Jarell Bempong, founder of Bempong Talking Therapy challenges mental health therapy’s old ways of thinking in his new book “White Talking Therapy can’t think in Black” and has become a top seller within one week of its release on the 7th of August.

Kevin Long, Bempong’s publisher at Baby Steps Publishing, describes the book as “straightforward, informative on many levels, and a catalyst for change.” Long emphasises the importance of reading the book to gain a deeper understanding of how black service users think and feel.

“White Talking Therapy Can’t Think in Black” addresses the overlooked racial, cultural, and LGBTQ+ intricacies within the mental health sector. It goes beyond diagnosing systemic challenges and serves as a rallying cry for action, highlighting themes of antiracism, allyship, and robust communication.

Bempong’s book addresses the problems that are faced by Black people and other diverse communities while using mental health therapy services. The book also shows how we can do better by hearing, understanding and respecting their experiences.

Bempong is a mental health therapist who has drawn on his own lived and professional experience to write the book to create awareness about the issues related to diversity, equity and inclusion in mental health therapy. He says “The book is also helpful for people who want to learn more about allyship and how to become better allies. My book is not only for mental health practitioners; it’s also for individuals and business leaders who want to promote and build an inclusive environment.”

“White Talking Therapy Can’t Think in Black” offers actionable insights and tools for people who want to understand intersectionality and how that impacts mental health therapy and its delivery to promote real inclusivity. It is useful for anyone who wants to understand how to create a more effective, higher functioning society or institution.

“The book is expected to have a great impact across different sectors. It emphasises the importance of allyship and how it can help businesses become more innovative and collaborative. The book also highlights the need for mental health therapy and healthcare providers to be more culturally competent and to understand the unique issues faced by diverse communities,” says Wayne M. Mertins-Brown of the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP).

To support his new approach to mental health therapy, Bempong is also launching ‘EmpowerMinds’, a self-funding mechanism that will make culturally appropriate mental health therapy available to those who need it most.