How two Black men use their experience to help peers address mental health challenges

Fred Williams used alcohol as a coping mechanism during a stressful time in his life. It was a way to numb uncomfortable feelings because he wasn’t used to having a safe space for said feelings. “We — [Black men] — may not have easy access to health care or a mental professional, but we can find a liquor store on almost every corner,” Williams said. ”In our culture, every rap song you see, there’s liquor in it, there’s marijuana in it.” As a psychotherapist with Mental Alchemy Counseling, Williams now helps clients deal with substance use, among other mental health issues. He appreciates being able to help his clients, particularly Black men, because of his own struggle finding a therapist he felt comfortable opening up to. “The first therapist I saw was a white woman. It was nothing against her, [but] we didn’t click,” he said. “The second therapist I found, his name was Ed, and he was a Black man. … He had a big idea of what my life had been like, some of the struggles I’d been [through]. He knew what it’s like to be Black in this world.” Nationally, only 4% of mental health professionals are...