What does it say about the mental health system when the most powerful voice in the field, the American Psychological Association, has to issue a formal apology for racism?
In 2021, the APA publicly acknowledged that it had failed Black, Indigenous, and people of color, not just through inaction, but through active participation in systems of harm. The apology cited decades of supporting discriminatory practices, promoting racist research, and upholding a model of mental health that excluded or misrepresented communities of color.
They even admitted that psychology as a field helped justify eugenics policies and other racist beliefs that fueled segregation, criminalization, and violence, under the guise of science.
The apology confirmed what many of us already knew: the mental health care system wasn’t built with us in mind. For generations, mental health care in this country was shaped by white supremacy, and often worked against the very people it claimed to serve.
Being Black Was Never the Problem
For generations, mental health care in the U.S. has misrepresented Black experiences. Instead of meeting us with understanding, the system has often labeled parts of our identity as symptoms.
That might look like:
- A Black child being diagnosed with a behavioral disorder instead of being seen as processing trauma
- A Black woman’s depression being diagnosed as laziness or anger
- A provider interpreting cultural expression or emotion, like anger, grief, or even silence, as a mental disability
- Spiritual beliefs or family dynamics being misunderstood or ignored altogether
When care doesn’t reflect who we are or where we come from, it becomes nearly impossible to get the help that we need.
The Black psyche has carried this weight across generations. We’ve learned to be careful with our words, cautious with our trust, and protective of our pain. It’s scary to think about how much we lost due to psychology racism.
Reversing the Damage of Psychology Racism
An apology doesn’t undo harm, but it does name it. And that matters because healing can’t happen without truth.
Culturally affirming mental health care is protection. It’s care that understands our identity, and holds space for all the ways that history shows up in our bodies, decisions, and relationships.
That kind of care looks like:
- Providers who understand cultural context
- Resources that speak to our lived experiences
- Spaces where Black people can show up fully, without having to assimilate
The APA’s apology was a big step. The real work, however, is in creating spaces where Black mental health can thrive without apology.
