James Murray: Removing Barriers to Inclusive Mental Health Support

Hey, fam. So about a year ago, Pride and Joy Foundation began a survey to find out what employee benefits could a company offer that would have the biggest impact on LGBTQ+ families. We've had almost 300 People respond. About 70% identify as LGBTQ+ themselves, and about 30% identify as family members. The number one response so far by a longshot, is extensive mental health coverage, which employers weren't surprised to hear. But often the response I hear is, well, we offer that and no one uses it. Well, as we know, as LGBTQ+ people, it's often quite challenging to find someone in mental health who is in our state, covered by our plan, and a part of our community, or even, obviously, affirming of our community. Seeking mental health support is vulnerable, and the barriers of access can feel huge. So after we figure out the logistics of how to find support, and how we're going to pay for it, finding a therapist who gets us is another monumental milestone. So how can the everyday employee access truly inclusive mental health care? Find out from today's guest, James Murray, the CEO of a Black owned company, Therify.  Therify provides personalized mental health resources to help improve employee satisfaction, well-being, and belonging. Jame's goal is to create a world where access to inclusive mental health is as easy as going on your morning walk. Listen to James share more on his mental health journey as a Black man in America and how he took things into his own hands to help other marginalized people have better access to affordable and inclusive mental health care.  If you are an employer or practitioner who would like to partner with Therify, please visit their website, https://therify.co to fill out an application and you will be contacted directly for the onboarding process or email James directly, [email protected].  Did you learn anything new? Did this episode spark a new thought? What about you, do you feel like identity is crucial when considering mental health care access? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Join us on our blog, or on our Instagram page @PrideandJoyFoundation. Thank you so much for joining us. Please consider sharing this episode with anyone in your network who needs to hear. Be good to yourself fam, I appreciate you. Bio: James previously led partnerships with digital news organizations at Facebook. Prior to Facebook, he worked on the enterprise sales team at InVision, a venture-backed product design platform. James received a BA from Howard University and MBA from Vanderbilt University. Email: [email protected]  Website: https://therify.co/ Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mytherify/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hellotherify/