THE PROJECT
To know yourself as the Being underneath the thinker, the stillness underneath the mental noise, the love and joy underneath the pain, is freedom, salvation, enlightenment. - Eckhart Tolle
THE PROJECT
The Unicorn Project is a non-profit organization whose mission is the heal the total person from the inside out and create better humans. Founded in 2020, the project specifically focuses on removing the barriers to emotional and mental freedom for the African-American population in the Greater Memphis area.
Over the last decade, therapy and self-care have become buzz words in households across the country thanks to the heightened destigmatization of mental health. Millennials were touted by the Wall Street Journal in 2019 as the "therapy generation". They are prioritizing their mental health and unafraid to share it with their friends and family members. This is a win! Awareness is a key first step but the most vulnerable populations are still not moving from "thought to decision" and "decision to action" when it comes to seeking help.
This is where The Unicorn Project comes in.
Research from AbleTo, a provider of tech-enabled behavioral health solutions, found cost and stigma remain two of the primary reasons behind why consumers don't seek mental health help. Furthermore, 25 percent said they were unsure if their condition is severe enough to seek treatment, and 20 percent said they feared having to take medication.
While there are many barriers to freedom, we focus on three:
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Inter-Generational Destigmatization
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Cost Minimization
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Community Education & Engagement
We provide communities with the ability to not only seek and receive freedom but also the ability to give. In 2024, we will be launching a crowdfund to offset the cost of therapy for those with financial need. We can't wait to share with you. Until then, let us help you take the first steps to freedom.
WHY IS THERE A NEED?
A study showed that 63% of African Americans believe that a mental health condition is a personal sign of weakness. This stigma can act as a deterrent from people seeking mental health care when they need it.
Another study showed that only 33% of Black or African American adults who need mental health care receive it.
In 2018, 11.5% of Black adults in the U.S. had no form of health insurance.
According to the Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, Black adults in the U.S. are more likely than white adults to report persistent symptoms of emotional distress, such as sadness, hopelessness, and feeling like everything is an effort. Black adults living below the poverty line are more than twice as likely to report serious psychological distress than those living above it.
According to the American Psychiatric Association’s Mental Health Facts for African Americans guide, African Americans are:
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Less likely to receive guideline-consistent care
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Less frequently included in research
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More likely to use emergency rooms or primary care (rather than mental health specialists)