Preferred Name
Morgan Williams
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Date of Graduation
5-14-2026
Semester of Graduation
Spring
Degree Name
Educational Specialist (EdS)
Department
Department of Graduate Psychology
First Advisor
Amanda Evans
Second Advisor
Robin Anderson
Third Advisor
Kenson Hiatt
Abstract
The maternal mortality rate of Black women in the United States is four times higher than white women (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020). The CDC defines a maternal death as “the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy… but not from accidental or incidental causes” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024, para. 1). This statistic is a consequence of the inequality within and outside of the American healthcare system (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2020). For the purposes of this research, Black women are defined as any women who self-identifies as having a heritage within the African diaspora and residing in the United States (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). The high maternal mortality rates amongst Black women demonstrate the ways that structural racism, implicit bias, and unequal access to maternal care disproportionately affect Black mothers. Unfortunately, this disparity in healthcare affects both the physical health and emotional well-being of mothers. According to research, Black women consistently report experiencing anxiety and depression during and after pregnancy (Ponting et al., 2020). These mental health challenges are exasperated by the stressors Black women face such as racism, social isolation, and culturally incompetent care (Wallace et al., 2022).
Despite this knowledge, Black women are continually underrepresented in therapeutic settings, and the needs of this population remain unaddressed. Therefore, it is important to recognize that Black healthcare disparities are influenced by a history of racism and oppression. Oftentimes, mental health services fail to consider the cultural and historical events that shape the experiences of Black mothers. (Ponting et al., 2020). This results in the development services that are inaccessible or unhelpful. Alternatively, group counseling provides the opportunity to bridge this gap in care by establishing a sense of community. Through participation in group counseling, individuals have the opportunity to validate each other's experiences and provide suggestions to help navigate systemic issues (Bartlett et al., 2022). This is particularly relevant within marginalized communities. In fact, research suggests that incorporating cultural adaptations to treatment and using cognitive-behavioral therapy significantly reduce stress in pregnant women of color (Ponting et al., 2020). Subsequently, this paper is intended to address the mental health needs of Black mothers, by incorporating culturally relevant techniques into group counseling settings.
Included in
Counseling Psychology Commons, Counselor Education Commons, Development Studies Commons, Marriage and Family Therapy and Counseling Commons, Multicultural Psychology Commons, Other Mental and Social Health Commons, Social Justice Commons
