Culturally Competent Therapists: How to Find Care | fyh.news

Iโ€™ll be real with youโ€”growing up, finding culturally competent therapists wasnโ€™t something we talked about. But as I got olderโ€”juggling work, raising kids, showing up for familyโ€”I realized that I was carrying more than I ever admitted. And it started to show up: stress, irritability, sleepless nights, even physical stuff like back pain and headaches.

Thatโ€™s when I knew I needed to talk to someone. But not just anyoneโ€”I needed someone who understood where I came from, what I carried, and how my story shaped me.

For many Black and Latino men like me, therapy can feel like a foreign language. But finding someone who understands your background, values, and lived experience is not just helpfulโ€”itโ€™s essential.

Weโ€™ve got history. Weโ€™ve got culture. Weโ€™ve got trauma. And we deserve mental health care that respects all of that.

Where I Started Looking

Let me tell youโ€”it makes a big difference to talk to someone who gets it. Here are a few directories that helped me find a therapist who looked like me, sounded like me, and didnโ€™t need everything explained from scratch:

  • Therapy for Black Men โ€“ This was a game-changer. Itโ€™s full of therapists who specialize in working with Black men of all ages.
  • Inclusive Therapists โ€“ Covers a wide range of cultural, gender, and disability identities. I appreciated the honest bios.
  • Latinx Therapy โ€“ If youโ€™re looking for Spanish-speaking or culturally bilingual therapists, this is a great place to start

What I liked is that these sites didnโ€™t just throw names at me. They told me who these folks were and what they cared about. That helped me feel like I wasnโ€™t alone.

Itโ€™s Okay to Ask Questions
At first, I thought it was disrespectful to question the therapistโ€”like I was doubting their knowledge. But this is your health, your mind. Ask away. I asked:

  • Have you worked with men from my background?
  • How do you handle conversations about racism, masculinity, or faith?
  • Do you bring in cultural values when helping someone set goals?

And Iโ€™ll tell youโ€”if the answers feel flat or uncomfortable, thatโ€™s your sign. Keep it moving.

Affording It Without Going Broke

Money matters. Weโ€™ve got responsibilities. But mental health should still be on the list.

  • Open Path Collective is a solid optionโ€”$30 to $60 sessions.
  • Some colleges offer discounted therapy through student clinics.
  • A lot of therapists will work with you if you ask for sliding scale rates.

Your peace of mind is worth budgeting for.

Youโ€™ll Know When Itโ€™s Right

The first session might feel weird. Thatโ€™s normal. But if the person listens without judgment, asks good questions, and helps you feel seenโ€”itโ€™s worth going back.

If not? No shame in trying someone else. This is about you.

Final Thought: Brothers, we werenโ€™t raised to talk about mental health. But that doesnโ€™t mean we donโ€™t need it. Life hits hard sometimesโ€”especially when youโ€™re carrying generations of pressure on your back.

Find someone who sees you for who you are. Who understands the culture, the struggle, the strength. Because talking doesnโ€™t make you weak. It makes you real.

And you deserve to feel whole.

Take care of your mind. Youโ€™ve earned that.

Also Read: Eating Well on a Budget: Healthy Food Tips for Black and Latino Families

Trending Topics

Features

Download and distribute powerful vaccination QI resources for your community.

Sign up now to support health equity and sustainable health outcomes in your community.

MCED tests use a simple blood draw to screen for many kinds of cancer at once.

FYHN is a bridge connecting health information providers to BIPOC communities in a trusted environment.

Discover an honest look at our Medicare system.

ARC was launched to create a network of community clinicians to diversify and bring clinical trials to communities of color and other communities that have been underrepresented.

The single most important purpose of our healthcare system is to reduce patient risk for an acute event.

Related Posts
Mental health and addiction treatment center opens on Milwaukee’s northwest side

yahoo

Celebrating Hispanic heritage while learning about health care

msn

D.C. Region Makes History with First Implantations of Worldโ€™s Only โ€œSmartโ€ Cochlear System
Scroll to Top
Featured Articles
8ff364d1b19108422f17ca11874eadcf
Mental health and addiction treatment center opens on Milwaukee's northwest side

yahoo

Families gather at a Bronx community festival with live music, kidsโ€™ activities, and health booths sharing SOMOS social care resources and free screenings.
Celebrating Hispanic heritage while learning about health care

msn

Audiologist adjusts a smart cochlear implant sound processor for a patient at MedStar Georgetown, symbolizing next-generation hearing restoration.
D.C. Region Makes History with First Implantations of Worldโ€™s Only โ€œSmartโ€ Co...
dreamstime_s_196607590
Smart Thermostats, Dumb Policy: How Central Control Normalizes Energy Poverty

blackchronicle

A Hispanic adult speaks with a mental health counselor in a Hartford clinic, with informational materials about CT Paid Leave on the table.
CT Paid Leave: Mental Health Support for Hispanic Workers in Connecticut

fox61

dreamstime_s_19211811
How Low Iron Affects Everyday Life โ€” And Why It Matters in Black Communities
Categories
AI
BIPOC News
Cancer
Clinical Trials
Diseases of the Body
Environment
Health Data
Health Equity Events
Health Policy
Heart Health
kidney Health
LGBTQ Health
Subscribe to our newsletter to receive our latest newsโ€‹
All Stories
8ff364d1b19108422f17ca11874eadcf
Mental health and addiction treatment center opens on Milwaukee's northwest side

yahoo

Families gather at a Bronx community festival with live music, kidsโ€™ activities, and health booths sharing SOMOS social care resources and free screenings.
Celebrating Hispanic heritage while learning about health care

msn

Audiologist adjusts a smart cochlear implant sound processor for a patient at MedStar Georgetown, symbolizing next-generation hearing restoration.
D.C. Region Makes History with First Implantations of Worldโ€™s Only โ€œSmartโ€ Co...
BIPOC News
dreamstime_s_19211811
How Low Iron Affects Everyday Life โ€” And Why It Matters in Black Communities
Gut health in Black and Brown Communities
Gut Health and Mental Health: The Connection in Black and Brown Communities
Flint Water Crisis on the Black Community
The Flint Water Crisis: Effects on Michiganโ€™s Black Communityย 
Environment
dreamstime_s_196607590
Smart Thermostats, Dumb Policy: How Central Control Normalizes Energy Poverty

blackchronicle

Flint Water Crisis on the Black Community
The Flint Water Crisis: Effects on Michiganโ€™s Black Communityย 
Hurricane Katrina Anniversary 20 Years Later in New Orleans fyh.news
Hurricane Katrina Anniversary: 20 Years Later in New Orleans

democracynow

Work Force
Families gather at a Bronx community festival with live music, kidsโ€™ activities, and health booths sharing SOMOS social care resources and free screenings.
Celebrating Hispanic heritage while learning about health care

msn

Racial/Ethnic Minorities have Greater Declines in Sleep Duration with Higher Risk of Cardiometabolic Disease
Racial/Ethnic Minorities have Greater Declines in Sleep Duration with Higher ...

pubmed

set of hands from different races
How Diversity in Health Care Improves Patient Outcomes
Clinical Trials
Tylenol, Autism, and Breaking the Stigma: What the Science Really Says
Tylenol, Autism, and Breaking the Stigma: What the Science Really Says
Racial/Ethnic Minorities have Greater Declines in Sleep Duration with Higher Risk of Cardiometabolic Disease
Racial/Ethnic Minorities have Greater Declines in Sleep Duration with Higher ...

pubmed

ID 225485086 ยฉ Piyapong Thongcharoen | Dreamstime.com
AAP Breaks with Federal Guidance, Recommends COVID-19 Shots for Healthy Young...

Vaccines and Outbreaks
Vaccines in the Black Community
Vaccines in the Black Community: A Legacy of Mistrust
dreamstime_s_255228734
Your Childโ€™s Doctor May Now Recommend Covid Shots โ€“ Hereโ€™s Why
ID 225485086 ยฉ Piyapong Thongcharoen | Dreamstime.com
AAP Breaks with Federal Guidance, Recommends COVID-19 Shots for Healthy Young...

Other Categories
AI
Cancer
Read the latest Cancer stories trending around the world
Diseases of the Body
Read about the latest Diseases of the Body trending around the world
Friday Webinars
Every Friday, we bring you insightful webinars covering critical topics in healthcare, data equity, and policy reform.
Health Data
Read the latest Health Data stories trending around the world
Health Equity Events
Read the best Health Equity Events around the country.
Health Policy
Read the latest Health Policy stories trending around the world
Heart Health
Read the latest on Heart Health News, Stories and Tips.
kidney Health
Read more trending News about Kidney Health, Stories and Tips.
LGBTQ Health
Read the latest LGBTQ Health stories trending around the world
Lift Every Voice Patient Network
Mental Health
Read the latest Mental Health stories trending around the world