A review by ardavis414
The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health: Navigate an Unequal System, Learn Tools for Emotional Wellness, and Get the Help you Deserve by Rheeda Walker

3.0

Dr. Walker’s book is a great intro guide for mental health for Black people. Black folks, specifically Black women, are just as likely to experience mental illness as other racial groups but are less likely to reach for treatment. I think that this is a wonderful resource for Black women who normally don’t trust the medical establishment and therefore will reach out for support from their religious leaders before scheduling an appointment with a therapist. While pastors and reverends may provide marriage counseling to couples, they are rarely qualified to counsel their parishioners on their mental health. Dr. Walker is absolutely right to point this out.

Despite its benefits, this book wasn’t really for me. It didn’t provide any new material that I didn’t already know. Also, I’m not religious. Dr. Walker simply believes that a person without religious faith has a higher likelihood of having intent to self-harm or die by suicide. I respectfully disagree. However, I’m sure that someone with deep ties to their religious faith would appreciate this guide more.