Racism is systemically entrenched in the history of the US, this nation was built and financed through the use of slave labor, largely Black bodies stolen, pillaged, and traded from Africa. Throughout the history of the US, those who were not of Western European decent where considered “less,” in either literal value, or intelligence/acumen, or some other arbitrary means of comparison dictated by white colonizers.
Darling Mental Health holds strong the belief that for a true and equitably vibrant society to exist and flourish, we must be willing to look at history objectively, and with a mind to providing space for reconciliation, reparation, and acknowledgement of systemic abuse. Without these measures and languages, we are simply the benefactors of conquerors, and we believe that striving to be more than just conquerors is the measure of humanity. We acknowledge the privileges and history of oppression white colonizers perpetuated in these lands and we support with full fidelity the Black Lives Matter movement that articulates the lives of people of color are of equal value and merit to exist as their white counterparts.
I invite all persons to reflect on what identity they hold, what privilege and burden has been assigned to them, and what degree of shame and guilt may be unique to their experience as a person of minority status.
Systemic racial trauma has damaged the relationship communities of color have with the institutions of medicine, justice, education, and society influenced by colonial heritage and standards of performance that align with a white lens and are coded with words like “decorum” and “professionalism.” Evidence of this systemic trauma is demonstrated in disparities experienced by the individuals of these communities and reported in several statistics. Rates of PTSD and the severity of those symptoms are higher for Black Americans than Latinx Americans which are higher than for White Americans. For that reason, discussion about systemic racism is often essential to establish a safe space for healing.
There are several key components of historical, and continued, items that I keep in mind when acknowledging racism, perspectives, harms and a lack of reparation in the United States. The Tuskegee Syphilis Study, Henrietta Lacks, residential segregation practices, lending practices affecting the accumulation of wealth in families, disproportionate removal of men and father figures in communities of color through racial profiling and other policing practices, treatment and conscripted labor practices of prisoners in Georgia and other states resulting in mimicry of former slavery practices, and white-centric employment practices (e.g. coding natural hair and grooming as “unprofessional” affecting promotion and compensation rates), are starting points to conceptualize the degree of racism that has and does exist at all levels of society.
The history of racism in the United States must include a discussion about the degree of propaganda and alternative facts used for hundreds of years to instill values entrenched in white supremacy and ethno-centrism. Therapy can evaluate what degree of belief one holds that one’s viewpoint about race, ethnicity, and culture is right and justified to the extent that it is inappropriately used for all measures of judgment on self and others. The inherent bias often created from unchecked worldviews can leave well-meaning people to act indifferent to the plight of others, diminish the capacity for empathy, and limit one’s ability to critically think about their life and the degree of authenticity in the values they profess.
I strongly believe that an anti-racist stance includes empathy to those who have been victim to institutional/systemic racism and working to find language that appropriately and truthfully conveys the work still needed for justice to exist. As a therapist I continue to learn and appreciate any information my clients wish to share about their experiences and understanding of what racism looks like today, in their upbringing, and what language was passed down to them.
All lives cannot matter until Black Lives Matter.
Articles to Consider
American Psychological Association Guidelines on Race and Ethnicity in Psychology
Braveman PA, Arkin, Proctor D, Kuah T, Holm N. Systemic And Structural Racism: Definitions, Examples, Health Damages, And Approaches To Dismantling. Health Affairs 2022;41(2).
Evans AM, Hemmings C, Burkhalter C, Lacy V. Responding to race-related trauma: counseling and research recommendations to promote post-traumatic growth when counseling African American males. Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision. 2016;8(1).
Spoont M, McClendon J. Racial and ethnic disparities in PTSD. PTSD Research Quarterly. 2020;4:1-12.
