How are counselors currently having therapy with Black individuals?
Counselors have generally highlighted working on a patient’s internal development using specific treatment modalities such as Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy while never acknowledging the patient’s race, ethnicity, or culture.
While these treatment modalities have shown to be successful when working with individuals in treatment they don't consider the impact of race, ethnicity, or culture.
Counselors, while aware of environmental challenges that Black individuals may face, are unsure of how to address these challenges with patients.
"I've had Black patients who can't make it out of the communities that impact their mental health. They continue to experience all of the trauma, racism, and oppression daily. I'm not sure If I was trained to help them with that."
"We do all we can in treatment but when patients are going back to the same community that's full of oppression and negativity what can we do."
" We need to do more work on actually changing the system and the environment for patients, like advocate for the community to change. A lot of my black patients that I see in and out of treatment don't have any other place to go to after treatment and I can't change that."
What’s Impacting the Conversation?
There are many factors impacting if and how we have conversations surrounding race/ethnicity in treatment.
Research and counselors state the following factors impact having conversations about race, ethnicity, and culture:
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Lack of training
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Racism
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Being fearful of doing more harm due to a lack of understanding
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Being confident due to being Black or another minority
Where do we start?
Having conversations about race, ethnicity, and culture may not be easy. You can start by doing the following.
Do your own work:
Engage in skill-building that will help enhance your racial awareness and sensitivity and expand your different cultures.
Invite discussions about race:
Broach the conversation regarding race, culture, and ethnicity with your client. Identify any shifts or discomfort that may arise and be open to discussing it while respecting any boundaries the client may set. Remain mindful of how individuals are impacted systemically due to their race.
Engage in discussions about race outside of the therapy room:
Have conversations about race with other individuals. While this may lead to discomfort, it is important to continue to work through this discomfort.
Accept that you will make mistakes
You are going to make a mistake and that is a part of learning. Be open to correction from clients and others and be willing to learn how to change and process how that mistake may have impacted the therapeutic space.
