Mental health, race and how Black therapists work to help more Black patients in Madison

A bittersweet trend complicates the often-complicated journey toward mental and emotional wellness for Black residents of Madison. The good news is that more are reaching out in search of mental health treatment. On the flip side, the wait to receive counseling is unprecedentedly long and often stressful for those seeking help. For Black people in Madison who need a therapist who looks like them, the wait is considerably longer than it is for those who are white and seeking therapy. This difference is simply because there aren’t enough Black therapists to go around. Black therapists say Black patients universally want to talk about struggles centered around race. “Our wait list had grown to 800 people, prompting us in mid-January to temporarily pause new admissions,” said Myra R. McNair, executive director and owner of Anesis Center for Marriage & Family Therapy. McNair estimated eight to 10 calls come into her therapy center every day from people who are often looking for a non-white therapist. The demand has forced some to wait half a year and, at times, as long as eight months. Before the outbreak of COVID-19, McNair said they routinely were able to schedule new patients within about two weeks....