Resilience is a Survival Strategy. Healing is a Thriving Strategy.

For Black History Month, CICA honors the incredible strength it took for previous generations to get us here. We also want to talk honestly about the cost of that resilience.

Weathering, in the mental health world, is the physical and emotional toll that chronic stress and systemic bias takes on the body over time. We see this in the data right here in Massachusetts: despite high levels of stress, Black adults are still significantly less likely to receive treatment for depression and anxiety compared to their white neighbors (37% vs 52%).

Source: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation, "Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Mental Health Care in Massachusetts" (2022).

Why? Because for too long, Black pain has been overlooked, and Black strength has been taken for granted.

We are here to help change that narrative.

You don't have to wait until you are at a breaking point to seek support. You don't have to "power through" anxiety, burnout, or the weight of the world alone. Our clinicians serve clients ages 14+ and provide a space where you don't have to be strong. You can just be you.

Already have a therapist you love?

We are genuinely thrilled for you. Finding a provider who "gets it" is a major win, and that relationship is sacred. If you’re looking to deepen that work or need support between sessions, here are a few resources we love that center Black wellness:

• For Mindfulness: Exhale App
  An emotional wellbeing app designed specifically for Women of Color, using breathwork and guided visualization
  

• For Your Commute: Therapy for Black Girls / Black Men Heal
  Podcasts that make mental health topics accessible, relevant, and stigma-free
  

• For Your Soul: The Nap Ministry
  A movement founded by Tricia Hersey that frames rest as a form of resistance and reparation
  

• For Local Community: NAMI: Sharing Hope
  An initiative offering videos and community conversations specifically on mental wellness in Black/African American communities.

This month, celebrate your history by investing in yourself.

#BlackMentalHealth #BostonTherapist #RestIsResistance #BlackHistoryMonth #MentalHealthMatters #BostonWellness