed memories attached to certain items, etc.; and ultimately how they chose to fully commit to the purging process in order to reap their very personal and differentiated reward. The decluttering was not simply a physical process, but an emotional one as well. Ms. Kondo famously stated, “Tidying is the act of confronting yourself.” What must you confront to live a tidy, happier life?
As I cleaned out my own closet this weekend, I had an epiphany. This decluttering and purging process was the very thing I needed to do with not only my possessions, but my life as well. I needed to Marie Kondo certain parts of my life in order to make room for the things I wanted to manifest this year. This was the perfect time to start!
So, obviously, I wonder, as you read this, what areas of your life could you declutter in order to make room for your best hopes and desires to manifest? Oftentimes we tether ourselves to things, people, relationships, mindsets, experiences, and behaviors-whether they are good for us or not- because they are comfortable, familiar, part of our identity (or at least that’s what we tell ourselves), and in order to move on from these weights, we have to take an introspective look within and possibly experience some hurt and emotional discomfort. The prospect of discomfort paralyzes us and keep us from making progress in our life; however, in order to move forward, we have to experience the discomfort of letting go; the good thing is that the discomfort is temporary, and on the other side of that pain, is purpose, growth, newness, happiness, and peace. “The first step in crafting the life you want is to get rid of everything you don’t” (Becker).
Consider the following tips to help you begin the rewarding process of purging what no longer serves you:
Identify your best hopes for the coming year. When you begin with the end in mind, you can align your daily actions with your ultimate goal.
Assess the things, people, mindsets, and behaviors, etc. that are beneficial and those that stifle your growth. Create an action plan to remove or address those unhelpful and possibly harmful aspects of your life. Create goals to be more intentional about those helpful and fulfilling aspects of your life.
Welcome all emotions with self-compassion and acceptance. The purging process can be uncomfortable, and you may experience emotions that you have been actively trying to avoid. Acknowledging and accepting all feelings helps you grow through the process. Welcome your feelings- uncomfortable as well as pleasant- as guides teachers, leading you safely along your journey.
Commit to the process of purging in order to realize your purpose. Understand that in order to welcome the new, you have to let go of the old.
Remember, begin with the end in mind. Begin your year with intention- changing unhelpful habits, reframing negative mindsets, and purging non-utilitarian things- in order to manifest what you deserve. Remind yourself that you deserve all the best that this year has to offer.
Kindall Tyson, M.Ed., LPC, NCC