Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-q99xh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T04:27:46.712Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

15 - Black Women’s Spiritual and Religious Coping

from Part IV - Helping Black Women Recover and Thrive

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 June 2023

Donna Baptiste  and
Adia Gooden
By
Taheera Blount
Donna Baptiste
Affiliation:
Northwestern University, Illinois
Adia Gooden
Affiliation:
Unconditionally Worthy, Co.
Get access

Summary

Black Women’s Spiritual and Religious Coping discusses the role of religion and spirituality in Black women’s lives and mental health. We remind therapists of the centrality of Black women’s spiritual and religious orientation. The discussion includes how Black women might connect stress, suffering, and psychological distress to religious and spiritual narratives. Next, we discuss Black women’s use of spirituality and religiosity to cope with life’s difficulties. We also examine how spiritual and religious involvement can increase Black women’s experiences of oppression, self-loathing, and self-silencing. Finally, we offer suggestions for working with Black women on religious and spiritual issues from a culturally skilled perspective.

Keywords

Black womenspiritualreligiouscoping
Type
Chapter
Information
Promoting Black Women's Mental Health
What Practitioners Should Know and Do
 , pp. 357 - 376
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Books

Hooks, B. (1994). Sisters of the yam: Black women and self-recovery. South End Press.Google Scholar
Paloutzian, R. F., & Ellison, C. W. (1982). Loneliness, spiritual wellbeing, and quality of life. In Peplau, L. A & Pearlman, D. (Eds.), Loneliness: A sourcebook for practice (pp. 358–364). Wiley Interscience.Google Scholar
Pierce, Y. (2021). In my grandmother’s house: Black women, faith, and the stories we inherit. Broadleaf Books.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Press, S. L. (Ed.). (2021). Spiritual self care for black women: A spiritual journal for self discovery. Stress Less Press.Google Scholar
Walker-Barnes, C. (2014). Too heavy a yoke: Black women and the burden of strength. Wipf and Stock Publishers.Google Scholar

Scholarly Article

Avent Harris, J. R. (2021). The Black Superwoman in spiritual bypass: Black women’s use of religious coping and implications for mental health professionals. Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health, 23(2), 180–196.Google Scholar

References

Abcarian, R. (2018, September 18). Column: In black churches, pastors recognize a #MeToo moment among their clergy. The Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/local/abcarian/la-me-abcarian-women-pastors-20180918-story.htmlGoogle Scholar
Akom, A. A. (2007). Cities as battlefields: Understanding how the Nation of Islam impacts civic engagement, environmental racism, and community development in a low income neighborhood. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 20(6), 711–730.Google Scholar
Avent-Harris, J. R. Garland-McKinney, J. L., & Fripp, J. (2019). “God is a keeper”: A phenomenological investigation of Christian African American women’s experiences with religious coping. The Professional Counselor, 9(3), 157–170. https://doi.org/10.15241/jrah.9.3.157Google Scholar
Belgrave, F. Z., & Allison, K. W. (2010). African American psychology from Africa to America. Sage Publications.Google Scholar
Belin, P., Washington, T., & Greene, Y. (2006). Saving grace: A breast cancer prevention program in the African American community. Health and Social Work, 31(1), 73–76. https://doi.org/1093/hsw/31.1.73CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bourjolly, J. (1998). Differences in religiousness among Black and white women with breast cancer. Social Work in Health Care, 28(1), 21–39. https://doi.org/10.1300/J010v28n01_02Google Scholar
Bowen-Reid, T. L., & Harrell, J. P. (2002). Racist experiences and health outcomes: An examination of spirituality as a buffer. Journal of Black Psychology, 28, 18–36. https://doi.org/10.1177/0095798402028001002CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boyd-Franklin, N. (2010). Incorporating spirituality and religion into the treatment of African American clients. The Counseling Psychologist, 38(7), 976–1000. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011000010374881Google Scholar
Brome, D. R., Owens, M. D., Allen, K., & Vevaina, T. (2000). An examination of spirituality among African American women in recovery from substance abuse. Journal of Black Psychology, 26(4), 470–486. https://doi.org/10.1177/0095798400026004008Google Scholar
Burnett-Zeigler, I. (2021). Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen: The emotional lives of Black women. Amistad.Google Scholar
Carelock, J. L. (2009). Church hurt can make you bitter or better: You choose. Xulon.Google Scholar
Cashwell, C. S., & Swindle, P. J. (2018). When religion hurts: Supervising cases of religious abuse. The Clinical Supervisor, 37(1), 182–203. https://doi.org/10.1080/07325223.2018.1443305Google Scholar
Chaney, C. (2011). The invisibility of LGBT individuals in Black mega churches: Political and social implications. Journal of African American Studies, 15(2), 199–217.Google Scholar
Chatters, L. M., Taylor, R. J., Bullard, K. M., & Jackson, J. S. (2008). Spirituality and subjective religiosity among African Americans, Caribbean Blacks, and Non-Hispanic Whites. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 47(4), 725–737. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-5906.2008.00437.xGoogle Scholar
Cheadle, A. C. D., Dunkel Schetter, C., Gaines Lanzi, R., Reed Vance, M., Sahadeo, L. S., & Shalowitz, M. U. (2014). Spiritual and religious resources in African American women: Protection from depressive symptoms after childbirth. Clinical Psychological Science, 3(2), 283–291. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167702614531581Google Scholar
Cheney, A. M, Curran, G. M., Booth, B. M., Sullivan, S. D., Stewart, K. E., & Borders, T. F. (2014). The religious and spiritual dimensions of cutting down and stopping cocaine use: A qualitative exploration among African Americans in the South. Journal of Drug Issues, 44(1), 94–113. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022042613491108CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Constantine, M. G., Lewis, E. L., Conner, L. C., & Sanchez, D. (2000). Addressing spiritual and religious issues in counseling African Americans: Implications for counselor training and practice. Counseling and Values, 45, 28–39. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2161-007X.2000.tb00180.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cooper, W. P., & Mitra, R. (2018). Religious disengagement and stigma management by African-American young adults. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 46(4), 509–533. https://doi.org/10.1080/00909882.2018.1502462Google Scholar
Day, K. (2012). Unfinished business: Black women, the Black church, and the struggle to thrive in America. Orbis Books.Google Scholar
Dass-Brailsford, P. (2010). Crisis and disaster counseling: Lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina and other disasters. Sage.Google Scholar
Dessio, W., Wade, C., Chao, M., Kronenberg, F., Cushman, L.E., & Kalmuss, D. (2004). Religion, spirituality, and healthcare choices of African-American women: Results of a national survey. Ethnicity & Disease, 14(2), 189–197.Google Scholar
De Wit, J. R. (2011). Forgiving the church – How to release the confusion and hurt when the church abuses. IUniverse.Google Scholar
Gooden, A. S., & McMahon, S. D. (2016). Thriving among African‐American adolescents: Religiosity, religious support, and communalism. American Journal of Community Psychology, 57(1–2), 118–128.Google Scholar
Grant, J. (1989). White women’s Christ and Black women’s Jesus. Scholars Press.Google Scholar
Greer, T. W. (2011). Coping strategies as moderators of the relation between individual race-related stress and mental health symptoms for African American women. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 35(2), 215–226. https://doi.org/10.1177/0361684311399388Google Scholar
Greer, B. D., & Abel, M. W. (2017). Religious/spiritual coping in older African American women. The Qualitative Report, 22(1), 237–260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2-11.09.005Google Scholar
Jacobs, T. D. (2014). African-American women elders in Adventist congregations. Journal of Applied Christian Leadership, 8(1), 38–54.Google Scholar
Kramer, M. W. (2011). A study of voluntary organizational membership: The assimilation process in a community choir. Western Journal of Communication, 75, 52–74. https://doi.org/10.1080/10570314.2010.536962Google Scholar
Levin, J., Taylor, R., & Chatters, L. (1995). A multidimensional measure of religious involvement for African Americans. Sociological Quarterly, 36(1), 157–173. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1533-8525.1995.tb02325.xGoogle Scholar
Lincoln, C. E., & Mamiya, L. H. (1990). The Black church in the African American experience. Duke University Press.Google Scholar
Marroquin, B. (2011). Interpersonal emotion regulation as a mechanism of social support in depression. Clinical Psychological Review, 31(8), 1276–1290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2011.09.005Google Scholar
Masci, D. (2018, February 7). 5 facts about the religious lives of African Americans. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/02/07/5-facts-about-the-religious-lives-of-african-americans/Google Scholar
Mattis, J. S. (2002). Religion and spirituality in the meaning-making and coping experiences of African American women: A qualitative analysis. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 26, 309–321.Google Scholar
Mattis, J. S., & Jagers, R. J. (2001). A relational framework for the study of religiosity and spirituality in the lives of African Americans. Journal of Community Psychology, 29(5), 519–539. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.1034Google Scholar
Mattis, J. S., & Watson, C. R. (2008). Religiosity and spirituality. In Tynes, B. M., Neville, H. A., & Utsey, S. O. (Eds.), Handbook of African American psychology (pp. 91–102). Sage Publications.Google Scholar
Maynard-Reid, P. U. (2000). Diverse worship: African-American, Caribbean and Hispanic perspectives. InterVarsity Press.Google Scholar
Mbiti, J. S. (1990). African religions & philosophy (2nd ed.). Heinemann Publishing.Google Scholar
McGoldrick, M., Giordano, J., & Garcia-Preto, N. (2005). Ethnicity and family therapy (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Mengesha, M., & Ward, E. C. (2012). Psychotherapy with African-American women with depression: Is it okay to talk about their religious/spiritual beliefs? Religions, 3(1), 19–36. https://doi.org//10.3390/rel3010019Google Scholar
Mohamed, B. (2021, May 14). 10 new findings about faith among Black Americans. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/02/16/10-new-findings-about-faith-among-black-americans/Google Scholar
Neighbors, H. W., Musick, M.A., & Williams, D. R. (1998). The African American minister as a source of help for serious personal crises: Bridge or barrier to mental health care? Health Education Behavior, 25(6), 759–777. https://doi.org/10.1177/109019819802500606Google Scholar
Nobles, W. (2004). African philosophy: Foundation of Black psychology. In Jones, R. (Ed.), Black psychology (4th ed.). Cobb & Henry Press.Google Scholar
Post, B. C., & Wade, N. G. (2009). Religion and spirituality in psychotherapy: A practice-friendly review of research. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 65(2), 131–146. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.20563Google Scholar
Reed, T. D., & Neville, H. A. (2014). The influence of religiosity and spirituality on psychological well-being among African American women. Journal of Black Psychology, 40(4), 384–401. https://doi.org/10.1177/00957984134909Google Scholar
Richards, I. S., & Bergin, A. E. (2005). A spiritual strategy for counseling and psychotherapy. American Psychological Association.Google Scholar
Shorter-Gooden, K. (2004). Multiple resistance strategies: How African American women cope with racism and sexism. Journal of Black Psychology, 30(3), 406–425. https://doi.org/10.1177/00957984042660500Google Scholar
Smith, L. C., Friedman, S., & Nevid, J. (1999). Clinical and sociocultural differences in African American and European American patients with panic disorder and agoraphobia. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 187(9), 549–560. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005053-199909000-00004Google Scholar
Taylor, R. J., & Chatters, L. M. (1991). Extended family networks of older Black adults. Journal of Gerontology, 46(4), S210–S217.Google Scholar
Taylor, R. J., Chatters, L. M., & Levin, J. (2004). Religion in the lives of African Americans: Social, psychological, and health perspectives. Sage Publications.Google Scholar
Van, P. (2001). Breaking the silence of African-American women: Healing after pregnancy loss. Health Care Women Internationally, 22(3), 229–243. https://doi.org/10.1080/07399330120995Google Scholar
Walker-Barnes, C. (2014). Too heavy a yoke: Black women and the burden of strength. Wipf and Stock Publishers.Google Scholar
Wiggins, D. C. (2004). Righteous content: Black women’s perspectives of church and faith. New York University Press.Google Scholar
Wiggins, M. I. (2008). Therapist self-awareness of spirituality. In Aten, J. D., & Leach, M. M. (Eds.), Spirituality and the therapeutic process (pp. 53–74). American Psychological Association.Google Scholar
Williams, C. B., & Wiggins, M. I. (2010) Womanist spirituality as a response to the racism-sexism double bind in African American women. Counseling and Values, 54(2), 175–186.Google Scholar
Wilmoth, M., & Sanders, D. (2001). Accept me for myself: African American women’s issues after breast cancer. Oncology Nursing Forum, 28(5), 875–879.Google Scholar
Wimberly, E. P. (1997). Counseling African American marriages and families. Westminster John Knox Press.Google Scholar
Wolf, C. T., & Stevens, P. (2001). Integrating religion and spirituality in marriage and family counseling. Counseling and Values, 46(1), 66–75.Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×