“I never realized that what I was experiencing was a trauma response; I was always focused on having a plan A, B, C, and D,” says one anonymous client. This sentiment resonates with Jayne Allen’s insights in her book Black Women Must Die Exhausted, where she skillfully depicts the balancing act of managing intense emotions while pursuing success. Across the United States, many Black women encounter similar challenges. The “strong Black woman” stereotype often obscures the true nature of their adversity and trauma, contributing to a notable underdiagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 

Stress or post-traumatic stress ? 

The normalization of adversity can hinder Black women from seeking mental health care. This reluctance to identify personal struggles as problems complicates the process for providers to offer tailored and effective treatment. For example, an anonymous client was misdiagnosed with major depressive disorder because her negative emotions were the focus of the session. She subconsciously overlooked how her struggles with housing insecurity contributed to her issues, concentrating instead on her feelings of inadequacy and hopelessness stemming from not meeting her own high standards.

In the context of cognitive behavioral therapy, intergenerational trauma can profoundly influence deep-seated beliefs about inadequacy and self-worth. This issue extends beyond individual family histories, tracing back to the multi-generational oppression of Africans and their descendants. Dr. Joy DeGruy addresses this disruption in epigenetics in her book Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome. Although the barriers may be great there is a pathway to change by transforming your mind.