Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)

At CCP, we understand the importance of promoting equity and inclusion in mental health by practicing cultural sensitivity and individuality in sessions with our clients.

We understand that culture influences how people experience mental health conditions and whether they seek and receive mental health treatment. Culture encompasses race, ethnicity, gender, religion/spirituality, perceptions of health and illness, coping styles, treatment-seeking patterns, family values, and impacts of racisms, bias, stigma, and discrimination.

For a therapeutic relationship to be effective, a person must feel comfortable and open with their therapist about their identity. When treatment includes cultural needs and differences, clients outcomes improve significantly. Unfortunately, there are several barriers to mental health treatment and support for BIPOC clients.

Commons barriers include: language, finances, health coverage, immigration status, exclusion from resources, stigma and shame, prejudice, discrimination, and a lack of psychoeducation. These barriers can make seeking help and finding a therapist an overwhelming task. Additionally:

Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) adults have the lowest help-seeking rate of any racial/ethnic group.
Black/African American adults are more likely to report persistent psychological distress, sadness, and hopelessness than white adults. They are also less likely to receive mental health care despite needing it.
Hispanic/Latinx/Latine adults are at higher risk in experiencing untreated mental health conditions that will persist and worsen.
Indigenous people are typically more isolated due to their locations and are more likely to experience mental illness, substance abuse disorders, and suicide as a result of generational trauma.

BIPOC clients can also have difficulty seeking and receiving quality mental health care and treatment due to provider cultural competence.

If you are interested in meeting with a BIPOC therapist, our clinician Ashley Carrasco is a Latina who has many years of experience working with BIPOC children, teens, and adults. Another CCP clinician, Emma Epstein, also has worked many years with refugees and immigrants and is bilingual, proficient in Spanish.

"As I grow older part of my emotional survival plan must be to actively seek inspiration instead of passively waiting for it to find me." -Bebe Moore Campbell