Our Impact

Since our founding in 2020, VBT&AF has completed 5 founds of funding and

provided over

2000 free counseling sessions
100 low cost counseling sessions

opening doors for

150 individual s &
15 families

Testimonials

“The Vancouver Black Therapy & Advocacy Fund has been an absolute joy to connect with. As a counselor, it has been truly wonderful to get to connect with the folks that gravitated towards my practice. My clients have had access to therapy in instances where they might not have been able to access these services. I have witnessed my clients grow and gain in self-awareness and agency as well as a sense of empowerment and resilience in their lives. This healing journey was supported in tremendous ways by the VBT&AF, not only through their funding but through their continued support and incredible dedication Black healing. It has meant the world to my clients and me to be in community with an organization specifically dedicated to Black healing and could not speak more highly of the positive impact of VBT&AF on our community.”

–
Nadine Tilma
Therapist, VBT&AF “Black Mental Health is more important than ever and is finally getting some effective efforts to destigmatize and further access through a program such as Vancouver Black Therapy and Advocacy Foundation. By embracing an equity model that allows for folks to have counseling support in multiple visits you get a sense, from the beginning, that you are being supported in an effective way.”

–
Anonymous
VBT&AF Funding Receipient

“Everyday I partook in this program, I was reminded that my life matters. I want this kind of support and validation for every Black person.”

–
Anonymous
VBT&AF Funding Receipient
"It’s been an incredible honor to be a part of this VBT&AF roster. Working with clients who look like me in the lower mainland has been an affirming experience that I don’t take for granted. The experience of co-piloting introspective exploration with diverse cultures of the black Vancouver community is a privilege. I’ve seen confidence grow, management of pervasive shame improve, processing of complicated grief and radical acceptance of what is out of our control. My hope is to normalize psycho-therapy in our community, as another tool in becoming the best version of ourselves. As more and more black Canadians in the lower mainland improve their mental wellness, we all win."

–
Bernard Piprah, R.C.C, MA.
Therapist, VBT&AF

Our Mission

Let's face it. There is a serious lack of black representation in mental healthcare.
Founded in 2020 by Bethlehem Mulat, the Vancouver Black Therapy and Advocacy Foundation (VBT&AF) was birthed in response to the challenges surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement in June 2020. During this pivotal moment, systemic racism and its impact on the Black community was brought to the forefront, however, the racial trauma from dealing with the death of George Floyd negatively affected the mental health of many Black people. Seeing how there was already an incessant issue with Black people being able to access adequate mental health, Mulat had a goal of building safety networks for Black people within her community. Already having been active in the Vancouver mental health field as a frontline worker.

Bethlehem followed her calling to serve and transform the lives of her immediate community. She first started with creating a GoFundMe fundraiser with her initial goal being to obtain enough funds to provide 10 therapy sessions for 10 Black individuals - prioritizing refugees, low-income, disabled, and LGBTQIA+ folks. Within a short amount of time, the fundraiser gained traction and the collective response continued to propel this vision forward. Within hours, the initial goal of $20,000 was reached and within a month, the fundraiser amassed over $200,000: over 10 times the amount she had set in mind. By July 2020, Mulat took her dream a step further through incorporating the initiative into a non-profit organization, thus establishing the Vancouver Black Therapy and Advocacy Foundation.

Since then, the foundation has held a central role in opening doors to high quality mental health care for Black folks within the greater Vancouver and lower mainland areas. The VBT&AF was established with the vision to increase access to culturally competent mental health services for Black folks within the community. As research on this topic has shown, Black people are often unable to receive the quality of care they need due to barriers including financial hindrances, a lack of access to professionals who have a deep understanding of the Black experience, and the common paradigms related to mental health within the community. Through instituting new avenues for helping the Vancouver Black population receive mental, emotional, and spiritual health resources, the VBT&AF has become a beacon of change for the community by breaking down barriers to mental health accessibility that once stood in the way of the lives of many in the community.

The VBT&AF has expanded over the years to provide several paths to healing for the community we serve. Our advocacy services, therapy programs and educational initiatives are activated by a team of compassionate individuals who believe in the power of collective healing and liberation for Black communities. Our all-Black team of counsellors and community leaders approach their work with a deep understanding of the nuances of the Black experience in Canada and beyond. The foundation aims to not only alleviate the difficulties that are intertwined with the Black experience, but to also empower our community in order to sustain a shift in Black mental health that will be felt for generations to come.

In 2024, VBT&AF reached the milestone of having served our community for four years. The inception of VBT&AF was the culmination of a lifelong dream to create an initiative that empowers disadvantaged Black individuals and restores hope to those in despair. At its core, VBT&AF aims to address the systemic injustices that perpetuate mental health disparities among BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities. This concept embodies a transformative approach that not only addresses individual health needs but also confronts the root causes of health inequities through community-driven solutions and advocacy.

Our work could not have been possible without our amazing team and the contributions from our donors, partners and community. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all who have engaged in VBT&AF’s growth and expansion. The response we have received in the last four years has been truly remarkable and has continued to propel forward our mission of providing healing and liberation for the greater Vancouver Black population.

There is still more work to be done as the world continues to present challenges to the lives of Black and marginalized folks. We at VBT&AF recognize that the path to healing is not linear as we enter our fourth year of operation, we will continue to focus on facilitating discourse and providing services that continue to build new healthier foundations of mental health for our community. We’re looking forward to continuing along this journey with your support!

With gratitude,

Bethlehem Mulat,
Founder of Vancouver Black Therapy and Advocacy Foundation