In the Black community, conversations around health have often happened in whispers — and breast cancer is no exception. But lately, there’s been a powerful shift: more open dialogue concerning both physical and mental well-being when navigating a diagnosis. This change is vital, as breast cancer continues to disproportionately affect Black women. Across generations, women are raising awareness, seeking support, and creating safe spaces for healing. This openness reflects a hopeful new era, one where mental health is finally treated as an essential part of the conversation.
In a recent study of Black breast cancer survivors, researchers found that about 40% reported clinically significant anxiety and 20% reported depression following their diagnosis. For Deana Jean, a breast cancer survivor, speaker, and business strategist who was pregnant with her daughter when she received her diagnosis, she can relate to that painful reality. “My first thought was fear, because I didn’t want to leave my two boys and husband so prematurely,” she recalls. Her journey echoes a truth for many that’s left unspoken.
According to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, breast cancer remains the most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women, with Black women facing a roughly 40% higher mortality rate than white women. Behind those numbers are stories of Black women being dismissed, delayed diagnoses, limited access to culturally competent care, and emotional trauma that too often goes unspoken. For many, the fight isn’t just around cancer, it’s against the silence surrounding mental health.
As Black women continue to navigate these realities, mental and emotional wellness must remain part of the conversation. To help make that possible, here are five ways to nurture your mental health before, during, and after treatment with expert insights from Monique C. James, MD, assistant attending psychiatrist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Build a Strong Care Team and Ensure Self-Advocacy
When you first receive a diagnosis, surrounding yourself with a trusted care team — including a physician and therapist who see you fully — can make all the difference. James acknowledges how difficult that can be for Black women navigating a healthcare system built on biases and historical harm. “It is so understandable that Black women would struggle to find their voice in medical settings because of the history of medical trauma,” she says. “Therapy can help by exploring your values, motivations, and even reviewing the questions you want to ask your oncologist, all of which can help you find and sustain your voice.”
Lean on Trusted Support Networks
Community is medicine. Whether it’s family, friends, or sister circles, leaning on others can lighten the emotional load. “Performed strength has likely been developed as a coping mechanism to help us move through an unsafe world,” James explains. “But in the cancer world, you may find yourself with limited energy. Think about your circle and their strengths — who cooks, who organizes, who prays, who can help with new hair, wig or makeup? Give specific requests for support.”
She adds that relationships thrive on reciprocity: if you’d gladly help someone else, allow others the grace to help you too. For Jean, that truth guided her healing. “It was extremely important for me to lean on my village in those early days and throughout treatment to keep my mindset strong,” she says. “That included creating a support system of family and friends to help with my young boys, and reaching out to my husband’s inner circle. I also started a Facebook page to share updates, which created a huge extended emotional support system.”
Prioritize Mental Health Care
Healing your mind deserves as much attention as healing your body. James encourages women to build in space to rest and reflect throughout their treatment journey. “There are psychological phases along this journey,” she says. “Sometimes mental health looks like finding a therapist, but other times it’s simply having enough space to rest, replenish, and rejuvenate.”
When therapy isn’t accessible, James recommends online and community-based organizations such as SHAREcancersupport.org, Touch the Black Breast Cancer Alliance, The Sisters Network, For the Breast of Us, and Therapy for Black Girls to provide culturally grounded support.
Incorporate Grounding Practices
Fear and anxiety are natural responses to uncertainty, but small daily rituals can restore calm. “Sensory grounding techniques, breathwork, and body scanning can bring you back to the present moment,” says James. “Even a mantra like ‘You are whole. You are present. You are safe now,’ can positively impact your complete wellness.” Start with two to five minutes of journaling, mindful eating, or soothing skin-care rituals, and increase as your capacity grows.
Give Yourself Permission to Rest and Receive Help
Many Black women have internalized the idea that we must always be “the strong one.” James reminds us that strength can also look like surrender. “It’s possible to unlearn this mindset,” she says. “Start small — let someone run an errand for you or take extra rest after treatment. Imagine a beloved ancestor telling you, ‘Let go. It’s okay. Say yes.’” Softness, she adds, is not weakness; it’s a form of healing.
Jean recalls moments of feeling that same pressure. “There were so many moments where I felt pressure to be strong, from sharing my diagnosis with family to preparing for chemo,” she says. “But through this experience I leaned into a different type of strength that allowed my doctors and caregivers to lighten my load, so I could be mentally, emotionally, and physically strong enough to get through treatment and give myself and my daughter a fighting chance.”
Though this month marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month, conversations around mental health and emotional healing must continue long past October, because recovery doesn’t end when treatment does. Healing from breast cancer is about more than survival; it’s about rediscovering peace, power, and permission to rest. When Black women embrace mental health as a core part of the journey, recovery becomes not just about living — but living well.