Black Men rarely seek help (of any kind). Many of us perceive seeking personal or professional help as a sign of weakness. And many Black Men, self included, assess our value through our strength. I am excited to say that some of these perceptions are gradually becoming outdated. Professional help – such as talk therapy, professional mentoring, and/or coaching – are more accessible, affordable, and the need for them is higher than it has ever been (see current news cycle). If you are wondering where to start with your professional help journey, here’s a questionnaire I created to help you, my Brother (or Sister).
Please note: most helping professions have evidence-based evaluation tools that accurate diagnoses. The questionnaire is a starting point for your healing journey. The questionnaire below is not intended to replace advice from a licensed/credentialed helping professional.
Which describes how you are currently feeling?
- In-crisis
- Declining
- Tense
- Stuck
- Strong
- Consistent
- Thriving
Which describes the type of help you want?
- Support with depression, anxiety, or other mental health symptoms
- Processing trauma, grief, or conflict from the past
- Coping with stress at work
- Improving wellbeing at work or home
- Expertise, structure and advising for a specific, time-bound project
- Seeking to improve performance (or maintain peak performance) to achieve ambitious goals?
Open-Ended Questions:
Do you want to explore emotional issues, traumas, or conflict from the past?
Do you want to improve personal knowledge and skills to improve performance at home or work?
Do you want technical expertise to solve a specific business problem?
Do you want professional guidance from a high-performing, experienced professional in your line of work?
Do you need help achieving a goal that will require you to change?