The Invisible Ache: Black Men Identifying Their Pain and Reclaiming Their Power

by Courtney B. Vance, Robin L. Smith

Overview

"A thoughtful, wise, empathetic book that has the capacity to save lives. " (Kirkus)

"...an inspiring story of what [Black men] can achieve personally and professionally when they have the tools and support necessary to examine their pain and find their joy." (New York Journal of Books) 

A moving combination of memoir, psychology, and practical tools, this book offers Black men guidance and support for reclaiming mental well-being and finding whole, full-hearted living.

Early in his career, actor Courtney B. Vance lost his father to suicide. Recently, he lost his godson to the same fate. Still, as mental health discourse hits the mainstream, it leaves the most vulnerable out of the conversation: Black men.
 
In America, we teach that strength means holding back tears and shaming your own feelings. In the Black community, these pressures are especially poignant. Poor mental health outcomes— including diagnoses of depression and anxiety, reliance on prescription drugs, and suicide— have skyrocketed in the past decade. Institutionalized racism, microagressions, and stress caused by socioeconomic factors have led Black individuals to face worse mental health outcomes than any other demographic.
 
In  this book, Courtney B. Vance seeks to change this trajectory. Along with professional expertise from famed psychologist Dr. Robin L. Smith (popularly known as “Dr. Robin”), Courtney B. Vance explores issues of grief, relationships, identity, and race through the telling of his own most formative experiences. Together, Courtney and Dr. Robin provide a guide for Black men navigating life’s ups and downs, reclaiming  mental well-being, and examining  broken pieces to find whole, full-hearted living. Self-care is an act of revolution. It’s time to revolutionize mental health in the Black community.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781538725139
Publisher:	Grand Central Publishing
Publication date:	11/07/2023
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	12,487
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Courtney B. Vance is an award-winning actor on stage, on film and in television. His credits include historically noteworthy films such as Hamburger Hill, The Hunt for Red October, The Preacher’s Wife, and The Adventures of Huck Finn. Courtney’s portrayal of Johnnie Cochran in FX’s The People vs. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story, of “Uncle George” in HBO’s Lovecraft Country, and of Rev. C.L. Franklin in NatGeo’s Genius: Aretha have earned him two EMMYs, a Critics Choice Award, a Black Reel TV Award, and multiple NAACP Image Awards, as well as SAG, Golden Globe, and Hollywood Critics Association nominations. He won a Tony Award for his performance in Broadway’s Lucky Guy. He is co-founder of Bassett Vance Productions with his wife, Angela Bassett, and is currently President of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation.
 
Dr. Robin L. Smith is the #1 bestselling author of Lies at the Altar: The Truth About Great Marriages, as well as Hungry: The Truth About Being Full, a sought-after speaker, experienced media personality, ordained minister, and host of SiriusXM’s The Dr. Robin Show, who addresses today’s most pressing societal challenges through fearless truth-telling. As a licensed psychologist and mental health champion known for her signature four-step prescription Wake Up! Show Up! Grow Up! Rise Up!™, she brings a uniquely healing perspective to our nation’s most daunting social justice and mental health issues: from systemic racism and racial violence, to grief and loss, to discrimination based on gender and sexual orientation, to recovering and rebounding as a nation following crises. She holds a PhD in counseling psychology from Temple University and a master’s degree from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
 

Editorial Reviews

The Invisible Ache is one more example of all the reasons that I came to love Courtney B. Vance. What drew me to him is his willingness to be a servant, to help and be there for others. What greater gift can one receive than the message that you are not alone and that there is support. You just have to be open to receiving and welcoming it. What Dr. Robin and Courtney offer in these pages are comfort, answers, personal stories, and a lot of love for Black boys and men. My hope is that The Invisible Ache will become a cherished book on countless reading lists and the many lives that are blessed will span the distance from the Earth to the rainbow.”—Angela Bassett, Award-winning Actress, Director & Producer

"Brother Vance’s spirit of compassion and generosity is an emotional house built on the foundations of love, faith, humility, and courage. Where others may hide, Courtney stands bravely in the light, telling his story as a means to help others. In The Invisible Ache, Courtney and Dr. Robin selflessly extend hands and hearts to those seeking a place to receive a welcome balm for the soul."

—Presiding Bishop Emeritus Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr., West Angeles Church of God in Christ and Lady Mae Blake

"Mental health in the Black community has not been embraced but is extremely important and should be discussed. For Black men, there is no better voice of compassion and understanding than Courtney B. Vance to help initiate this healing journey. Together, with Dr. Robin, Courtney shares his own journey to illustrate that vulnerability, truth, and faith are direct pathways to a happier, more fulfilling life. The Invisible Ache is for men of all ages, and the women who love them, to help them overcome their struggles and live a life of sustained purpose and worth."

—Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Businessman & Philanthropist

“Mental health has become an epidemic among the Black male community, but they are so often left out of the conversation. Dr. Robin and Courtney B. Vance are tackling this issue head on in a compassionate, educational and actionable way that will positively impact the lives of so many. Silent suffering doesn't have to be the status quo and The Invisible Ache will provide solace and healing to those who seek healing and understanding.”
 —Debra Lee, former CEO of BET, founder of Leading Women Defined

“In The Invisible Ache, actor Courtney B. Vance and psychologist Dr. Robin L. Smith insightfully examine the place of mental health in the lives of Black men, shining a light not only on the challenges they so often face, but on the importance of support and connection. By sharing his personal story of losing his father to suicide and how he ultimately engaged with therapy, learning to 'sit in silence and wait for the water to clear,' Courtney’s willingness to be vulnerable is a strength that lends an important voice to the mental health conversation. Combined with Dr. Robin’s clinical perspective and practical tips, this book serves as an important guide not only for Black men, but for anyone who has struggled to find understanding and hope.”

—Dr. Christine Yu Moutier, Chief Medical Officer, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

"When I think back to my younger self, who needed practical guidance and an elder who understood the direction that would've healed me, I wish I could've gotten my hands on The Invisible Ache. The medicine within these words will ease pain, inspire the youth, and give us permission to heal in the way we all deserve."—Sylvester McNutt III, Bestselling author of Care Package: A Path To Deep Healing

From the Publisher

2023-10-05
An actor and a psychologist examine the stressors in the lives of Black males, suggesting ways for improved self-care.

Just as Vance was beginning to enjoy success as an actor, his father, long traumatized by the feeling of abandonment in childhood, committed suicide. The event set him on a yearslong voyage of self-examination. “I loved my father deeply,” Vance writes, “but I hardly knew him”—a common feeling among Black men, who, writes Smith, “live with the contradiction of being highly scrutinized and invisible at the same time. They know that when they are in non-Black spaces, they are being watched, sometimes with admiration, sometimes with envy, often with fear.” Wrestling with that contradiction is a high-wire act for many, especially for those who become visible through fame, whether as an actor, athlete, politician, or business leader. “They try,” Smith adds, “to believe that it’s not painful or messy to know that their special status is fragile…or that if they are considered special, it means so many who look like them are not.” The resulting denial, she holds, is itself a stressor. Addressing those sources of friction requires men to seek help, which is sometimes difficult to do, contradicting cultural ideals of stoicism. Vance writes of the difficulty of seeking therapy—and then of the many benefits that resulted. Smith encourages constant alertness to the condition of those around you. “Get in other folks’ business,” she counsels, particularly, as both she and Vance write, when there is any hint of suicidal ideation or behavior. In a book whose lessons extend to readers of any background, the authors emphasize the necessity of self-care and the awareness that with all of life’s tragedies, “no circumstance is without meaning” and “no experience is wasted.”

A thoughtful, wise, empathetic book that has the capacity to save lives.

Kirkus Reviews

When I think back to my younger self, who needed practical guidance and an elder who understood the direction that would've healed me, I wish I could've gotten my hands on The Invisible Ache. The medicine within these words will ease pain, inspire the youth, and give us permission to heal in the way we all deserve.

Bestselling author of Care Package: A Path To Sylvester McNutt III

The Invisible Ache is one more example of all the reasons that I came to love Courtney B. Vance. What drew me to him is his willingness to be a servant, to help and be there for others. What greater gift can one receive than the message that you are not alone and that there is support. You just have to be open to receiving and welcoming it. What Dr. Robin and Courtney offer in these pages are comfort, answers, personal stories, and a lot of love for Black boys and men. My hope is that The Invisible Ache will become a cherished book on countless reading lists and the many lives that are blessed will span the distance from the Earth to the rainbow.

Angela Bassett