The Cope Dealer program at Glenville High School in Cleveland is pioneering a new approach to therapy by incorporating hip-hop music as a means to provide support and healing for young individuals who may not have access to traditional mental health resources. Led by program director Shelly Gates, the goal is to empower youth by offering coping skills and healing techniques that resonate with their cultural background.
Participants in the program engage in a 14-week curriculum that covers various skills such as journaling, breath control, and community building. They also engage in discussions on pressing issues like racial discrimination, police violence, and community unrest. Through collaborative songwriting sessions, the teens channel their emotions and experiences into music, transforming their pain into a powerful form of expression.
Licensed therapist Jerome Cash, who facilitates the Cope Dealer program, emphasizes the importance of providing a safe and relatable space for students to explore their emotions. By integrating music and creative expression, the program aims to break down barriers to traditional therapy and offer a more accessible and engaging approach to mental health support.
Participants like Johnson-Stearnes have found solace and connection through the program, sharing their stories and experiences through music. The transformative impact of music therapy, particularly within the context of hip-hop culture, has been shown to be effective in addressing symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Similar programs, such as the Hip-Hop Therapy Studio at Mott Haven Community High School in New York City, are also making strides in offering culturally relevant mental health support to youth. Program director J.C. Hall emphasizes the role of hip-hop music in providing a lifeline for individuals facing diverse challenges, highlighting the healing power of creative expression.
Through music and storytelling, participants like Kryst Jackson have found a platform to express their struggles and triumphs, fostering a sense of community and empowerment. Licensed therapist George James underscores the importance of recognizing the unique mental health needs of Black youth and the value of using hip-hop as a vehicle for healing and self-expression.
In a landscape where traditional therapy may not always resonate with marginalized communities, programs like Cope Dealer and the Hip-Hop Therapy Studio offer a beacon of hope and support, demonstrating the transformative potential of music in healing the soul.
Therapy presents a unique opportunity to connect with Black teenagers right where they are at. Within the vibrant Cope Dealer program, students are seen recording their music in the studio located in Cleveland. A recent 2022 study examining the mental health challenges faced by Black adolescents revealed a concerning trend – they are less inclined than their white counterparts to seek out and access mental health support. The research cited reasons such as negative perceptions of available services and limited accessibility as contributing factors to this disparity. Despite having attempted traditional talk therapy, both Kryst and Tre’Von expressed that this approach did not yield positive outcomes for them. James shared insights into the broader context, emphasizing that many young Black individuals experience a sense of stigma within their own community and harbor historical distrust towards the medical establishment, particularly when it comes to engaging in therapy. “Culturally relevant therapy and treatment modalities can offer individuals a sense of resonance, enabling them to feel understood, make sense of their experiences, and freely express their thoughts and emotions,” noted James. Angel Pinet, a student from Mott Haven, described how his participation in the studio program over three months has been transformative, attributing much of the positive change to the supportive community fostered within the program, notably under the guidance of Hall, who encourages students to delve into deeper emotional territories. Reflecting on his upbringing in a single-parent household, where financial struggles were a constant, Pinet acknowledged that his behavior in school and academic performance posed challenges for his mother. However, it was through creating a song dedicated to her that he gained clarity on his actions and resolved to make positive changes. “In the midst of challenging circumstances, it’s easy to lose sight of reality due to the overwhelming nature of it all,” shared Pinet. “Through music, I find solace in dissecting my experiences and gaining a deeper understanding of them.”
