Because Black mental health matters too!
According to NBC15, Joanna Johnson and Afiya Hooker are the boss ladies behind Mobile, Alabama’s first Black, women-owned, community health center.
After offering counseling services at their own practices, the ladies wanted to take it a step further to offer more help through the Yin Yang Wellness Center.
“Mental health in the black community is very stigmatized,” said Hooker, a licensed professional counselor and co-owner of the center. “I am very proud that at my own private practice. I have 97 percent BPOC clients but we still have a lot of work to do.”
While the center is open to men and women of all ages and backgrounds, one of the main goals for opening the center was to provide a safe space for Black people and to destigmatize the narrative around the Black community and mental health.
Not only does the Yin Yang Wellness Center offer therapy, but they also offer case management, group counseling and even serves as a donation center where men and women can pick up or drop off free clothing, toys, car seats, and more.
“We do have a program that allows them to obtain therapy for a certain number of sessions and then they have access to the donation closet,” Hooker continued. “Just from volunteers and donators so we’ve accumulated quite a bit over the years,”
For these ladies, the work is all about doing what’s best for the community.
“I believe that at the end of the day my calling in life is to be a peacemaker and if I can’t provide that personally then I want to be able to at least provide the resources for others so they can find that type of peace,” shared Johnson who is also a licensed professional counselor and co-owner of the space.
Click here to learn more about the center.
