Mental wellness has always been critical for human survival and thriving. Still, for Black people—navigating generations of systemic racism, cultural erasure and everyday stressors—it is a matter of both healing and liberation.
The need for accessible mental health support is immense, and Houston is home to a growing network of individuals and organizations dedicated to meeting that need. From counseling and yoga to grassroots community circles and cultural healing spaces, Houstonians are building environments where wellness is not a privilege, but a right.
Counseling and connection
Dr. Nic Hardy, a Houston-area psychotherapist and founder of Hardy Behavioral Health, stresses that while counseling is essential, it is not the only pathway to mental wellness.
“Being connected to a healthy community via relationships within the family, friends, whatever it is, we have to do life in community,” said Hardy. “Healthy relationships do wonders.”
Hardy also emphasizes physical activity as mental medicine.
“They say movement is medicine. The more you can get moving, the more you can get outside, get some sunlight… these small, simple things, when done consistently, have a profound effect on our mental health,” shared Hardy.
The ALLICE Collective
Community is also at the core of the ALLICE Collective, founded by Dr. Allison Bates.
Understanding the barriers many face—such as lack of insurance, high deductibles or the stigma around therapy—the ALLICE Collective offers alternatives that make wellness accessible.
“We have our free community support groups. We have a co-ed group on the first Saturdays, our Black men’s group on the third Saturdays and our women’s group on the fourth Saturdays. Then we also have low-cost counseling services, youth wellness initiatives and parenting workshops.”
– Dr. Allison Bates, founder of The ALLICE Collective
“We have our free community support groups,” said Bates. “We have a co-ed group on the first Saturdays, our Black men’s group on the third Saturdays and our women’s group on the fourth Saturdays. Then we also have low-cost counseling services, youth wellness initiatives and parenting workshops.”
For Bates, it’s not always about the therapy room.
“It’s about the community. It’s about the energy. I always tell people you don’t necessarily need counseling at all times, but you do need community, and you do need spaces where you can be vulnerable and express yourself and heal,” she added.
Through events like Dear Mama, recently held at the Blue Triangle Community Center, the ALLICE Collective provides conversation, advice, access to healthcare providers and most importantly, a safe space.
“People are happy to have a space where they can feel vulnerable, not judged and see that others are having similar experiences,” added Bates.
The Black Man Project
The need for spaces where Black men can express emotions without shame or judgment inspired Brian Ellison to create the Black Man Project.
“I was working on a documentary in 2017, 2018, and I interviewed about 45 Black men and boys,” Ellison explained. “Ninety percent of those interviews ended in tears. Their inner boy got a voice. I realized there was so much more here, and I had to create the space that I was looking for. That’s how the Black Man Project was born.”
The nonprofit now provides group therapy, storytelling circles and community dialogues designed to give Black men and women tools for emotional expression and healing.
“Being in true community means you are in response to a call and a need,” Ellison said. “If you’re listening, you hear the unheard tears of men and the women who are waiting for them to have a space to fall apart and be put back together. It’s a huge lift, and I’m thankful to be doing the work.”
Ellison’s own story underscores the power of community.
“I didn’t have a father, but I had many fathers—coaches, uncles. Both my parents were incarcerated, so I was raised by my grandmother,” recalled Ellison. “Growing up, I didn’t have the language for what I was feeling. But now, I want to expand the tools we have in our toolkit so we can express ourselves like everyone else—and that starts with being around people who can model that expression.”
Healing through yoga
Beyond counseling and dialogue, physical practices such as yoga are helping Houstonians nurture both body and mind.
Secunda Joseph—entrepreneur, activist and host on All Real Radio—also teaches Kemetic Yoga, an ancient African form of the practice. She leads a community class at the Shrine of the Black Madonna Cultural and Events Center every third Saturday.
“It’s an intergenerational class, so the whole family can come,” said Joseph. “Yoga helps with our physical bodies, but it’s also holistic. It focuses on mind, body and spirit.
“Kemetic Yoga helps us to be present to ourselves, use our breath and movement to stimulate blood circulation in our brains, release endorphins and restore balance. These practices are for everyone.”
Everyday mental wellness practices
Personal practices, such as advocating for oneself, can make a difference alongside professional support and community-based healing.
Carleigh Joseph-Olivas, a licensed perinatal social worker and maternal mental health therapist, shared a personal story.
“After having my baby, my in-laws came down,” Joseph-Olivas recalled. “My husband called and said, ‘My mom said you hadn’t been out of the room in like eight hours, and she’s hungry. She needs you to cook.’ I told him, ‘I don’t know where you got that from. I’m the one who needs to be cared for today.’ Sometimes we have to advocate for ourselves, even with family.”
For some, finding a comfort zone is key.
Maternal health advocate Junelle Berry recalled her grandmother’s house as her place of restoration.
“During all three of my pregnancies, I ended up on what we called the love seat. That was my special little island where I was catered to,” said Berry.
And for others, asking for help—and letting go—is the real challenge. Behavioral health therapist Onyi Oriji-Dor explained: “If I ask for help and give someone a task, I have an idea of how I want it done. But I’ve had to learn to let go and allow them to do it their way. The result will probably still be the same. That’s the struggle.”
Take action
The takeaway is clear: healing doesn’t look the same for everyone. Counseling, support groups, yoga, storytelling or simply leaning on a grandmother’s love seat are all legitimate and powerful. What matters is seeking out community, listening to your needs and allowing yourself to heal.
Here are some things you can do to improve your mental health:
- Seek connection: Reach out to trusted friends, family or community groups.
- Move your body: Walk, dance, stretch or try yoga—movement is medicine.
- Advocate for yourself: Clearly express your needs, especially during vulnerable times.
- Find safe spaces: Join support groups or healing circles to share openly.
- Let go when possible: Ask for help and allow others to support you in their own way.
- Create a comfort zone: Identify a place or activity that restores you, and return to it often.
In Houston and beyond, Black wellness is being reclaimed, restored and reimagined—one conversation, breath and safe space at a time.
