Dr. Cheyenne Bryant keeps it real about Black Representation in the Mental Health Field

Written by Margaret White, originally published in December 2021 print

Four percent of the professionals in the mental health industry identify as black. It’s an incredibly low number in a field that relies on trust and vulnerability. It also seems to reflect on the stigma that surrounds mental health in the black community. However, there are those within the field who are bridging that gap and breaking down that stigma.

Dr. Cheyenne Bryant, psychology expert and life coach says this stigma is slowly going away. She finds herself having more and more black men patients. However, she thinks that black women are holding themselves back from seeking help with their mental health. “Black women are still trying to hold the world on their backs and on their shoulders and saying I could do this and I’m not weak so I don’t need help,” Dr. Bryant said.

As the founder of the Dr. Bryant Institute and the Dr. Bryant Foundation, Dr. Bryant believes that the mental health field needs more black representation. “When I’m in session with my clients who happen to be black and male, and they throw out a curse word or they say the n-word from time to time, that’s not alarming to me. I want them to be who they are. They have to be completely open and vulnerable and have the intimacy see into them so that we can work through things,” Dr. Bryant shares. Cultural competency is vital in creating the spaces that allow patients to be vulnerable. Dr. Bryant has had black patients who have seen a non-black therapist and felt misunderstood. “They felt like the therapist was more interested in hearing the trauma they experienced because it was such a surprise to the therapist,” said Dr. Bryant.

But as someone who grew up in the inner-city, Dr. Bryant has faced similar traumas and can reach an understanding with her patients. “I always use my accolades and use my success as a tool to say that trauma, the teen pregnancy or whatever you experienced, let’s process it. Let’s leave it where it is at that address at that space, and let’s go become everything you want to become. Because it’s not just reserved for me.”

Dr. Bryant encourages you to start investing in yourself. “Regardless of your race or culture, start to love yourself more and be proactive,” she shares. She reminds us all to make self care a priority and implement the tools we have to maintain healthy relationships. Ultimately, Dr. Bryant wants to help others become their best self.