Image of a therapist and client in a counseling session.

686,000 people sought help with Thriveworks in the last year

Discover how starting therapy for black men & women therapy can support your own journey toward a happier, more fulfilling life.

Meet with a provider as soon as this week

Good news! We have 20 therapists in South Carolina available for an online or in-person session.

Starting Therapy for Black men & women

What is Therapy for Black men and women?

Therapy for the treatment of Black men and women is a person-centered, individualized type of psychotherapeutic care that takes into account the emotional and mental impact of being a black person of color in today’s society. Thriveworks Columbia therapists use traditional therapy techniques implemented through an anti-racist lens, addressing issues like racism, colorism, toxic masculinity/misogyny, and others. This type of therapy is meant to create a safe space for black individuals to express their emotions and alleviate their stress in an environment that caters to their unique experiences.

How does Therapy for Black men and women work?

Therapy for Black men and women is much like standard psychotherapy in that Thriveworks Columbia therapists will use a variety of approaches depending on each client’s needs. However, it will also heavily incorporate person-centered therapy, which means that every client’s individual experiences, goals, and needs will be at the forefront of treatment.

Is Therapy for Black men and women conducted in person or online?

Therapy for Black men and women at Thriveworks is conducted both in person and online by video. We encourage you to choose the option that works best for you.

How long does Therapy for Black men and women last?

Therapy for Black women and men will last as long as necessary to achieve the client’s therapeutic goals, whether that be a few months or years. Generally, though, true progress will often take at least five months. Thriveworks therapists in Columbia, SC will continue to provide care for as long as necessary to help clients meet their therapeutic needs.

Need more help deciding?

Working with a counselor may be the right next step for you, but taking that step may be easier said than done. For some people, a social stigma holds them back, and some people feel the weight of the stigma more than others. Take, for example, a 2010 study that discovered how African Americans are receiving the mental health care they need at half the rate Caucasians do. Inadequate and inaccessible care are two of many reasons for this inequality. Psychiatrist, Dr. William Lawson explained the dynamic in a 2012 NPR interview. He said, “Dr. Satcher in his surgeon general’s report noted that there was less accessibility of mental health services for people of color for a variety of reasons. Part of it is that many of the systems simply aren’t located proximity to where people of color are.” Dr. Lawson went on to tell how he was taught in medical school that African Americans cannot become depressed, and he observed, “Part of it is that many professionals simply don’t know how to diagnose properly African-Americans.” Many within the African American community and the mental health community are working to change these inequalities by offering quality and accessible mental health care to African Americans.

Jinneh is one example of someone who has experienced both the stigma and the benefits of mental health care. An article published in The Washington Post entitled, “Therapists say African Americans are increasingly seeking help for mental illness,” recounts her story. In high school, Jinneh’s mom passed away, and she fought a terrible depression. When her counselor prescribed an antidepressant, Jinneh’s friends and family members talked her out of filling it. As a college student, Jinneh was still depressed when her roommate suggested she start treatment again. Jinneh’s depression healed, and she now speaks publicly about her experience—encouraging other African Americans to seek out the mental health care they need.

Thriveworks Columbia is working hard to ensure that quality, accessible care is available to those in the African American community.

A Unified, Supportive Community

Family, faith, and friendship are the foundations of many African-American communities. Mental health care professionals have not always understood the potential benefits of these rich and deep connections to a client’s mental health. All too often, therapists have set themselves against friends, family, and faith communities instead of working with them. The therapists at Thriveworks Columbia take a different approach. We are on the same team as a client’s support network, and we honor the important role that rich community connections can play in a client’s healing journey.

When therapists are united with a client’s community, each sphere of an individual’s life has a role to play in healing. Pastors can offer a certain type of care. Therapists can offer another type of care, and friends and family members give yet another kind of care. Each is unique, and each is important. Therapy does not have to and should not replace other support networks, but instead, mental health professionals should work alongside them.

Mental Health Care and Trust

In any therapeutic relationship, trust is paramount. Everyone deserves a safe place where they can share their true selves without fear and without being judged. People are whole beings, and their race, ethnicity, and cultural context will be a part of their experiences, challenges, hopes, hardships, traumas, opportunities, and dreams. Some therapists take a “colorblind” approach to a client’s racial context, but this minimizes an important aspect of their identity and their experiences. Instead, the therapists at Thriveworks Columbia advocate for understanding and empathy. We believe this approach builds the trust necessary for a healing therapeutic relationship.

When a client trusts their therapists, they are often able to delve deeply into their psychological wounds and find healing. Each client has unique wounds, and therapy should be personalized. Therapists are not dictators, but they are guides. Clients set the pace and take steps forward when they are ready. As clients feel empathy and respect instead of fear or judgment, they may experience deep healing. No list could ever contain all the issues a client may raise, but many times, African Americans use their time in therapy to seek help and healing for…

  • Racial trauma
  • Grief counseling
  • Career advancement
  • Discrimination
  • Anxiety
  • Sexual identity issues
  • Child therapy
  • Divorce
  • Substance use
  • Executive coaching
  • Depression
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder
  • Anger management
  • Obsessive-compulsive tendencies
  • Infidelity
  • Suspected abuse of a child
  • Eating disorders
  • Psychiatric testing
  • Job loss
  • Addiction
  • Couples and marriage counseling

Scheduling Therapy at Thriveworks Columbia

Take a moment to think about what is happening in your life right now. Maybe you recognize something on the previous list. Maybe you do not. Maybe you are facing something not listed. Whatever is happening, know that if you want to walk through it with the help of a mental health care professional, the therapists at Thriveworks Columbia are ready to help. We have appointments available.

When you call our office to schedule a therapy appointment, know that one of our scheduling specialists will answer your call and help you make an appointment. You will not be sent to a voicemail or an automated response system. Your first appointment may be within 24 hours. We do not keep a wait list, so you will not be put on one. But we offer evening and weekend sessions. We also accept many different insurance plans. Let’s work together. Call today.

Pricing & insurance

Our therapists accept most major insurances. We accept 585+ insurance plans, and offer self-pay options, too.
Learn more about pricing for therapy and counseling services at Thriveworks.

Our Columbia therapists and counselors accept 21 insurance plans

  • Aetna

  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina | BCBS

  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina Medicare Advantage

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield | Anthem (Blue Card)

  • Carelon

  • Carolina Behavioral Health Alliance (CBHA)

  • Cigna | Evernorth

  • Cigna | Evernorth EAP

  • Cigna | Evernorth Medicare Advantage

  • Compsych

  • First Health Network

  • Humana Exchange

Show more
Self-pay costs at Columbia
Talk therapy

Talk therapy

Includes individual, couples, child/ teen, & family therapy

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Talk therapy

Psychiatry

Includes reducing symptoms with medication & management

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Hear from our clients

4.9 Thriveworks Columbia reviews are collected through Thriveworks.com.
★★★★
Everyone is very nice and are really easy to talk to!
Columbia, SC Sep 2020
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
Debbie has helped me effectively manage the stress in my current work environment. She has also provided me with practical real-life applications to help me work toward my immediate and long-term goals. I am fortunate to have Debbie as a therapist!
Read more Debbie has helped me effectively manage the stress in my current work environment. She has also provided me with practical real-life applications to help me work toward my immediate and long-term goals. I am fortunate to have Debbie as a therapist!
Columbia, SC Sep 2020
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
Debbie is such an amazing person to talk to and she helped me through so much in the past year. She has helped me to understand myself and work through my problems. Absolutely amazing :)
Read more Debbie is such an amazing person to talk to and she helped me through so much in the past year. She has helped me to understand myself and work through my problems. Absolutely amazing :)
Columbia, SC Sep 2020
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
Mrs. Anna Gantt-Gordon has an exceptional personality and attitude in working with clients. She goes the extra mile to advocate and encourages others. Great to work with.
Read more Mrs. Anna Gantt-Gordon has an exceptional personality and attitude in working with clients. She goes the extra mile to advocate and encourages others. Great to work with.
Columbia, SC Aug 2020
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
I highly recommend Thriveworks! The service from the faculty is surperb from the front office to the life coaches & counselors!! I have been going to Thriveworks for 3 years now and, I absolutely love it! They don't treat you like a number like the other places do! If you or someone you know needs couciling then call Thriveworks Mon-Sat! Yes, I said Saturday! They will help you in anyway they can to make you see the light at the end of the tunnel! Thank you Thriveworks for all of the services y'all have provided me with and still do! Without of all of you I don't know where I would be today!
Read more I highly recommend Thriveworks! The service from the faculty is surperb from the front office to the life coaches & counselors!! I have been going to Thriveworks for 3 years now and, I absolutely love it! They don't treat you like a number like the other places do! If you or someone you know needs couciling then call Thriveworks Mon-Sat! Yes, I said Saturday! They will help you in anyway they can to make you see the light at the end of the tunnel! Thank you Thriveworks for all of the services y'all have provided me with and still do! Without of all of you I don't know where I would be today!
Columbia, SC Mar 2019
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
From the moment I first walked through the doors, I have been treated with respect, and care. I feel so at ease with all the people I have met there. I cannot recommend this team of mental health care providers enough!
Read more From the moment I first walked through the doors, I have been treated with respect, and care. I feel so at ease with all the people I have met there. I cannot recommend this team of mental health care providers enough!
Columbia, SC Nov 2018
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
I was having a hard time with my partner and was ready to give up, but we took a chance after some research and found the help we really needed. Sometime you need someone to sit, listen, and guide you. Thank You!
Read more I was having a hard time with my partner and was ready to give up, but we took a chance after some research and found the help we really needed. Sometime you need someone to sit, listen, and guide you. Thank You!
Columbia, SC Mar 2017
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
It was difficult asking for help, but the staff and therapist ensured that I was comfortable and made it the best decision. I plan to continue going again.
Read more It was difficult asking for help, but the staff and therapist ensured that I was comfortable and made it the best decision. I plan to continue going again.
Columbia, SC Mar 2017
Review left on Thriveworks.com

Where to find us

Getting here

Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry Columbia is right next to Boyd Plaza, and in a shared office building with TD Bank. We are at the corner of Main and Hampton Street, across the street from Wells Fargo.

Phone number

(803) 882-3401

Languages spoken by SC providers

  • English
Friday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Saturday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Monday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Tuesday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Wednesday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Thursday 8:00am - 9:00pm

Shown in ET

Friday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Saturday 7:00am - 6:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 5:00pm
Monday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Tuesday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Wednesday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Thursday 7:00am - 9:30pm

Shown in ET

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