THE GREAT ESCAPE

These wellness retreats are a refuge for Black men to heal trauma, find community and practice self-care

- Stephanie Long

More Black men are seeking spaces for restoration, and it's not hard to see why.

The suicide rate among this group has steadily increased over the past decade—with research showing that Black men are less likely to receive mental health support, despite experiencing disproportionate levels of trauma. A study by the National Vital Statistics System found that suicide rates among Black youth ages 10 to 24 increased by nearly 37 percent between 2018 and 2021, rising from 8.2 to 11.2 deaths per 100,000 people. And among Black adults ages 25 to 44, rates rose by nearly 23 percent during the same period. Meanwhile, the persistent stress of racialized violence—from police brutality to systemic oppression—creates an ongoing mental health crisis that often goes unaddressed, especially in Black men.

In response, a growing number of alternative healing spaces—retreats, meditation circles and somatic therapy practices—are offering refuge from the unrelenting pressures of daily survival. Here are six transformative wellness-retreat spaces designed specifically to help Black men heal, grow and realign.

Healing, Rest & Embodied Liberation for Men of Color (Big Sur, California)