The Unapologetic Workbook for Black Mental Health - by Rheeda Walker (Paperback)

About the Book

There is an unaddressed Black mental health crisis in our world today. Based on the groundbreaking best-seller, The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health, this workbook offers readers a step-by-step, interactive journey toward better mental health. Grounded in both cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and an exploration of meaningful blackness, readers will learn powerful strategies for managing stress, practicing self-care, and regaining emotional wellness.

Book Synopsis

It's past time to take Black mental health seriously. It's time to intentionally cultivate resilience, build unshakable confidence, claim your truth, and step into unapologetic joy with this workbook.

There is a Black mental health crisis in our world today, and it is tied to disproportionately high rates of chronic illness, poverty, under-education, unacknowledged and untreated trauma, and structural racism. Depression, anxiety, and suicide were increasing before the global pandemic, but have since escalated even further. In order to reclaim a life worth living, you must first reclaim your mind. Whether you suffer yourself, have a loved one who needs help, or are a mental health professional working with the Black community, this workbook will be your lifeline.

This workbook--from the author of The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health--offers a step-by-step, interactive journey toward better mental health. You do not have to be at the mercy of everyday circumstances that would otherwise demean you or steal your joy. Grounded in both cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), you'll gain powerful skills to help you effectively manage stress, make self-care a priority, and find lasting emotional balance and well-being in a world still steeped in systemic inequality, discrimination, and microaggressions.

With this workbook, you'll discover:

• What "psychological fortitude" is, and why's it's so important
• How to set boundaries and say "no" when you are feeling overwhelmed
• How racism can impact your mental health--and what to do about it
• How to overcome internalized racism and explore meaningful Blackness

If you're ready to reclaim wholeness, build resilience, and thrive, this powerful workbook will be your guide.

Review Quotes

"The Unapologetic Workbook for Black Mental Health provides critically needed strategies for Black people to tap into their psychological fortitude and live the lives we wholeheartedly deserve. Rheeda Walker infuses her immense wisdom throughout this workbook to provide culturally grounded tools that center on the viewpoint that Black people have the strength to pursue therapeutic healing to help us further thrive. This workbook is refreshingly clear, affirming, and sheds new light on strengthening resilience and value-based living for Black people without, importantly, diminishing the pervasiveness of racism in our society."
--Sierra Carter, PhD, associate professor of clinical and community psychology at Georgia State University--Sierra Carter, PhD

"Chock-full of thought-provoking questions, brimming with concrete strategies and steps, The Unapologetic Workbook for Black Mental Health is a gift to every Black person who yearns to thrive emotionally and is ready to begin tackling the stuff that gets in the way--the stress of relationships, family and work, the impact of racism, and our sometimes-ineffective efforts to cope. This workbook guides us through it all. Wise and warm!"
--Kumea Shorter-Gooden, PhD, clinical psychologist; and coauthor of the award-winning book, Shifting--Kumea Shorter-Gooden, PhD

"Rich in reflections that will revive your mental health and transform the way you practice self-care, Rheeda Walker has masterfully crafted the ultimate guide to self-awareness, self-accountability, and self-healing."
--Nakeia Homer, well-being educator, and author of I Hope This Helps and All the Right Pieces--Nakeia Homer

"This is a must-read resource for Black folks who face systematic racism and oppression every day. In The Unapologetic Workbook for Black Mental Health, Walker convincingly describes how racial oppression has shaped the mental health reality of Black people for generations by providing unique and complex insights while integrating psychological science and cultural values. She then brilliantly empowers the reader with skills to maximize psychological fortitude--fortitude needed in a society rife with racial discrimination."
--Faye Belgrave, PhD, professor of psychology, and associate dean for Equity and Community Partnerships at Virginia Commonwealth University; and coauthor of Finding Her Voice--Faye Belgrave, PhD

"While there are numerous self-help workbooks to address mental health, most are only informed by traditional psychology which is limited in addressing the lived experiences of Black people. In The Unapologetic Workbook for Black Mental Health, Rheeda Walker masterfully combines empirically supported interventions with knowledge of Black psychology, history, and culture to provide a unique guide that empowers Black people to engage in culturally responsive self-care and stress management."
--Kevin Cokley, PhD, university diversity and social transformation professor at the University of Michigan, and editor of Making Black Lives Matter--Kevin Cokley, PhD

About the Author

Rheeda Walker, PhD, is an award-winning professor of psychology at the University of Houston, and author of the self-help phenomenon, The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health. She is a behavioral science researcher, licensed clinical psychologist, and has published more than sixty scientific papers on African American adult mental health from a culturally meaningful perspective, suicide risk, and psychological resilience. Walker is a fellow in the American Psychological Association, the leading scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the US.

Walker's expertise has been cited in countless media outlets, including The Washington Post, NPR, Los Angeles Times, Houston Chronicle, and Ebony magazine. She has been a guest expert psychologist on Good Morning America, The Breakfast Club, and Red Table Talk. She has trained and mentored clinical psychology doctoral students toward independent clinical and research careers since 2003, and is well known for engaging keynotes and workshops that address emotional wellness and culturally informed interventions. Visit her online at www.drrheedawalker.com.

Foreword writer Angela Neal-Barnett, PhD, is a national award-winning psychologist, professor, and leading expert on anxiety disorders among Black Americans. She directs the Program for Research on Anxiety Disorders among African Americans (PRADAA) at Kent State University. Neal-Barnett's current work focuses on the role of racism and trauma in Black infant mortality and maternal morbidity, as well as culturally competent anxiety intervention.