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A while ago I posted that I was conducting research for my Qualitative class and the topic was “You Can’t Pour from an Empty Cup: A Phenomenological Study of Black Counselors Use of Wellness Techniques” and I wanted to share the themes I found. A thread 1/
I was only able to interview Black/AA women and there were 5 themes that emerged. 1) Stigma: The women felt there is stigma related to seeking mental health services and sometimes practicing self-care or setting boundaries bc they can be seen as “weak” 2/
2) Guilt: They felt guilty about taking time off work to care for self when their focus is on or they feel like should be on caring for clients. And there is guilt when boundaries are set or they practice self-care bc fam/friends may play the guilt card 3/
3) Black Woman’s Burden: Women feel they are hard-wired nurturers and culturally they have been placed in roles of caretaking. It’s hard to break out of that and practice wellness bc you focus is on/should be on family/children/partner 4/
And they are usually last on the list either bc they place themselves their or their circle unintentionally expect them there. 4) Practice What You Preach: Learn to understand your needs and be realistic with them. If you need time off take it. 5/
Stop talking yourself out of setting boundaries and do what you tell clients to do, practice self-care. 5) Be Intentional: Don’t think about it but do it. Be purposeful and intentional about your wellness. Schedule it if needed. 6/
This small research project was so much fun to do but it also highlighted the barriers to Black/AA women practicing wellness/self-care techniques. I’m going to research further but this was a good start. #counselortwitter #MentalHealth
