Therapists’ Duty to be Allies in the Black Lives Matter Movement
Written by Brooklyn Do, 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.
Psychology and psychotherapy have not fully made efforts to understand the emotional experiences of people of color, individuals of low socio-economic status, LGBTQI+ and non-binary identities, women, non-Western cultures or how any of these identities may intersect in one person. These identities have been subjected to historical prejudice that resulted in generations of trauma. Psychological research has shown the negative impact of racism in America on Black and African Americans. The Williams & Williams-Morris. (2010) study found: first, racism in societal institutions can lead to limited or paralyzed socioeconomic mobility, differential access to desirable resources, and poor living conditions that can negatively affect mental health. Second, experiences of discrimination can induce physiological and psychological reactions that can lead to adverse changes in mental health status. Third, in race-conscious societies, the acceptance of negative cultural stereotypes can lead to internalized negative self-evaluations that have deleterious effects on psychological well-being.
In order to create lasting change, we must start by reflecting on our own personal privileges and confront internalized biases. This process is not intended to attack or shame a person, it is an acknowledgment of our role and how we benefit from a system that has been created to benefit a homogenous subpopulation: White, middle-upper class, Judeo-Christian, heterosexual males. As a therapist, this should be a regular practice when working with clients, especially now, we must make more conscious efforts to do so. When I think about my personal privileges such as, being able to obtain higher education, having a light skin complexion, being white-passing, having stable income/health insurance, etc., I think about how to leverage my privilege to create a more intersectional and just world. This is part of the reason I chose to become a therapist.
This current civil movement is a call for all mental health professionals to do more. Therapists must work on our ally-ship with historically oppressed communities and the Black Lives Matter movement. It is our therapeutic responsibility to acknowledge our privileges and challenge biases, educate ourselves in multicultural and social justice counseling theories, give a platform to our colleagues of color to lead us in understanding minority communities, and listen to the stories of Black and African Americans. This process is evolving, enlightening, and continuous.
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 nonjudgmental environment where I will be able to 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 must continue to work on educating myself and using my role as therapist to voice how important it is to hear the pain that communities are in. The duty therapists have to be an ally to the Black Lives Matter movement cannot be understated or forgotten. Black lives matter, Black emotions matter, Black dreams matter, and Black stories must be heard.