When celebrities speak up about matters of mental health, they speak to a fairly broad audience. And the more common the discussion becomes, the greater the chance of empowering people to live a more effective life. Recently rapper and entrepreneur Jay-Z shared his experience in therapy. Further, he discussed how therapy helps him to view racism in a new way.
According to a recent article in Self.com: We know that therapy is a crucial tool for managing conditions like depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. But in an interview with The New York Times published today, rapper Jay-Z gave a few perfect examples of why therapy can be beneficial for basically everyone—regardless of whether they’re dealing with a clinical anxiety disorder or everyday stress.
“I grew so much from the experience,” the 4:44 artist tells The Times. “But I think the most important thing I got is that everything is connected. Every emotion is connected and it comes from somewhere. Being aware of it in everyday life puts you at such a … you’re at such an advantage,” he explains.
He went on to explain that there were a lot of fights in his neighborhood that started with, “What you looking at? Why you looking at me? You looking at me?” And, through therapy, he realized, “Oh, you think I see you. You’re in this space where you’re hurting, and you think I see you, so you don’t want me to look at you… You don’t want me to see your pain. So you put on this shell of this tough person that’s really willing to fight me and possibly kill me ’cause I looked at you.”
“Knowing that and understanding that changes life completely,” he says.
It also impacted the way he thought about racism. “You realize that if someone’s racist toward you, it ain’t about you. It’s about their upbringing and what happened to them, and how that led them to this point,” he says. “And once I understand that, instead of reacting to that with anger, I can provide a softer landing and maybe, ‘Aw, man, is you O.K.?'”
Click here to read the complete article at Self.com.
If you’re in the West Side Cleveland area and would like to schedule an appointment, please reach out to us. We’re here to help.