This year’s Black History Month theme, “Reclaiming Narratives,” calls for a powerful shift in how we recognise, honour, and celebrate the Black, African, and Caribbean communities. This is not just about retelling history; it’s about reawakening and elevating voices that have been too often silenced, ensuring that black experiences are seen, heard, and valued in their full complexity.
For too long, the narratives surrounding Black people have been shaped by otherness—often through the narrow lens of adversity and marginalisation. But reclaiming these stories is a bold act of resistance and empowerment. It’s about celebrating Black excellence, resilience, and innovation, while also confronting and correcting the distorted representations that have contributed to systemic racism.
Reclaiming narrative around Black mental health
Reclaiming narrative is more than a cultural act; it is deeply tied to mental health and well-being. The narratives that society tells about us, and the ones we internalise, play a critical role in shaping our self-esteem, sense of identity, and belonging. When Black people are misrepresented, erased, or reduced to stereotypes, it can have profound effects on mental health and either leading to feelings of invisibility, alienation, and psychological harm.
For years, the mental health sector has acknowledged the disparities faced by black individuals in accessing appropriate mental health care. Despite promises of reform, black communities have historically faced disparities in mental health care, with overrepresentation in acute settings, lower access to culturally appropriate services, and often experience unequal treatment within mainstream services. This disparity extends to outcomes in therapy, where black individuals frequently report worse result outcomes. Black voices are crucial in the mental health conversation, not only to address historical trauma but to advocate for culturally relevant care that truly meets the needs of black communities.
Reclaiming mental health services
In recent years, strides have been made to incorporate cultural competence into mental health services. Mental health programmes and services are beginning to acknowledge the importance of cultural sensitivity, awareness, and responsiveness in therapy. This includes understanding the unique perspectives that members of the Black African and Caribbean communities may have regarding mental health, and the stigma that can sometimes be attached.
While many mental health institutions have pledged to address these inequalities, real change has been slow. Black people continue to face significant barriers when it comes to receiving effective mental health support. Despite efforts to incorporate cultural sensitivity, Black individuals often find themselves navigating a system that was not built for them — a system that does not fully understand their experiences, stigmas, or the unique ways in which trauma manifests. Breaking down these barriers requires open conversations across all generations and encouraging everyone to engage in dialogue about mental health and well-being.
Reclaiming the narrative in mental health means pushing for systems that reflect the diversity of those they serve. It's about creating tailor-made mental health solutions that meet the needs of black communities, services that acknowledge the cultural context, historical trauma, diversity and lived experiences of black people. Mental health care must move beyond a one-size-fits-all model and instead become an inclusive and multicultural space where black voices and stories are central to the systemic process.
At the heart of this movement is a commitment to systems change and co-production, where Black communities are not only heard but play an active role in shaping mental health services. It's about recognising that those with lived experience are experts in their own right and brings invaluable knowledge to the table. Mental health services must evolve through collaboration, with black communities leading the charge in designing solutions that truly meet their needs. Safe spaces for black people to “discuss, share, reclaim, and nurture” are essential to this process. Intergenerational dialogue about mental health can help break down stigmas and create a culture of openness and support within Black communities
A call to action: reclaim and thrive
As we celebrate Black History Month, let us remember that reclaiming narratives is not just about the past, but a call to action for the present and the future. It is a demand for systems change, for mental health services that respect and understand the diversity of black experiences, and for a society where black voices lead the conversation about their own well-being. It’s time to move beyond mere acknowledgment of the need for change.
This Black History Month, let us commit to pushing for real, sustained reforms in mental health care — reforms that are grounded in the knowledge, strength, and resilience of black communities.