In the United Kingdom, Black men and women are much more likely to suffer from mental health disorders yet the system fails them
LONDON, ENGLAND, DECEMBER 1, 2022 - In the United Kingdom, Black men and women are most likely to experience mental health issues, yet the system continues to fail them. In fact, statistics also show that Black people are more than four times as likely to be detained under the Mental Health Act as opposed to white people.
Jarell Bempong, a cultural minority psychotherapist, speaker, trainer, and activist, is the founder of Bempong Talking Therapy. Through his practice and speaking/training engagements, Bempong specializes in mental health diversity and inclusion in the multicultural workplace. He particularly aims to bring change to the cultural disparity that occurs routinely in the mental health sector in the United Kingdom.
“I’ve personally lived the experience of mental health discrimination and inequality in the UK and the African mental health stigma,” said Bempong, a Black British gay man who is perhaps the only Black British psychotherapist specialising in such one-on-one psychotherapy exclusively for underserved and misunderstood with other Black people.
According to Bempong, part of the problematic history of subpar mental health for British Black people and other ethnic minorities stems from the European colonisation of the rest of the world, the birth of modern psychotherapy, and the overarching influence of white European and European American forefathers who developed it. “This explains why the UK mental health system is systematically, inherently racist. Current mental health training and application are not culturally conscious,” said Bempong. “This was evident during my many psychology diplomas, as well as the lack of diversity in all of my courses and among UK mental health practitioners.”
Through his dynamic services, Bempong implements cultural consciousness to overcome the mental health disparity seen in the UK. He works to discover underlying problems and deliver solutions while also highlighting the close connections between mental health and diversity, inclusion, and equality regardless of whether he’s working with a client, speaking for a presentation, or training his corporate clients. Simply put, Bempong says, “White talking therapy can’t think in Black!”
More information, including details on Bempong Talking Therapy’s services and how to book an appointment, can be found at https://bempongtalkingtherapy.com/.
ABOUT BEMPONG TALKING THERAPY
Bempong Talking Therapy offers groundbreaking culturally conscious counselling services tailored to underserved Black clients, as well as culturally conscious mental health training and presentations to progressive companies.
CONTACT
Jarell Bempong
Bempong Talking Therapy
Phone: +44 7412 572 941
E-mail: jarell@bempongtalkingtherapy.com
Instagram: @bempongtalkingtherapy
Website: https://bempongtalkingtherapy.com/