A black psychologist has created a deck of cards that serve as a self-help tool specifically for Black women. Dr. Ebony Butler has created a “My Therapy Cards” deck which includes prompts and questions to help Black women address their mental health on their own or with their psychotherapist. According to her website, the deck of cards focuses on breaking down the “three main roadblocks” that prevent us from creating change: mental blocks, habits and ineffective trigger responses.
“One of the main things that the deck asks is, what sorts of qualities do you have that you want to tap into so you can evolve into your best self?” Dr. Butler told Allure. “It asks those kinds of empowering questions that are about giving you a voice and giving you agency. Other modalities in mental health often gloss over those things, or they will place blame on marginalized communities, but these cards give marginalized communities a voice instead.”
Dr, Butler, who is also a food relationship strategist, said she hopes that her latest creation helps to break down the stigma around mental health in the Black community and decreases resistance around admitting that you need help.
“I wanted to use the deck to allow people to do that self-exploration work,” Dr. Butler continued. “Hopefully, this deck can also erase the mental health stigma within the Black community: if people aren’t ready to go therapy, this is something people can do by themselves within the comfort of their own home, and it can be a helpful first step.”
Dr. Butler said within the three categories of the cards, there are questions that are designed to help you figure out what is keeping you from being the best version of yourself.
“The deck is partitioned into three categories with 12 cards each. There’s the mindset category, with questions and prompts about how your mindset has shaped who you are; there are prompts and questions about habits and how your habits might be getting in the way of your lifestyle; and then there’s the trigger section. Those cards have prompts such as ‘Finish this sentence: When I feel guilty or shameful I ___’ to help us get more in touch with what triggers our fears or other emotions.”
“My Therapy Card” is priced at $50 and are available for purchase here.
