Celebrating our Successes with our Community:

Success Story Spotlight

Join us as we kick off our Success Story Spotlight series! We are thrilled to share the many successes we have had at KMFW and in our local communities.

“I’m seen, I’m heard, and I’m understood” – Successes in KMFW’s Afrocentric Counselling

Written by Grace Okusanya, Research Coordinator

The mission of Kind Minds Family Wellness (KMFW), from the start, has been “to transform personal narratives of Black persons, support and empower them as they navigate systems in order to attain positive self-actualization and holistic wellness” (KMFW Brochure). KMFW does this through many different services and programs run by our staff and volunteers. One service that empowers clients of KMFW is Afrocentric counselling.

Many Black Canadians face unique barriers while accessing mental health services. One of the ways to facilitate accessing mental health services among Black Canadians has been concerted efforts to deliver culturally competent care like Afrocentric counselling, which is different than typical counselling. Afrocentric counselling is culturally adapted care by trained professionals who are racially, culturally, and spiritually equipped to perform adequate and supportive treatment. Adapting counselling to fit the unique needs of a cultural context is important. Treatment is more beneficial when care is tailored to the user’s cultural context and that users are more prone to continue care as they find it fits their needs better than typical counselling. At KMFW, all the Afrocentric counselling is done by loving, caring professionals who center the needs of those who they serve and can support their unique experiences as black individuals through their own lived experiences and shared identities.

A counsellor at KMFW explains that clients are happy to be working with Kind Minds Family Wellness during very vulnerable times in their lives because they do not have to explain nuances about themselves to their clinicians. This was the story of one client who sought out KMFW’s counselling services because of her experiences with white clinicians who were not able to care for her needs. Coming to KMFW she found that her counsellor already knew and understood the nuances that came with being Black. She no longer felt invisible. And instead of the counsellor only focusing on treating the trauma, they focused on other areas of her life. The client told the counsellor that, “I come because I am getting something from this.”

Another success story is about a client who was court-appointed to attend therapy. Before meeting with his counsellor, the client was apprehensive of going to therapy and had preconceived notions that his counsellor would not be able to help or understand them. Instead, he got the exact opposite. He felt that therapy was like, “sitting down, talking to my Auntie.” He continued to seek counselling well past his court mandated sessions because his experience at KMFW was different than what he thought it would be and was helpful. KMFW was able to provide a space for this client to be themselves, a place where they did not have to hold back, created space for race and authenticity without the need to act differently. With help from his counsellor, he has been able to move towards increased self-sufficiency and independence. 

“This is a place where I am comfortable, where I can be who I am, and they see me”

By offering culturally adapted care through knowledgeable and empathetic professionals, KMFW ensures that clients feel seen, heard, and understood. This Afrocentric counselling not only addresses the unique challenges faced by Black individuals but also creates a therapeutic environment where clients can authentically engage in their healing process. As evidenced by client testimonials, KMFW's commitment to cultural sensitivity and compassionate care transcends typical therapeutic experiences, resulting in meaningful transformations and lasting empowerment within the community it serves.

References:

Fante-Coleman, T., Jackson-Best, F. Barriers and Facilitators to Accessing Mental Healthcare in Canada for Black Youth: A Scoping Review. Adolescent Res Rev 5, 115–136 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40894-020-00133-2

Bent-Goodley, T., Fairfax, C. N., & Carlton-LaNey, I. (2017). The significance of African-centered social work for social work practice. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 27(1–2), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1080/10911359.2016.1273682

Lateef, H., Amoako, E. O., Nartey, P., Tan, J., & Joe, S. (2022). Black Youth and African-Centered Interventions: A Systematic Review. Research on Social Work Practice, 32(1), 3-12. https://doi.org/10.1177/10497315211003322

Ward, E. C., & Brown, R. L. (2015). A culturally adapted depression intervention for African American adults experiencing depression: Oh Happy Day. The American journal of orthopsychiatry, 85(1), 11–22. https://doi.org/10.1037/ort0000027