Four professionals whose work is shaping Black mental health.
Dwayne Brown
Dwayne Brown is a licensed clinical social worker who launched Brown Group Wellness in New York City in 2020. He earned his licensed clinical social worker degree from Lehman College in New York City in 2016. After 20-plus years in marketing, Brown found fulfillment in helping and counseling others. He says he enjoys seeing clients be empowered and emboldened to ask for what they want, and is humbled and grateful to be a part of this process for his clients. Brown uses a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral therapy to help adults, couples and friends to “identify what hijacks their feelings so they can pause and expand their mind to embrace a new way of thinking.” As a therapist, he “recognizes the importance of being attuned to, having empathy for and being present in people’s lives, helping them to heal.”
Onyinye Udokporo
Onyinye Udokporo, the CEO and founder of Enrich Learning, has been an international tutor and education consultant for 10 years. She obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from King’s College in London, where she currently resides. Her vision for Enrich Learning was to create a space that would “bridge the gap between people of color and white people so that all individuals have the opportunity to maximize their potential.” Udokporo is the author of “Dyslexia and Me: How to Survive and Thrive If You’re Neurodivergent,” published in September. Udokporo wants to educate people about neurodivergents, people whose brains function differently in one or more ways and span all ethnicities. She believes that if you are physically, emotionally and mentally well you can maximize your personal potential in life. “Mental health gets better,” says Udokporo, “when we understand it and speak about it.”
Althia McLaughlin
Althia McLaughlin, a licensed clinical mental health counselor, launched WellWay Counseling and Evaluations in Charlotte, North Carolina. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and professional writing from The College of New Jersey and a master’s degree in counseling psychology from Marymount University in Virginia. McLaughlin says her first name means “healer,” and it is no coincidence that she has a passion for helping people to heal.McLaughlin has worked in the mental health field for seven years, serving adults and children experiencing trauma as a result of abuse, divorce, immigration issues and relationship trauma. She works to educate individuals on what trauma means. She says many of her clients are embarrassed to talk about their pain, so her goal is to create a safe space for them to share their stories. “It is important for people to recognize that trauma is very personal to the individual who is experiencing it,” she says.
Antwon Lindsey
Antwon Lindsey, is an independent filmmaker and author residing in Fort Myers, Florida. His personal connection to mental health, suicide, anxiety and depression is connected to his goal of helping individuals understand mental health. Through his films, including the documentary titled “HUSH,” Lindsey aims to “educate, entertain and empower Black people as it relates to mental health and awareness.” Traveling to communities and educating individuals about mental health also affords him the opportunity to help people gain access to resources. His community service initiatives are to get 150 to 300 individuals free mental health services and 1,000 to 5,000 people registered to vote, and to earmark 7.5% of the proceeds from sponsorships and donations for college scholarships. “I want people to understand that we are limitless, he says. “Once we understand how our mind works then we can understand and make better decisions about our lives.”
First published in Black Mental Health Today, Fall 2022 (Vol. 5).