Bernell L. Elzey Jr., PhD, Teaching Faculty in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) program, co-authored a chapter in Mental Health and the Black Man: A Mixtape Experience of Hardship and Harmony (Jones, M. & Butler, S.K., eds., Cognella, 2027).
Elzey’s chapter, “Reimagining Black Fatherhood: Mental Health, Masculinity, and Intergenerational Healing,” offers a powerful exploration of how historical and contemporary forces shape Black fatherhood, identity, and emotional wellness. Grounded in both scholarship and lived experience, the chapter examines the intersections of masculinity and mental health while illuminating pathways toward healing, connection, and generational restoration.
The book itself represents a groundbreaking contribution to the field. Structured like a thoughtfully curated mixtape, it weaves together academic research with personal narratives and cultural expression, particularly the influence of Black American music and artistic traditions. Through this innovative approach, the text explores critical issues such as historical trauma, systemic inequities, continuous traumatic stress, and the school-to-prison pipeline, while also elevating sources of resilience, including mentorship, restorative practices, fatherhood, and the therapeutic power of hip-hop culture.
Elzey, a nationally recognized counselor educator, licensed clinician, and equity advocate, brings a deeply informed and socially responsive lens to this work. His research focuses on African American adolescent males, father absenteeism, and intersectional identity development among BIPOC LGBTQ+ youth and students with disabilities.
