The BIPOC Mental Health Disparity: Addressing Systemic Factors and Embracing the RUMERTIME Process®

Dr. Yvonne Murray-Larrier

July is BIPOC National Mental Health Awareness Month—a time of reflection, advocacy, and education centered on the unique mental health challenges faced by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. It is an important reminder that while mental health conditions do not discriminate by race or ethnicity, the experiences and impacts of these conditions are far from equal.

Historically and contemporarily, systemic factors—rooted in racism and discrimination—have consistently shown adverse impacts on the mental health of BIPOC communities. Dr. David R. Williams, in his illuminating TED Talk “How Racism Makes Us Sick,” aptly outlines how these societal constructs detrimentally affect the health of minority populations. Racism, he posits, can be “a deeply embedded, multilevel system that binds individuals, influences relationships, and structures social institutions and communities.” This toxicity seeps into every facet of life for those in BIPOC communities, undoubtedly affecting their mental health.

Systemic racism affects mental health through multiple pathways, including psychological stress, socioeconomic disadvantage, and limited access to quality mental health services. It also manifests in the form of microaggressions—subtle acts of discrimination that, over time, can lead to severe psychological distress.

Recently, the mental health toll on BIPOC communities has been further exacerbated by the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Affirmative Action. The decision, which has effectively cut off opportunities and hindered over 40 years of progress, dealt a significant blow to the collective psyche of BIPOC communities. The mental

health implications of this ruling—both conscious and subconscious—are immense, contributing to feelings of rejection, hopelessness, and despair, and compounding the existing mental health crisis within these communities.

Given these systemic challenges, a tailored approach to mental health for BIPOC communities is not only beneficial but essential. We at GCSCORED, the creators of the RUMERTIME Process®, provide such an approach—a culturally responsive, de-stigmatized, and de-mystified method to mental health care. We define mental wellness as a person’s ability to Recognize, Understand, Manage, Express, and Reflect on their Thoughts, Interactions, Mindsets, and Emotions (RUMERTIME®) in relation to themselves, others, and situations.

The RUMERTIME Process® is a five-step, relationship cultivation, problem-solving strategy. It is designed, researched, and practiced with BIPOC communities at the heart. By engaging, educating, equipping, and empowering individuals to move from interpersonal and intrapersonal imbalance to balance, and from unconscious living to conscious living, this process allows people to navigate their daily lives successfully.

We believe in viewing “emotions as indicators, not disorders.ylarrier.” We understand feelings as messengers, enlightening us about our stories and experiences, and how factors at every level of the social ecosystem shape our lived experiences.

BIPOC National Mental Health Awareness Month is a critical opportunity to spotlight these disparities and galvanize action. We must continue to advocate for culturally appropriate, equitable mental health services, and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health in these communities. With the RUMERTIME Process®, we are hopeful that we can empower BIPOC individuals to cultivate healthy relationships with their emotions, thus leading to more balanced, conscious living, and ultimately, healthier communities.