Voice & Viewpoint Newswire
Half of black American women report that they experience severe stress, while only a quarter of Caucasian women in the US report extreme stress. Research indicates that black women are also more likely to experience major depression and anxiety disorders, and Black women’s symptoms are more severe than those of their white counterparts.
In addition, African American women are disproportionately affected by stress-related diseases like hypertension, obesity and Type 2 Diabetes. Dr. Akhu, an expert in stress management, shows women of color how to stop running on empty so they can think, feel, and live better, with increased joy and decreased stress.
“The first step toward alleviating the heavy weight carried by the ‘strong black woman’, as well as addressing the resulting mental and physical damage, is the practice of self-care,” explains Dr. Akhu, a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, founder of the Redefining the Strong Black Woman movement, and mother of two girls.
Dr. Akhu says that black woman can reduce their stress levels and increase joy by incorporating the following three tools into their hectic lives:
- Focusing on gratitude
- Learning to meditate
- Engaging in daily self-care
Drawing on the positive, clearing out the negative, and using even small windows of time to foster mindfulness, clarity, and joy in our daily lives will lead to better relationships with ourselves and others, Dr. Akhu says.
