In the past few months, we’ve highlighted mental health resources and free therapy options to help you navigate these overwhelming times. While we quarantine, social-distance, protest or all of the above, many in-person therapy spaces have begun to shift to virtual services so you can continue to practice self-care and find an outlet to work on your mental health right at home.
Real previously launched Real to the People to help individuals cope with the growing COVID-19 pandemic. After noticing a need for these virtual services for BIPOC, the therapy startup expanded its initiative to include free weekly group sessions specifically for Black women, people of color and allies of all backgrounds and identities to let them vent, connect and grieve about everything that’s currently happening in the world.
“Our goal for all of Real is to build care that helps people most effectively and to provide care that reaches individuals beyond those who today’s therapy model speaks to," Ariela Safira, Founder and CEO of Real, tells us. “In the case of Real to the People, that means doing so during times of crisis and gathering learnings and feedback on what care is effective, and what care people want to be a part of during such heightened times.”
While research shows there’s a lack of representation when it comes to Black and Brown therapists, Real will have counselors of color lead each session. Safira believes that including therapists of color may help BIPOC individuals feel safe to share their experiences with people that directly understand how they’ve been feeling.
