NAMI Blog

"Making amends where there’s been harm is part of the healing process. The more we can recognize, repent, and repair, the more we can prevent future generations from experiencing not only shame, but trauma."

In the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community, there are many cultural beliefs that prevent people from getting the help they need. To empower individuals in this community to seek mental health care, we must shatter these misconceptions.

People of color with mental illness face disparities both in the criminal justice system and in mental health care. Learn the facts. 

"My quintessential hard-working immigrant success story still does not address a very important factor: I live with bipolar disorder. The mental health challenges that immigrants face are the part of this story that need to be addressed."

The issue is not only the ability to access care but also the ability to obtain effective care—which means culturally competent care. Here's what that looks like.

While it is encouraging that more communities are securing equal rights and protections, we still have a long way to go when it comes to LGBTQ+ mental health. 

"I believe medication, therapy and spirituality are holistic resources that work together as an integrated system of treatment."

In an interview, Taraji P. Henson talks about her father’s strength in the face of mental illness and making it safe for all of us to speak openly about mental health.

As a generation that prides itself on diversity and inclusion, millennials can have conversations about mental health that bridge gaps across backgrounds. 

"I realized some time ago that no matter how much mental health service I received, those who were providing therapy were not always culturally competent."