Healthcare Provider Wellness Resources
Whole Person Wellness Resources
This page provides resources you may need when treating your Black female adolescent patients.
Remember, working with teens on wellness should help them feel empowered, informed, and inspired as they explore what better health can look like for them.
Let’s help teens get healthier —as a TEAM.
Click the image or scroll to read more about current research conducted with this population on obesity treatment and its implications for care.
Click the image to see tips for conversation starters to approach the topic of mental health in treatment, and referral information to help patients identify a mental health provider.
Click the image to see more information on options to refer patients who need support incorporating movement into their lifestyle.
Research on Obesity and Impacts on Black Girl Wellness
Expert Corner: Mental Health & Obesity Treatment
Engaging in obesity treatment can be challenging and may require some professional support.
Black adolescent teens with obesity may experience weight stigma, racial bias, bullying, chronic stress, and social pressures that can contribute to mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, disordered eating, low self-esteem, and more.
Press Play to hear Dr. Bentisanov discuss the role mental health plays in weight-related healthcare.
Resources fo Patient Mental Wellness
Referring for Mental Health Treatment
When treating Black adolescent girls, it is important to remember that they experience issues such as weight stigma, racial bias, bullying, chronic stress, and social pressures that can contribute to anxiety, depression, emotional eating, low self-esteem, or disengagement from care.
Integrating or referring to mental and behavioral health services helps address these underlying factors.
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See the Printable PDF below, with information on how to facilitate a conversation on mental health treatment related to obesity for Black Adolescent girls.
Mental Health Provider Search
While finding a patient a culturally sensitive mental health provider from the same background is often preferred/ideal, it can present with challenges due to shortages in mental health providers faced across the country.
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See links below for:
1. Psychologytoday.com, a major search engine for mental health providers, as well as
2. A printable PDF you can provide to patients in need of a mental health provider.
Finding a Mental Health provider
Refer patients to a valuable resource for finding therapy for Black women and girls; Therapy for Black Girls is designed specifically for this population.
It was created by Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, a licensed psychologist, speaker, and the host of the mental health podcast of the same name. Her work focuses on making mental health topics more relevant and accessible for Black women, often using current pop culture to illustrate psychological concepts.
The Loveland Foundation
The Loveland Foundation is a non-profit organization that covers the cost of therapy (about 4 - 12 sessions) for women and girls in the Black community.
This organization provides mental health resources and invests in the professional development of BIPOC therapists.
The LoveLand Foundation believes that if we reimagine a mental health care system that is accessible to Black women, we can create a system that benefits everyone.
Resources for Patient Physical & Community Wellness
Recreational Activities for Teens in New Jersey
Directing your patients, who are also students, to activities for movement should be a part of your approach.
The New Jersey Government (NJ.gov) site provides examples of after-school programs, interscholastic and intramural sport programs, walking and biking programs, and walk-to-school efforts available to students across NJ.
Black Community Resources for Patients
Supporting your patient's wellness means encouraging whole-person wellness, including mental health, family connections, cultural identity, and spiritual well-being.
Click below for a Printable PDF listing community organizations that support Black community wellness through education, events, and other programming.
Helping Patients Find Physical Activities
You may find that you need support with referring your patient to accessible and inclusive physical activities or spaces.
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Click below for a Printable PDF you can share with patients OR use for refence to help patients find different free or low-cost gyms, recreation centers, and sports/club programs.
Clothing Resources
Finding the clothing to look and feel our best is important. Black Teen Girls are in a period of adolescent development marked by identity exploration. Helps support patients in your office find clothing that makes them feel comfortable and confident to manage their health.
Click below to see a Printable PDF including a list of​plus-sized inclusive brands for underwear, clothing, and shoes.