Dr. Tonya Armstrong, “Promoting African American Mental Health: Individual and Community Transformation”
“Promoting African American Mental Health: Individual and Community Transformation” Written February 7, 2022 by Tonya D. Armstrong, Ph.D., M.T.S. Owner, CEO, and Licensed Psychologist, The Armstrong Center for Hope Associate Minister, Union Baptist Church, Durham, NC “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—[God’s] good, pleasing, and perfect will” (Romans 12:1,2, NIV). Transformation is not only a psychological goal; it’s a Scriptural imperative. Nevertheless, there are several aspects of the experiences of many African American Christians that present barriers to such transformation. Stigma surrounding mental health treatment is a universal phenomenon, yet is especially strong in African American Christian communities. As a people whose dignity is often questioned and dismissed, it is even more difficult for African Americans to acknowledge weakness. We may ta