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Welcome to Directions the Newsletter for DVABPsi

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Each issue is designed to address current issues, highlight the creative abilities of contributors, and teach from an African-Centered/Black perspective. Views and opinions in Directions are those of the authors and do not purport to represent the opinions or view of DVABPsi or its members.​

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Ayo Maria Gooden, Ph.D., ABPBC, Co-Editor

Auriane Kemegne, BA, Co-Editor

"It always seems impossible until it's done." - Nelson Mandela

Hotep Members and Friends, 

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May Is Mental Health Awareness Month: A Time to Recenter, Reconnect, and Restore

As we enter the vibrant heart of spring, the month of May brings with it a powerful reminder that mental health matters. It matters every day, for everyone. At DVABPsi, we recognize that while our work is critical and our communities are worth every effort, “all work and no play” is not a badge of honor, it’s a risk to our well-being.

This Mental Health Awareness Month, we invite our members and partners to take a meaningful pause. Self-care isn’t selfish. Selfcare is sacred. Whether you're holding space for others or pushing through your own storms, tending to your mental health helps sustain the collective work we do in the service of healing Black communities.

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Take the Break. Take the Breath.

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Amid deadlines, responsibilities, and rising demands, we often forget: rest is resistance. It is okay to log off. It is necessary to laugh. It is healing to gather. We encourage you to carve out time this month for your joy, your peace, and your passions. A rested mind is a revolutionary mind.

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Mark Your Calendar: Gather in Good Company

In the spirit of joy and reconnection, we are excited to uplift two major events that offer us a chance to come together, not just as professionals—but as family:

 

Come celebrate excellence, community, and cultural pride at our Eastern Region Gala. Let’s dress up, honor our achievements, and dance in shared joy.

 

Join us this summer in beautiful Daytona Beach for our national conference. We’ll be gathering as an extended family—sharing knowledge, healing in community, and affirming our commitment to Black mental health. This is more than a conference—it’s a homecoming.

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If you cannot make it to either event but would like to donate. You can do so here. https://abpsi.site-ym.com/donations/ Scroll to see the initiatives that  you can donate to support

Let this month remind you: your wellness is essential to our mission. Together, let’s practice care—radically and regularly.

Asante Sana for your continued efforts to liberate and uplift the Black Mind.

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In Solidarity,

Ingrid K Tulloch, Ph.D.

“Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.” - Langston Hughes

DVAPSI NEWSLETTER

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“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” - Malcom X 

Annoucements 

My mother, Rev. Dr. Ethelyn R. Taylor, pastor emerita of Oxford Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, PA, was one of five honorees who was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters during the 166th Commencement of Lincoln University held on Sunday, May 4, 2025.  Part of the following is an edited version of her biography that was submitted and printed in the Commencement program: 

 

A native of Philadelphia, PA, Ethelyn was raised in Philadelphia for all of her childhood and adolescence and graduated from the Philadelphia High School for Girls in June 1951.  She initially began her journey to obtain her higher education at the Philadelphia Conservatory of Music majoring in piano before transferring to Lincoln University in 1953 on a Senatorial Scholarship.  As an incoming matriculating student, she also made history becoming one of only three female students on campus.  Ethelyn studied specifically under Dean McRae and did volunteer work within the office of Dr. Horace Mann Bond, who was the President of Lincoln University at that time.

 

In 1955, after her husband, the late Rev. H. Herbert Taylor, Sr., graduated from Lincoln University after earning a Bachelor of Divinity degree, as a young married couple they relocated to Washington, D.C., where Ethelyn continued her higher education at Howard University’s School of Music while employed as a secretary at Howard University’s College of Medicine.  In 1959, Ethelyn and her husband relocated to Grand Rapids, Michigan with two children, Juliana and Michael, where she earned a Bachelor of Education degree from Calvin College in 1963 and where she began her first career as a classroom teacher within the Grand Rapids public school system for two years.

 

In 1965, Ethelyn and her husband, Juliana and Michael and their newborn child, Marilou, relocated to Philadelphia where Ethelyn became the organist and choir director at Reeve Memorial United Presbyterian Church, where her husband pastored.  She also continued with her first career as a classroom teacher for The School District of Philadelphia beginning in 1966 until 1990.  She spent approximately 11 years training student teachers at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, who completed student internships within her public-school classroom.  She was also a part-time instructor teaching a music education course to students who were matriculating within the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education.  She pursued graduate studies in education at both Temple University and the University of Pennsylvania as well.  After retiring from her teaching career, Ethelyn began her second career in theology at Eastern Theological Seminary, which is now Palmer Theological Seminary, where she earned a Master of Divinity degree in 1992.  After her ordination in 1994, Ethelyn officially began serving as pastor of Oxford Presbyterian Church, including her prior internship, for approximately 30 years before retiring in 2023.

 

A lifelong leader within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Ethelyn has held numerous roles at the Presbytery of Philadelphia, Synod, and General Assembly levels, and became the first African American female pastor to lead the Presbytery of Philadelphia as its’ moderator in 2003-2004.  She has mentored over 18 seminarians from Princeton University, Lutheran Seminary and Eastern Theological Seminary.  Honored with multiple awards, Ethelyn was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Eastern University/Palmer Theological Seminary in 2022.  Ethelyn is the proud mother of two daughters, Juliana M. Taylor and Marilou E. Watson, and the proud grandmother of four grandchildren, Chesney, Justin, Victoria and Grant.  She was also the proud mother of her two sons, the late Michael B. Taylor and the late H. Herbert Taylor, Jr.

 

In recent years, my mother, Ethelyn, has also participated in some of our MBONGi’s sponsored by DVABPsi and aside from myself as her daughter, she has also had a direct personal connection with one of our other former fellow DVABPsi members for many years, who is, Dr. Lucille Ijoy.  Dr. Ijoy and my mother have known each other beginning since they were matriculating high school students together at the Philadelphia High School for Girls, and both are also my fellow Girls High Alumnae.  Dr. Ijoy was even once an invited guest speaker for one of the Women’s Day Services at Oxford Presbyterian Church many years ago when my mother was still the pastor of Oxford.

 

Although now retired, my mother continues to stay active with church related activities and travel at the age of 92.  At Lincoln University’s 166th Commencement my mother was very excited about going home to her roots on the main campus of Lincoln University and becoming an honorary Lincoln University Alumna.  She was very impressed as well, along with myself, with the great expansion of Lincoln’s campus since her days as a matriculating student and since she last visited Lincoln’s campus, which was many years ago during the 1970’s, which was also the last time before Lincoln’s Commencement that I had visited Lincoln’s campus as an adolescent along with her and my father and my siblings!  My mother also reminisced about two former dear friends that she and my father had, who are now deceased, a couple who were a former staff member and a faculty member of Lincoln University specifically during the 1960s and 1970s whose names were Dr. James Frankowski and his wife Grace Frankowski.  Dr. Frankowski taught math courses and Mrs. Frankowski was employed as the secretary of Lincoln’s previous President Horace Mann Bond.  As a matter of fact, I recently found out from our fellow DVABPsi member and past president, Dr. Ayo Gooden, that Dr. Frankowski also taught her husband at Lincoln when Dr. Ayo and her husband were matriculating students, where they met during the 1970s.  As the saying goes, “It’s a small world”!

 

Before leaving Lincoln University’s campus after the 166th Commencement, at the lovely private reception that was hosted for all honorees and their family and friends, my mother had the pleasure of meeting in person along with myself, our fellow DVABPsi member, Dr. Pamela Kennebrew, Chair and Assistant Professor of the Department of Human Services, School of Adult and Continuing Education (SACE) at Lincoln University.  It was also great meeting Lincoln’s President, Dr. Brenda A. Allen and some of Lincoln’s other faculty members and Board of Trustees members!

 

Overall, Lincoln University’s 166th Commencement was excellent and was a very memorable occasion as well with its’ very rich history and I certainly look forward to visiting Lincoln again!  Hotep!

 

Juliana M. Taylor, MS

“A people without knowledge of its past history, origin, and culture is like a tree without roots.” - Anténor Firmin

Honoring Black Minds from the Past to the Present, Healing Black Communities
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Ayo Maria Gooden, Ph.D., ABPBC, LLC

As we recognize Mental Health Awareness Month, we reaffirm our collective commitment to the psychological well-being of the Black community. This month offers a critical opportunity to spotlight the unique challenges our people face—and the strengths, innovations, and solutions we bring to the field of mental health.

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Black Children

Black children often face unique mental health challenges, including:

  • Underdiagnosis of Internalizing Disorders: Studies indicate that Black children are less likely to be diagnosed with conditions like anxiety and depression compared to their white peers, potentially due to clinician biases or cultural differences in symptom expression.

  • Adultification of Black Children: Attributing more sexually mature characteristics to Black girls and reporting that Black girls know about adult topics. Black boys are characterized as suspicious, older than they look, and guilty of crimes.  These distorted views of Black children serve as rationalizations to abuse Black children and issue more severe legal and punitive actions against Black children.

  • Higher Exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): Black children are more likely to experience ACEs, which can lead to increased risks of mental health issues including PTSD which is seldom diagnosed in Black children, teens or adults due to racist definitions of trauma.

  • Barriers to Mental Health Services: Financial constraints, lack of insurance, and limited access to culturally competent care by Black mental health providers prevents many Black children from receiving necessary culturally appropriate mental health services.

 

Being Trained to Hate Being Black and To Support Racism: Black children learn in school, church, and from families that being Black is bad and that being white is good.  Black children should be taught about the magnificent history of Blacks before enslavement. Black children should be taught that Jesus was an Abyssinian and that Abyssinia is Ethiopia where the people were and are, black in color, or as the Bible indicates, “the color of burnt wood”.  Black children born into non-Black families or adopted by non-Black families do not teach Black children pride in their dark skin, tightly curled hair, full lips, broad noses or Afrikan heritage-instead these non-Black families teach the rejection of Black politics, social movements, beauty, and achievements.

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Black Teens

Adolescence is a critical period where mental health issues can manifest under the best conditions.  The existence of institutional racism exacerbates the challenges facing Black teens:

  • Stigma and Mistrust: There's a deep-rooted mistrust of the healthcare system in the Black community, stemming from years of racism and intentional mistreatment within the industry. Additionally, Black mental health professionals are underrepresented, with only 4% of psychologists in the U.S. identifying as Black/African-American.

  • Discrimination and Mental Health: Experiences of discrimination are significantly associated with higher rates of depression and anxiety among Black adolescents.

  • Cultural Expression of Symptoms: Black teens express depression and trauma through irritability or aggression rather than sadness, leading to potential misdiagnosis.

 

Black Adults

Adults in the Black community face compounded mental health challenges:

  • Underutilization of Mental Health Services: Approximately 25% of African Americans seek mental health treatment, compared to 40% of white Americans. Barriers include lack of insurance, cultural insensitivity, and reliance on community or spiritual support.

  • Impact of Socioeconomic Factors: Income inequality, lack of employment, underemployment, and poverty are correlated with higher rates of depression and psychological distress among Black adults.  Black males are more likely to self-medicate with alcohol and other drugs to disguise their shame around not being able to provide for their families.  Black females are the least likely of any ethnic group to marry and are more likely to self-medicate with food becoming, thereby, obese.

 

Black Seniors

Older Black adults encounter unique mental health challenges:

  • Isolation and Loss: Experiences of loss, isolation, poverty, and chronic illness can lead to depression and anxiety in older Black adults. Loss of income can become more challenging with the loss of housing and medical coverage. 

  • Access to Care: Barriers such as transportation, fixed incomes, and lack of culturally competent providers can impede access to mental health services. Many Blacks fail to obtain long-term care benefits.  If Blacks have not put their house and assets into a trust, they are at risk of not being able to pass their homes on to their families. Relatives are required to pay 10% of the house value to the state. So, if your home is worth $300,000, you pay the state $30,000 to keep your house!

 

Addressing Racial Trauma: Naming the Invisible Wounds

Racial trauma remains an urgent and under-acknowledged mental health crisis. Chronic exposure to racism—whether through personal experiences, systemic injustice, or media portrayals—has lasting psychological and physiological effects.

As Black psychologists, we stand on the frontlines in validating these lived experiences, creating culturally responsive interventions, and pushing for systemic accountability.

 

Action Item:
Host a community conversation or healing circle on racial trauma. Create safe spaces where clients can speak truth without having to educate their providers.

 

Depression in the Diaspora: Breaking the Silence

Despite increasing awareness, depression in Black communities world-wide is still deeply stigmatized. Too often, emotional distress is ignored, minimized, spiritualized, or pathologized without cultural context examining the institutional forces of racism in every aspect of life.

 

Did you know?
Black adults are more likely to experience chronic and persistent depressive symptoms, yet are less likely to receive treatment.

Let’s commit to normalizing mental health care through psychoeducation, inclusive language, and increased visibility of Black mental health providers. Teach Blacks to request Black professionals in every life activity including mental wellness, physical wellness, educational wellness, work wellness, etc.

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Obesity and the Mind-Body Connection

Obesity is not only a physical health concern but also a mental health issue. Disproportionately high rates of obesity in Black communities are influenced by systemic factors—food deserts, chronic stress, socioeconomic disparities, underemployment, unemployment, lack of life opportunities—and also lack of love which contribute to depression, anxiety, and body image challenges and medical problems.

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Mental Health Insight:
Addressing obesity from a trauma-informed and culturally aware perspective allows for more effective, compassionate care.

 

Nutrition as Mental Health Intervention

Food is more than fuel—it’s medicine, memory, and tradition. Nutritional psychology and psychiatry are gaining traction, and for good reason: diet quality directly influences mood and cognitive function.

Traditional Black livets (versus a diet), rich in leafy greens, legumes, fruits, and whole grains, hold untapped potential for healing. It’s time we reclaim ancestral wisdom while integrating evidence-based nutritional strategies.  For example, Black males need more zinc than that advised for white males to avoid prostate challenges.

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Pro Tip:
Collaborate with Black holistic health practitioners to create wellness plans that honor culture and science

 

Resource Highlights

Dr. Llaila O. Afrika

  1. Afrika, L. O. (1993). African holistic health. Health Communications.

  2. Afrika, L. O. (1995). African holistic health (2nd ed.). Health Communications.

  3. Afrika, L. O. (1997). African holistic health (3rd ed.). Health Communications.

 

Queen Afua

  1. Afua, Q. (2000). Sacred woman: A guide to healing the feminine body, mind, and spirit. One World/Ballantine Books.

  2. Afua, Q. (2009). Sacred woman: A guide to healing the feminine body, mind, and spirit (20th Anniversary ed.). One World/Ballantine Books.

  3. Afua, Q. (2012). Sacred woman: A guide to healing the feminine body, mind, and spirit (Kindle ed.). One World/Ballantine Books.

  4. Afua, Q. (2023). The sacred woman journal. Penguin Random House.

  5. Afua, Q. (2014). Man heal thyself: Journey to optimal wellness. Afrikan World InfoSystems.

 

Dr. Jewel Pookrum

  1. Pookrum, J. (1993). The healing of the African American mind. Afrikan World InfoSystems.

  2. Pookrum, J. (1995). The healing of the African American mind (2nd ed.). Afrikan World InfoSystems.

  3. Pookrum, J. (1997). The healing of the African American mind (3rd ed.). Afrikan World InfoSystems.

 

  • Book: My Grandmother’s Hands by Resmaa Menakem

  • Toolkit: Racial Trauma and Mental Health Resource Guide

 

Racial Trauma | Mental Health America Mental: Health America provides a detailed overview of racial trauma, including its definition, symptoms, and impact on mental well-being. The site offers various toolkits and resources aimed at self-care and community healing.

 

Racial Trauma Toolkit – George Mason University: This toolkit from George Mason University offers practical strategies for coping with racial trauma, including self-care techniques and resources for students and community members.

 

Racial Trauma Toolkit – Child Well-Being and Trauma: This resource provides a comprehensive toolkit focusing on the intersection of racial trauma and child development, offering guidance for caregivers and professionals working with children affected by racial stressors.

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Collective Care is the Future

As Wellness Warriors, educators, and advocates, we have both a responsibility and a privilege: to care for ourselves while equipping our communities with the tools to heal. Mental Health Month is a reminder—not just to raise awareness, but to foster action.

Let’s build systems where Black wellness is the norm, not the exception.

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Socioeconomic Factors and Racism

  • Structural Inequities: Systemic racism leads to disparities in housing, education, and employment, which in turn affect mental health outcomes across all age groups. Blacks seldom have the financial resources to secure adequate legal representation.

  • Economic Stress: Financial instability and poverty are significant stressors contributing to mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, and trauma.

  • Healthcare and Legal Access: Discrimination within healthcare settings and lack of insurance coverage disproportionately affect Black individuals' access to mental health service. Blacks seldom have the financial resources to secure legal representation that is culturally responsive.

 

Self-Care for Black Mental Health Professionals

Black mental health professionals often face unique stressors:

  • Vicarious Trauma: Constant exposure to clients' traumatic experiences, especially related to racism, can lead to vicarious trauma.

  • Cultural Burden: Being one of the few Black professionals in the field can lead to feelings of isolation and the pressure to represent the entire community.

  • Need for Self-Care: Engaging in regular self-care practices, seeking supervision, and participating in wellness retreats are essential for maintaining personal well-being and professional efficacy.

 

Resources and Recommendations

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Recommendations for Interventions

  • Culturally Competent Care: Train mental health professionals in cultural competence to improve diagnosis and treatment outcomes.

  • Community-Based Programs: Implement programs that involve families and communities in mental health education and support.

  • Policy Advocacy: Advocate for policies that address systemic racism and improve access to mental health services for Black individuals.

  • Professional Support: Encourage Black mental health professionals to engage in regular self-care and seek support through supervision and peer networks

 

These references provide valuable insights into the mental health challenges faced by Black individuals across different age groups and the impact of systemic factors like racism and socioeconomic status. They also underscore the importance of culturally competent care and the need for self-care among Black mental health professionals.

As psychologists, educators, and advocates, we have both a responsibility and a privilege: to care for ourselves while equipping our communities with the tools to heal and thrive. Mental Health Month is a reminder—not just to raise awareness, but to foster action.

 

Let’s build systems where Black wellness is the norm, not the exception.

 

Click here for all the references.

“Until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.” - Chinua Achebe

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“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” - Maya Angelou

We are asking DVABPsi members to dig deep and donate money (to help pay for bus passes for doctor and lawyer appointments, food, medicine, etc.), clothing, interpretation services, tutoring English (If you speak French, Portuguese, Spanish, Mandingo, Fulani, Sosso), etc. to help our people. If you know of a building or housing that is available, please let us know. If you have a car, van, truck, boat, or other vehicle, let us know. 

We hope you will donate generously to the of Guinea Community of Delaware Valley, Inc. You may reach Brother Ousmane Tounkara at obimakinsuranceagency@gmail.com or call 302-565-8027 to make donations directly or you may contact Brother Holmes at 267-282-1062.  DVABPsi is also a tax-exempt organization and you may donate your items to DVABPsi and we will make sure your donations are given to our Guinea family. Please look at the services listed below that our Guinea family has to offer. Around 65% have degrees in the following areas:

  • Civil engineering

  • Accounting

  • Finance

  • Computer Science

  • International relations

 

The remaining 35% might have a profession (skilled workers such as electrical) and manual work experience.

 

DVABPsi is also a tax-exempt organization and you may donate your items to DVABPsi and we will make sure your donations are given to our Guinea and African family.

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You may evaluate your donations by following this link. Thank you for your generosity!

Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them.”  - Madam CJ Walker

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Join

        The Association of Black Psychologists (www.abpsi.org) and DVABPsi  

   

Make your contribution to healing our people! 

Your donations allow us to provide free

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  • Individual Therapy

  • Couples Therapy

  • Family Therapy

  • Court Assessments

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​The more you donate, the more we can serve.

DVABPsi membership dues were increased to $50.00 for professionals and associate members, $25 for elders and $20 for students. Membership information and the application form can be found on our website.

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BENEFITS:

 

  • Free CEs for Licensed Psychologists and licensed social workers

 

  • Advertising Your Products (Books, Toys, Products Research, etc.)

 

  • Opportunity to Present your Books or Research during our monthly Mbongi

 

  • Jegnaship (Mentoring) for Graduate and Undergraduate Students

 

  • Community Partnerships and Involvement

 

  • Job Opportunities and Advanced Notices of Job Postings

 

  • Networking with other Blacks in psychology, social work, marriage and family therapy, counseling

 

  • Opportunity to Receive Supervision for Licensure

 

  • Advertise your Workshops/Training or Business to Members and other Mental Health Professionals

“Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.” - Maya Angelou

      Opportunity to Advertise in DIRECTIONS Newsletter 

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Advertisements can be submitted for review and publication at least three weeks before the next month's issue along with a check or money order payable to:

DVABPsi or you may make an online payment. Advertisement rates are as follows:

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                                 Full Page:  $100.00

                                 Half Page:  $50.00

                                 Quarter Page:  $25.00

                                 Business Card: $15.00 

 

Mailing address:     Ayo Maria Gooden, Ph.D., ABPBC, Co-Editor

                                 DIRECTIONS Newsletter

                                 Delaware Valley Association of Black Psychologists

                                 P.O. Box 542

                                 Westtown, PA  19395-0542

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Directions Submissions

Members of DVABPsi are encouraged to submit articles, poems, announcements,  quotations, employment opportunities, and information related to undergraduate,   graduate, and post-graduate programs in psychology.   We welcome non-member guest contributors.  Members of DVABPsi are encouraged to submit their research, papers on their areas of interest and reflections on current events.  Please submit a short bio and photo with articles. Related pictures and graphics can also be submitted with articles. Contact: DIRECTIONS Newsletter Team for additional information at:  directionsdvabpsiorg@gmail.com. 

”You don’t make progress by standing on the sidelines, whimpering and complaining. You make progress by implementing ideas.” - Shirley Chisolm

                                                                 

The Mashariki Gazeti

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A CALL FOR PAPERS​​

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Calling all articles (scholarly, opinions, etc.) about Africa, Africans, African Americans, psychology, advertisements, events, poetry, quotes, and announcements. The Mashariki Gazeti (MG) is published twice (i.e. September and March) during the fiscal year (i.e. August to July). Submission deadlines are August 15th and February 15th.

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Advertisement Rates

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Advertise employment opportunities, business ventures, office space, conferences, business cards, trips, and other events. Our circulation reaches over 300 people in Boston, New York, New Jersey, Delaware Valley (i.e. Philadelphia and surroundings), and Washington, D.C.


$100.00 – full page
$50.00 – ½ page
$25.00 – ¼ page
$15.00 – business card

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Advertisements must be camera ready. Make checks or money orders payable to:

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Dr. Faruq Iman

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Please submit all articles, ads, etc. to:


Faruq T.N. Iman, Ph.D., C.H.P., Editor

1301 N. 54 th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19131-4307

(215) 921 – 2557
Email: faruqiman@yahoo.com

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"Whatever we believe about ourselves and our ability comes true for us." - Susan L. Taylor

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