“Is it Okay Not to be Okay?”: A Critical Literature Review of Barriers to Mental Health Treatment for Black Men

Abstract

Black men reportedly have a high prevalence of mental illness with little to no counseling engagement. While there have been studies to determine potential influences on their lack of counseling utilization, the lack of impact toward progress and the scarcity of such literature in the counseling field proves the need for continued exploration. Many of these studies have been conducted by scholars in other social science disciplines with few done by counseling scholars. A review of research concerning Black men and counseling utilization is presented using BlackCrit as a theoretical framework. Racism and masculinity are highlighted as barriers to mental health treatment which require further exploration in counseling literature. Recommendations for improving future research and advocacy efforts are provided for counselors and other mental health professionals.