Disparities in mental healthcare are well-known in the U.S., with different populations having more or less access to care. Today’s guest, Wilma Mae Basta, is looking to resolve some of those disparities by targeting women of color with her website and pro bono counseling service. 

In this episode she breaks down the need for culturally competent mental health services, explains barriers to treatment for women of color, and helps us understand that while diversity is important, it needs to be more than just a buzzword.

To read the transcript, or learn more, visit the episode page now.

Wilma Mae Basta, the founder and CEO of DRK Beauty, is originally from Philadelphia, a mother of two adult children and the daughter of a civil rights leader. In the early 90s, she built a career in film, TV, consumer tech PR in the U.K. where she resided for almost 30 years. More recently, she launched and built the successful luxury vintage fashion brand, The Gathering Goddess, which was known for its high-end collectibles and whose garments could often be seen on the red carpet.

Basta was inspired to create what DRK Beauty is today after her experience with severe depression, which resulted in hospitalization. After that period, she found it difficult to find the right kind of help that would support her as a woman of color. After several years of searching and testing out different modalities, she was able to build her own unique mental health and wellness journey, which ultimately helped to transform her life. DRK Beauty is a direct result of that experience and is now positioned to offer that to other women of color around the world. Basta relocated back to Brooklyn in 2017 to begin building and launching DRK Beauty.

Gabe Howard lives with bipolar disorder and is a nationally recognized speaker and podcast host. He is the author of the book, “Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations,” available from Amazon; signed copies available directly from the author. To learn more about Gabe, please visit gabehoward.com.

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