It is not surprising that our story began with a single meeting and a conversation over food. We met for the very first time to celebrate Black history month in February of 2020 and since then, it has grown to be more than just a meeting.

 An adage that best describes why and how we came about is “ when you come up with an idea, it’s because there is already a need for it.” This stands true to the origin of  ABTN. The health inequalities experienced by Black Canadians have long been researched  extensively and these include black Canadians being twice as likely to be mis-diagnosed,and have two times the delay in accessing psychological support.  In addition to the inequalities of Mental Health, clinicians often expressed that they feel as though they were the “only” black therapist within their organizations, hence missing their tribe; a space where they can  connect and  work with other black professionals.

The clinicians who seldom serve black clients echoed that their clients either intentionally sought them or they expressed a sigh of relief when they finally met them due to being misunderstood in the past by clinicians who could not understand their experiences especially when those experiences involved racism and/or racial trauma.

As founders of ATBN, we are all resilient immigrants who came from countries that did not treat mental health as a societal problem, but an individual shameful one that was at the back burner of their agenda. Therefore, it is crucial that participants of our services see practitioners who look like them, those whom they can trust to understand and connect with them.

Cognizant of these challenges to mental health, the ABTN was formed. The organization began as a network of Therapists from various interdisciplinary backgrounds working in both mental health and addictions.

ABTN understands that it will take and understanding of radicalized  trauma  and an anti black racism, anti-oppressive and systematic changes to improve the mental wellbeing for Black Canadians. At ABTN we understand that the stigma around mental health conditions is still pervasive in our society. For many Black communities, discussing mental health can be a difficult subject.

We are also aware that black Canadians have been, and continue to be, negatively affected by prejudice and discrimination in the health care system. Conscious or unconscious bias from providers and lack of cultural awareness can result in misdiagnosis, inadequate treatment and mistrust of mental health professionals. These disparities can create a distrust in mental health professionals, which can prevent many from seeking or continuing treatment.