“One Minute for Your Mind”: The Development, Implementation, and Application of Our Mental Health Minute

Abstract

The dissemination of knowledge concerning psychological problems, practices, and perspectives is often within selective journals requiring a great deal of financial investment or psychological services, which has historically been saddled with cultural incompetence, medical abuse, and subsequent stigma from Black Americans. To combat the confines of information existing only within the ivory tower, two Black psychologists developed a venture to better describe and provide psychoeducation to Black populations via an online edutainment platform. This article describes the development, implementation, and application of the series, titled Our Mental Health Minute, which seeks to reduce stigma, provide relevant information and resources, and increase mental health literacy through educational entertainment. Discussion includes a call to practitioners and researchers to consider creative ways to provide content to populations who are likely to be less able to access mental health materials and services.

Reflections from the wading pool: Detoxifying racist psychological waters while submerged in their waves.

“…We pride ourselves on being committed to both organizations, where we continue to train and mentor burgeoning scholars and clinicians still in more shallow waters and speak up and out against challenging issues when the water gets choppy. In our scholarship and outreach, we have worked collaboratively on research and community-engaged efforts to reduce stigma about mental health, provide resources in access, utilization, and quality of mental health care, and increase mental health literacy in the Black community (Jones & Anderson, 2020). We posit that even though the waters surrounding us are still poisoned, it is crucial for us to acknowledge its toxicity so that we are not desensitized to it and develop treatments, scholarship, and practices so that it will not continue to harm those relying on its healing properties.…”

Black Love, Activism, and Community (BLAC): The BLAC Model of Healing and Resilience

“…Our Mental Health Minute is another example from two Black psychologists, Drs. Riana Anderson and Shawn Jones, whose short YouTube videos aim to reduce mental health stigma in the Black community and provide culturally relevant resources regarding mental health care (S. C. Jones & Anderson, 2020). Culturally centered healing and wellness practices that are informed by African-centered values and target specific concern for Black mental health are important resources for Black activists.…”

“…Our Mental Health Minute is another example from two Black psychologists, Drs. Riana Anderson and Shawn Jones, whose short YouTube videos aim to reduce mental health stigma in the Black community and provide culturally relevant resources regarding mental health care (S. C. Jones & Anderson, 2020).…”