Finding BIPOC Clinicians

If you are reading this, you know that finding a clinician who is Black, Indigenous, and/or Person of Color is beyond difficult. Once you find that person, you still have to contend with determining their qualifications, if they take your insurance/cost, and whether they seem like they will be a good fit.

Though there are BIPOC clinicians listed on Psychology Today (I was also until recently), their platform is not managed by clinicians and they do not align with my race and social justice values. I still cautiously recommend it for searching (not for resources or for non-pop-culture like writing) because I understand it can be difficult to cut out a source when the search is already so challenging.

Earlier in the pandemic, a great listing was collated by Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry, Mental Health Resources for Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) that is a living document (they continue to update it over time). Many of the search platforms or providers listed on this document have social media accounts on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube where they post videos with tips, do live streams to answer questions from followers or speak with other BIPOC clinicians, and many post links to free or low-cost mental health resources. The document is organized by Local Resources, Mental Health Provider Directories, Online Support Groups, Self-Guided Virtual Resources, and Further Resources for Clinicians.

Please do not be discouraged in your search, however, I want to acknowledge and name that it was already difficult to find us before the pandemic and even harder within the context of all that the pandemic has brought to the surface. We are walking around in traumatised bodies watching the daily trauma and murder of our people. If you are sad or depressed in ways that feel unfamiliar to you, remember the context and that your pain is real. I hope you can find the support you are seeking.

With Warmth,

Dr. Dyette