CHIA Leader Spotlight: Mila Davis
Written by Sandra Olarte-Hayes, Director of Equity
Mila Davis (she/her) is a licensed therapist at Colors of Austin Counseling and leads our practice’s Collective Healing In Action Group for Black-identifying therapists. Collective Healing In Action (CHIA) Groups are affinity groups for mental health professionals, meaning closed spaces where therapists who share a common aspect of their identity can come together to dialogue and provide and receive support. They are led by peer facilitators who share the core identity the group is focused around.
We launched most of our CHIA Groups in early January but the affinity group for Black-identifying mental health professionals’ start date had to be delayed three times. I am delighted to share that the group launched at the end of February but I wanted to interview Mila to shed some light on why the start date had to be postponed and how this relates to the unique experience of being a Black mental health professional.
Mila has worn many hats as a Social Worker before joining our practice. “I was an advocate with CASA, a victim support specialist with Travis, County's Sheriff's office, a group facilitator at Seton Shoal inpatient hospital, and a therapist at several different Substance Use Treatment Centers,” Mila says, “My last position made me question my values, something I had never had to do because of a workplace culture before. I departed from that position feeling defeated and wary of what I had to offer my community. After learning about Colors of Austin Counseling, I felt like I found a place that carried similar values, embraced me with genuine authenticity, and prioritized educating and empowering the community they served.”
She stepped in to lead the practice’s Black CHIA Group because she recognized how needed they were, she says. “I saw a need. I'm very familiar with being a part of communities where I am the only Black-identifying person or one of a few. It felt too easy to bypass the role and allow someone else to lead the group when I truly wanted to. I've done that many times in my life; after a while, there's a sense of obligation to become the change you want to see. I was looking forward to providing a safe space for other clinicians to discuss concerns I too had experienced and hopeful about what it would mean to provide a space for people to express the difficulties of being a Black-identifying therapist.”
Going above and beyond
This experience of being one of few Black people in a community is felt in the mental health profession as well. 88% of the active Psychologists and 73% of Masters-level Social Workers in the U.S. identify as White. These same studies found that 2.6% and 19% identify as Black respectively. While there isn’t data on the racial demographics of the mental health workforce in Austin, these same disparities likely exist here in Central Texas and could be even more pronounced. Cultural fit between a therapist and a client is an important factor in order for a client to feel safe and understood in therapy. This pandemic has impacted mental health and folks are requesting therapy at all-time highs. This means that the demand on Black therapists is steep if the number of therapists is so disproportionate to the population requesting services.
“We've selflessly assumed the role of changing how our race views mental health. We have to undo years, generations of trauma caused by the experiments and deception used on and against our grandparents and great-grandparents. Furthermore, we often deal with systemic issues to which we do not have solutions. Most importantly, we have to endure some of the same trauma we are constantly attempting to hold space for with our clients while we figure out how to navigate our thoughts and feelings. We watch the same news, see some of the same videos on social media platforms, and are still grieving losses from COVID-19. Sometimes, self-care does not offer enough comfort,” Mila shares. Black therapists in particular, are working incredibly hard to meet the community’s needs in ways that only they can.
In addition to supporting their community and the pressure created by disproportionate representation, working in a White-dominated field causes other challenges. Mila reports that “Sadly, at times we have to work even harder than non-Black therapists to undo the harm caused by their lack of cultural competency. I wish I could throw out the syllabi used in some of our higher education institutions. I believe some lessons taught are not universal when working with BIPOC communities and ultimately cause harm. This CHIA group acknowledges and makes space for conversations about how this work affects us and what we experience in the field and allows clinicians and therapists to be seen and heard.”
According to Mila, there were a number of factors contributing to why we needed longer to recruit enough Black-identifying therapists to launch a group we were told was so needed. “ I think we were limited in our methods of communication to find ways to connect with this specific population.” Additionally, if we know Black therapists are going above and beyond and working hard to support the community, it makes sense why it might be hard to make time to fit one more thing on the calendar, even if it is for self and collective care.
A message for non-Black therapists
As a final message to non-Black mental health professionals, Mila says, “There is an important message in ‘decolonizing mental health’ that we should take seriously. If you plan on working with BIPOC populations, become a part of the communities you serve and build personal relationships within these communities. Race and identity work is important, now more than ever”
