How Ubuntu destigmatises mental health for Black and African Australians

How does community lessen stigma and improve mental health? What culturally safe and practical steps support mental wellbeing? How can small habits and collective rituals build lasting resilience?

Why community and Ubuntu matters

Firstly, happy mental health month.

Ubuntu, the African philosophy “i am because we are,” reminds us that belonging is a protective force. Decades of research confirm that perceived social support reduces stress and protects against depression and anxiety by changing how people appraise and cope with threats. Recent work shows perceived support lowers perceived stress and, in turn, reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression. For Black and African Australians who frequently face racism, microaggressions and social exclusion, these social buffers are particularly important. Post-migration stressors and discrimination are linked to worse mental health outcomes and reduced trust in services. Community-led supports that reflect cultural realities therefore matter as much as clinical treatments.

How social connection reduces stigma and opens the door to help

Social connection reduces stigma in two ways. Firstly, social connection creates safe spaces where people can freely speak. Secondly, it models help-seeking behaviour so others follow. When a trusted friend says “I have felt like that too,” it normalises the experience and lowers shame which is a core barrier to care for many Black and African diaspora communities. Community-centred interventions and Black and African-centred therapeutic approaches also show promise when they honour identity, collective meaning and cultural practices. Although the evidence base for African-centred therapies in adults is still developing, reviews emphasise that culturally congruent programs increase engagement and acceptability.

Tip

Next time you catch up with friends, try facilitating a 20-minute Deep and Meaningful session

• Set the scene with some low-fi Afrobeats background music and candles
• Share cultural food and beverages
• Check in with each person.
• Ask each person to recall one feeling and one helpful experience this week.
• Engage in shared deep breathing and vulnerability
• Share one small coping idea.

These deep and meaningful sessions use shared cultural anchors such as music, taste, proverbs, and hospitality which increase trust and safety. These micro-rituals model vulnerability, keep language plain and gently teach help-seeking by example.

Small and culturally safe practices that actually work

Resilience grows when small, repeatable and culturally meaningful actions are done together and given cultural meaning. Evidence-informed options include brief interoceptive checks, rhythm and music-based grounding, and culturally-adapted and low-burden reflection that reveals patterns and invites support. Interoception (noticing body signals) links to emotion regulation. A systematic reviews show training interoceptive awareness through short body scans or breath practices improves our emotional regulation. Music and rhythmic rituals like sharing a familiar song or drumming, have measurable effects on autonomic balance and attention. These are powerful and low-cost culturally safe approaches that can support mental wellbeing.

How these map onto your Ubuntu routine:

Evening — share a minimum 2-minute vulnerable conversation with a loved one

Morning — 60 second body scan to check in with your body. Share your findings with a loved one

Midday — share a song with a loved one that expresses your gratitude

Ubuntu in action

Kudzai is a Zimbabwean-Australian dentist in her late 30s. She is balancing clinic demands, family calls to relatives abroad and cultural caregiving expectations. She noticed mid-afternoon anxiety spikes followed by low energy and withdrawal.

• Kudzai began to journal her experiences to notice triggers and sensations. She recorded times, what happened (e.g., critical email), bodily sensations (tight chest, fluttering stomach), and responses (snack, scroll).
• After journaling patterns, she swapped sugary snacks for rooibos and scheduled a 2-minute movement break when emails arrive. She also invited two colleagues to a monthly “deep and meaningful” break at work to normalise short co-regulation.
• Kudzai reviewed her journal and noticed improvements. She noted reduced panic episodes, fewer late-day crashes and more instances of proactive self-care. She reported improved concentration and fewer sick-leave afternoons.

Kudzai’s routine shows how culturally meaningful cues (music, tea, community) plus a short journaling habit reveal patterns and support sustainable change. The combination of interoception (noticing body cues), quick regulation tools, and social normalising helped her move from reactive to proactive self-care. Culturally adapted and community-centred practices increase engagement and reduce isolation, helping destigmatise mental health by making care ordinary and social

Take the next step

Join our free webinar to learn, practice and connect.

Tabvuma Mental Health and South Africa Federation for Mental Health are hosting a free webinar on Thursday 23 October 2025, 6:00–7:00 PM (AEST). We will share practical insights and lived experience on delivering culturally safe and community-centred mental health care across Australia and South Africa.

Subscribe to the Tabvuma Mental Health Getting Started Mental Health Care Package for guided exercises and journaling templates you can use immediately.

RSVP now, bring a friend, and let us practice Ubuntu together. Small acts euqals collective strength.

Follow us on our social platforms – Instagram, YouTube and Facebook @tabvumamentalhealth and subscribe to our mental health care packages for tips, resources and culturally safe mental health support designed for you.

Until next time,

Tabvuma Mental Health