African Americans' perceptions of psychotherapy and psychotherapists

Do you have a multicultural practice? Do you understand the attitudes and expectations African Americans hold about. mental health services? The attitudes and beliefs of 201 African Americans regarding psychotherapists, psychotherapy, and barriers to treatment were explored by means of focus groups. Key barriers to service utilization included stigma, lack of knowledge, lack of affordability, lack of trust, impersonal service, and lack of cultural understanding. Participants reported that race should not matter in therapy, but they often believed that psychologists were insensitive to the African American experience. The implications of participants' reports for meeting African American mental health and therapy needs are considered.