Racial Trauma Is Real

Many forms of trauma are readily acknowledged as legitimate and valid — sexual assault, violence, childhood neglect and abuse, the list goes on. For a long time, therapists have discussed whether the way we define trauma is sufficient. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel currently defines trauma as exposure to:

death, threatened death, actual or threatened serious injury, or actual or threatened sexual violence

While I use and appreciate the value of the DSM-5 in my work as a therapist, I find this definition restrictive. In my work with clients, I’ve seen the impact of all kinds of trauma, including relational trauma and religious trauma/abuse. These forms of trauma have a similar impact on my clients as those in the proper definition of trauma. This includes experiences of dissociation, use of survival modes, hypervigilance, and many other hallmarks of trauma disorders.

In addition to those mentioned above, I firmly believe that racial trauma is a unique kind of trauma that is extremely important for therapists to know about and validate.

What is Racial Trauma?

As a therapist who believes in the validity of racial trauma, I understand racial trauma to be the result of the survival mentality needed to live in a society centered around white supremacy and racist structures. People of color who live in this kind of system have survival systems attuned to the this reality, which can result in long term impact on an individual’s psychology and well-being.

Some hallmark experiences of those with racial trauma (summarized based on description in “Racial Trauma: Clinical Strategies and Techniques for Healing Invisible Wounds” by Kenneth V. Hardy) include:

Internalized Devaluation: An unconscious process of taking in the negative racial views of a racist society.

Assaulted Sense of Self: The result of the survival strategy of acquiescing to white values, which makes it difficult to discern one’s authentic self.

Learned Voicelessness: The result of the silencing process (white power used to define and dominate, white denial/dismissal, white intimidation, white expectation of gratitude, white recruitment of surrogate silencers).

Psychological Homelessness: A chronic existential and emotional state that severs one’s sense of safety, connection, and belonging.

Rage: The natural raw, sustained intense emotion that necessarily results from a lifetime of experiencing racial trauma wounds, marginalization, acts of domination, loss, and life in a racist society.

Intangible Loss and Invisible Collective Grief: Emotional, psychological, and spiritual losses related to living in a racist society (e.g. loss of feeling of safety or dignity, loss of connection to cultural history, etc.)

Orientation Toward Survival: A metaphorical worldview / internal reflex to be continually both consciously and unconsciously considering survival.

I work with clients from all backgrounds and with those who have experienced all kinds of trauma. Regardless of whether you are seeking therapy for racial trauma specifically or you are seeking therapy for another reason but you know you have experienced racial trauma as well, I believe it’s important for you to openly know how I understand these things.

As a white therapist, I will not be the right therapist to work with every client who has experienced racial trauma — and that’s okay! It just may not feel safe or helpful to be in the healing space with someone who does not have the lived experiences of a person of color. There are many highly competent therapists out there who are people of color, and finding the right fit is big part of entering a therapeutic space that will meet your needs.

At the same time, I firmly believe in your right to choose what is right for you at each step of your journey; it is not my place to say if you should or shouldn’t work with me. If you do find yourself wanting to work with me for whatever reason, you and your experiences and your survival are welcome here.

For further reading on these topics, I highly recommend the book “Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome” by Joy DeGruy and the book “Racial Trauma: Clinical Strategies and Techniques for Healing Invisible Wounds” by Kenneth V. Hardy.