I’ve always been a huge proponent of therapy and taking care of my mental health, but I was struggling to find a program that suited my needs. First, one-on-one therapy was hard to work into my schedule, and without insurance, the cost of weekly sessions added up really quickly. Second, it was difficult finding a therapist who had experience with black clients. And third, I realized that I wanted to talk about my therapy experience but my friends didn't always get it. I wasn’t sure if there was a program out there that had everything I was looking for to support my mental health, but I was going to try my best to find it. After some time spent searching online, I came across Alkeme, a mental health app designed for the black community.
Unlike many of the platforms out there, Alkeme offers a variety of tools, all created and led by a curated group of Black mental health and wellness experts. After learning about the platform and the team of professionals creating the content, I was excited to dive in and see if it was as good as it sounded.
First, I tried out Labs, Alkeme's master classes that are designed to build skills to manage everyday stressors. They cover everything from stress reduction and mood management to changing bad habits and getting grounded. Topics include stress reduction, mood management, changing bad habits, and getting grounded. I did the “Forgiving Yourself” Lab by Dr. Ebony Butler, and found it so eye-opening. The short video helped me completely reframe how I view forgiveness of others and, perhaps more importantly, myself. I’ll definitely be going back to this one again.
Next up was Waves, Alkeme’s signature guided meditations and audio therapies. There are meditations for everything, anxiety, sleep, focus, and more. In between calls during a stressful day at work, I did the 10 minute Sun And Moon Breathing Wave by Jamilah and immediately felt my shoulders relax and the knot in my stomach start to dissipate.
And then there are Spaces, live community sessions like yoga, meditations, and forums that allow members to connect with the rest of the Alkeme community. This was a big one for me because I had really been craving that community connection. I wasn’t sure if it would work in a digital format, but I wanted to give it a try. I joined a Space on communicating anxiety In relationships, which is something I struggle with. It was such a nice surprise to see that other people there had a lot of the same questions and struggles that I did - I had always thought I was the only one that had some of these fears! And I loved the moderator, Michaiah Dominguez, MHC. Her energy was so supporting and uplifting. I left feeling happier and more confident and connected.
After my experience with Alkeme so far, I can honestly say I’ve seen a difference. Having this resource for mental health support that speaks directly to my world view has been a game-changing experience for me. I’m able to go deeper on specific topics that affect my community in a way that I wouldn’t be able to with other programs. I feel like I’m at the forefront of an important movement to provide the Black Community with mental health solutions tailored specifically for us. This is so supportive, necessary, and relevant. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
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