Infusing the Africentric Framework

Abstract

This chapter explores the Africentric framework, a culturally centred approach to understanding the experiences of African and African diasporic individuals. Guided by Ubuntu, an African worldview that emphasizes cooperation, connectedness, and consciousness, the Africentric framework offers a holistic understanding of mental health care that prioritizes collective responsibility, social competency, and community support. To illustrate the model’s application a narrative example is provided, detailing the restorative journey of an individual seeking healing and restoration. The chapter outlines the co-constructed approach between the wisdom seeker and wisdom keeper, highlighting the importance of cultural responsiveness, spirituality, and empowerment. The authors discuss implications for wisdom keepers working with Black Canadians, emphasizing the need to recognize collectivist strengths, respect cultural identities, and attend to power dynamics and social justice. By promoting a paradigm shift towards culturally appropriate care, the Africentric model offers a framework for facilitating Black cultural transitions and empowerment across the diaspora.

Co-Authors

Sandra Dixon (she/her), PhD, is a registered psychologist in Alberta and an associate professor in the University of Lethbridge Faculty of Education. Her research expertise lies in culturally adapted counselling practices, cultural identity reconstruction, and ethnocultural diversity issues, with a particular focus on the intersectionality of spirituality and religion, class, race, and gender. Her work encompasses topics such as racial trauma, anti-Black racism, social justice, faith, immigration, and culturally informed counselling. She received the 2024 PAA Juanita Chambers Excellence in Community Service Award, the 2023 PAA Excellence in Teaching Psychology Award, and the 2022 People’s Choice Award (Alberta Black Therapists Network).She recently co-edited the book: Unmasking the Experiences of Racialized Women in Academia.

Noreen Sibanda (she/her), MA, CCC, is a registered provisional psychologist, an experienced clinician, speaker, psycho-educational workshop facilitator, and a sessional instructor at Concordia University of Edmonton. She has presented at both local and international conferences, and she has reviewed and developed anti-racism and mental health curricula for organizations and postsecondary institutions. She appeared on podcasts, TV, and radio shows, and she is the 2022 NBCAA Professional of the Year, and Momentumwalkin’s 2022 Outstanding Leadership in the Mental Health sector. She currently serves as the executive director of the Alberta Black Therapists network (ABTN).

Miriam Sekandi (she/her; they/them), PhD, is an author, speaker, educator, and consultant on anti-racism and intercultural education. She has 30 years of experience teaching at secondary, postsecondary, and community levels, and she is currently a lecturer in the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta. She supports cultural communities and organizations across Alberta with the development and delivery of anti-racism and intercultural education curricula. She also serves as the board chair of the Alberta Black Therapists’ Network. She is the international best-selling author of It Takes a Village to Wreck a Child.

Bukola Salami (she/her), PhD, is full professor in the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary. Her research program focuses on policies and practices shaping migrant health as well as Black people’s health. She has been involved in over 80 funded studies totaling over $230 million. She founded and led the African Child and Youth Migration Network, a network of 42 scholars from 4 continents. She co-founded the Institute for Intersectional Research and Learning at the University of Alberta. In 2020 she founded the Black youth mentorship and leadership program. Her work has contributed to policy change, including that related to Black people’s well-being.

Citation

Dixon, S., Sibanda, N., Sekandi, M., & Salami, B. (2025). Infusing the Africentric framework in mental health care for Black Canadians. In S. Collins and M. Jay (Eds.), Decolonizing health, healing, and care: Embodying culturally responsive and socially just counselling (Chapter 6.3). Counselling Concepts. https://doi.org/10.71446/di74924873