Happy International Women’s Day 💜
Every year, International Women’s Day gives us an opportunity to celebrate the strength, resilience, and achievements of women across the world. It’s a moment to reflect on the progress that has been made towards equality, while also recognising the challenges many women still face every day.
In this story edition of our newsletter, we would like to wish you a Happy International Women’s Day and highlight this year’s theme ‘Give to Gain’. It serves as a powerful reminder that when we give; our support, our resources, our compassion; we all gain. We build stronger communities. We nurture healthier families. We empower women who are able to thrive.
When we give women access to culturally competent, compassionate therapy, we gain something profound and Mabel’s story, from a former BMMUK service user, is a testament to this truth.
Because sometimes the most powerful way to advance equality is to give, so that women can gain their voice, their wellbeing, and themselves back.
Mabel’s story
Mabel grew up with a strong faith foundation and clear expectations about what life should look like. Like many women, she was encouraged to follow a familiar path: get married, have children, and keep going, no matter how heavy things felt inside.
She did exactly that. But somewhere along the way, Mabel lost herself.
The pressures to meet expectations, family, faith and marriage, left little room for her own voice. Life hadn’t unfolded the way she had been told it would, and quietly, confusion and disappointment settled in. She felt low, disconnected, and unsure of who she was beyond the roles she carried.
For a long time, Mabel wrestled with an internal conflict many people of faith know too well: Should I seek therapy, or should I just pray this away?
By May 2025, when Mabel signed up with BMMUK, she was heavily pregnant and emotionally exhausted. The pregnancy itself was incredibly tough, made even harder by challenges in her relationship with her husband. Deep down, she knew it wasn’t the right time to be having another baby, but she felt trapped by circumstance and expectation.
It was her sister who was much older and deeply attuned to Mabel’s wellbeing, who noticed how low she had become. Seeing signs of depression and concern growing by the day, she gently encouraged Mabel to reach out for support. That moment changed everything.
Mabel was paired with Paula, a therapist who met her exactly where she was. Paula didn’t rush to “fix” her. Instead, she took time to understand Mabel’s world, her marriage, her parents, her in-laws, her faith, and the many messages she had absorbed about who she was supposed to be.
Session by session, Paula helped Mabel connect the dots between her expectations and their origins. For the first time, Mabel was able to pause, reflect, and begin the ground-breaking work of self-identifying, separating who she truly was from who she had been told to be.
One thing mattered deeply to Mabel: Her therapist was Black.
It meant she didn’t have to over-explain culture, faith, or family dynamics. She felt seen. Safe. Understood.
Today, Mabel is thriving. She is now better able to manage her thoughts, challenge unrealistic expectations, and show herself compassion. Most importantly, she recognises the value of having a dedicated space to care for her mental health. And we can’t thank you enough for giving to BMMUK so Mabel and others like her can Gain!
Mabel’s free therapy sessions have come to an end and she wants to continue therapy, even if it means funding it herself. But not everyone can.
Mabel’s journey is one of many. Every day, people like her sit with silent struggles, torn between faith and mental health, overwhelmed by life’s demands, and unsure where to turn.
BMMUK exists so that finances are never a barrier to healing.
WE STILL NEED YOUR SUPPORT
Our team is working tirelessly to launch four new pathways that will help reduce our current therapy waiting list of over 1,000 people, while continuing to deliver services to those already in therapy.
A small but significant way you can help is by giving a one off or regular donation or by signing up to our ongoing Pardner Hand campaign. By donating as little as £1 per month, your contribution will help us sustain this life changing service.
Explore our Black Thoughts Matter page to learn more about Black mental health, identity, and wellbeing, and discover guidance, support, and empowering perspectives.
