Written by Brooklyn Do LMHC, CoreStory Clinician
[Click here to read more about her]
The recent events regarding police brutality and the murders of Black men and women are a painful reminder for Black and African Americans that racial inequality is ingrained in the American justice system. George Floyd is not the first or even the most recent victim of abuse of power and force from the police. It is long overdue for our country to take an introspective look at the implicit and explicit biases that imposes itself on our judgement and decision making as a society.
I am joining CoreStory as a clinician at a painful time in history. It is difficult to feel optimistic and excited about this new role, however I am feeling determined. CoreStory is the safe and nonjudgement environment where I will be able hear and process individual and unique stories. My goal for this role is to hear and understand a person’s experiences, and emotional healing. My privilege in this role and as a mental health professional affords me a seat at certain tables. I must use that seat to advocate for better mental health for Black and African American communities. I propose the following initial steps towards therapeutic allyship with the Black Lives Matter Movement:
Self-Reflection: identifying personal privileges and ways we’ve benefitted from a inherently racist society.
Challenge Biases: Everyone, even therapists, internalize cultural and racial biases. We must bring these biases to consciousness and challenge how they impact our judgment and decision making.
Actively Seek Education: Mental Health professionals must continually seek education on multi-cultural counseling.
Listen: A platform must be given to Black and other historically oppression communities to share their experiences and stories. These steps are a brief introduction to a lifelong process to dismantle a system designed to benefit a homogenous subpopulation: White, middle-upper class, Judeo-Christian, heterosexual males.
For a more extensive piece on my thoughts on therapeutic allyship and the BLM movement click here: https://www.corestoryny.com/new-page-2
For more information visit:
- https://www.nami.org/Your-Journey/Identity-and-Cultural-Dimensions/Black-African-American
- https://borislhensonfoundation.org/covid-19-free-virtual-therapy-support-campaign/