My name’s Dr Paul Brewerton, the strengths guy, Chartered Occupational Psychologist and Doctor of Organisational Psychology. And I am delighted to be joined today by Anthony Davis, a counsellor and psychotherapist who has a number of specialisms, including working with mental illness in the black community as well as in the LGBTQ+ community. Welcome to the show Anthony.
What we’ll be talking about today is Anthony’s story and journey to date, then talking about mental illness in the back community and stigma surrounding it, trauma experienced by black people around racism and how that can trigger mental illness. We’ll talk about treatment, support and advice for anyone concerned about their own mental health, or that of loved ones and what you can do about it. Plus I’d like to touch on the strengths approach, how that shows up in Anthony’s social work and counselling practice and how it links to the strengths approach that we offer at Strengthscope. I’m sure we’ll touch on other areas too, but for now, that’s what I’d love to cover in our time together.
So first up, can I ask you what has brought you to where you are in your career right now. What’s your journey been, high points, learnings and where you’re focused right now? If it’s ok to ask I’d also like to ask your purpose – why you do what you do?
Let’s move on to talking about mental illness in the black community and the stigma surrounding it. Can you tell us more about that please, and its impact?
I’d like to explore more how racism experienced by black people can trigger mental illness. What are the links and what can we do about it?
So for anyone listening who is concerned about their own mental health, or the mental health of the people they love, what are some of the options they can explore?
Let’s talk briefly about the strengths approach and how that is being applied in therapeutic settings. What are the positive psychology origins of that and what benefits have you seen in applying the approach in your own practice?
Can we talk a little about Black Minds Matter – this is an organisation that Strengthscope is starting to partner with. What have been your experiences of working with them and if people want to support or help in the areas we’ve discussed, would BMM be a good place to go? What about other ways of helping?
What in your view are some of the steps that organisations can consider if they want to take a more proactive stance on mental health – in your view, what are some positive actions that can be taken? And what should organisations stop doing in your view?
Last question for you personally Anthony, if you met your younger self today, what advice would you have that you feel would be really useful for younger you?
Thanks so much for your time today Anthony, it’s been really informative. If people want to get in touch with you directly after the show, what are the best ways of contacting you? We’ll also put these in the shownotes so that people can have them as a reference.
Contacts/websites
Anthony Davis: email @ adavis.therapy@gmail.com
https://www.adavistherapy.com/
Black Minds Matter: https://www.blackmindsmatteruk.com/
House of Rainbow: https://www.houseofrainbow.org
Queer People of Colour Project: https://qpocproject.co.uk
Black Trans Alliance: https://www.blacktransalliance.org
Black, African, Asian Therapy Network: https://www.baatn.org.uk
British Asian Trust: https://www.britishasiantrust.org/our-work/mental-health/
100 Black Men London: https://100bmol.org.uk
Nafsiyat Intercultural Therapy Centre: https://www.nafsiyat.org.uk
Mind: https://www.mind.org.uk
Rethink: https://www.rethink.org
