The dialogue around mental health has gotten louder in recent years, but unfortunately for Black communities, awareness and access remain weighed down by cultural stigma, structural barriers, and even life-threatening outcomes. As brands and marketers increasingly emphasize mental wellness, understanding the unique experiences of Black consumers is not only socially responsible—it’s culturally essential. While some progress is being made, critical gaps remain in reaching Black consumers with the right type of messaging.
Nearly a quarter (21%) of Black Americans reported having a mental illness in 2021, compared to 23.9% of White Americans—yet engagement with mental health care tells a markedly different story, highlighting persistent disparities. Only 25% of Black adults seek mental health treatment, compared to about 40% of White adults, leaving a staggering two-thirds of Black individuals with mental health needs going untreated, often in deafening silence.
Structural and historical barriers play a major role in who seeks help and who is left to suffer. According to KFF, nearly 10% of Black adults in the U.S. lack health insurance, compared to 5.2% of White adults, a disparity that worsens access to care. Service use rates among Black adults—31%—fall well below the 49% for White adults. These gaps are drastically compounded when race intersects with financial insecurity: Black households below the poverty line are more than twice as likely to report serious psychological distress as wealthier counterparts.
Needless to say, the consequences are devastating. The CDC has declared that suicide is now the third leading cause of death among Black youth ages 15 to 24, with a 58% increase in suicide rates between 2011 and 2021. Alarmingly, suicide rates among Black teens now exceed those of their White peers for the first time—a crisis driven by access to firearms and the corrosive effects of compounded racial trauma.
Yes, this is a grim reality, but awareness is growing. A 2023 survey found that 51% of Black adults ages 18–45 consider mental health one of the most important aspects of their overall well-being, likely due to increased conversation about the importance of mental health. The rise of digital tools has been pivotal—58% of Black respondents say they’ve used telemedicine or mobile platforms to support their mental health needs. Platforms that center culturally competent care, including apps focused on racial trauma, are beginning to reshape the mental health tech landscape. Recognizing the role that racial trauma plays in mental health is key to bridging the gap among diverse consumers.
Faith and family have historically played important roles in how Black Americans process mental health, though these same institutions can also perpetuate harmful stigmas regarding mental health and seeking help. Barbershops and salons, long considered trusted spaces within the Black community, are now doubling as mental health hubs. Initiatives like PsychoHairapy train stylists to offer micro-counseling, transforming hair appointments into moments of healing. Organizations like Silence the Shame utilize pop-up events and hotline outreach to normalize care and incorporate mental health into everyday conversations.
Representation also matters deeply in the therapeutic process. Despite growing demand from Black consumers seeking help, only about 3% of practicing psychologists in the U.S. are Black. This deep scarcity of resources makes it difficult for Black individuals to find therapists who share their cultural experiences or understand racialized trauma. When a therapist doesn’t reflect a client’s identity or speak their language—literally or figuratively—therapy can become another inaccessible (and frustrating) space rather than a safe one.
However, the cultural tides are shifting. Public figures like Taraji P. Henson are actively working to reduce stigma and increase access through efforts like the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation. launched by Henson as a tribute to her father, who battled mental health issues following his return from the Vietnam War. Digital influencers, athletes, and artists alike are speaking more candidly about therapy, anxiety, depression, and healing, shifting the narrative away from shame and toward strength. As the saying goes, you can’t be it if you don’t see it. Seeing others battle with mental health challenges and come out the other side goes a long way.
For brands seeking to engage authentically with Black consumers, this movement presents both a responsibility and a strategic imperative. Mental health isn’t just a cause; it’s a singular category of influence. Companies need to move beyond slogans and messaging to operational actions. That could mean partnering with local salons or barbershops to sponsor therapy sessions or offering branded mental wellness resources for creators, influencers, or gig workers who often lack benefits. It could involve elevating real Black stories about navigating mental illness in public campaigns or using platform access to amplify mental health resources.
Instead of centering mental health messaging around a generic “self-care” narrative, brands should create campaigns that directly reflect the specific cultural nuance of Black emotional resilience and healing. This includes supporting therapists and organizations rooted in Black communities, investing in culturally competent care programs, and showing up in spaces where Black joy and wellness intersect—community centers, Black-owned fitness studios, and cultural festivals.
Black joy, after all, remains a vital counter-narrative. Far from being frivolous, it’s a form of resistance. Whether it’s found in dance, spirituality, food, fashion, or friendship, joy is central to Black culture and wellness. Brands that understand and celebrate this can shift their positioning from performative allyship to meaningful cultural relevance.
The road to reach equity in mental health is long, but the opportunity for brands to align with this momentum is right now. The brands that understand this movement, not just from a marketing lens but from a cultural insight perspective, will build deeper, more loyal relationships with Black consumers. Our world is increasingly driven by emotional intelligence and identity fluency, and that’s not just smart strategy—it’s future-proof branding.
