Throughout history, the portrayal of Black people as undesirable, violent, and hypersexual, dating back to European expansion into the Americas, has had profound and enduring consequences. This negative portrayal, initially employed to legitimize the conquest and sale of African people, has left a deep psychological impact on Black individuals. The repercussions encompass self-hatred, internalized racism, and an erosion of Black consciousness within the community.
In the 1960s, Martin Luther King Jr. recognized the destructive influence of racist stereotypes and sought to alter the language and symbols of racism. His aspiration was to see the word “black” associated with beauty, but despite his efforts, Black individuals continue to grapple with feelings of alienation due to racialized trauma. This term refers to the emotional toll of racism, racial discrimination, and violence, primarily experienced by Black individuals.
As a psychologist and counseling professor, I collaborated with mental health counselor Janeé M. Steele in a 2022 peer-reviewed article to explore the mental injuries inflicted by encounters with racial bias, hostility, discrimination, and harassment. Our research underscores the significance of healing from racialized trauma, which can mitigate the adverse impacts of racism and provide emotional resources to confront racial injustices.
The American Psychological Association defines trauma as any distressing experience leading to profound fear, helplessness, dissociation, confusion, or other intense and enduring negative emotions that affect a person’s attitudes, behavior, and overall functioning. Racialized trauma is frequently encountered through everyday slights such as store owners monitoring people of color, racial slurs, denied opportunities, racial profiling, and hate crimes. These experiences, known as race-based events, can occur directly between individuals or groups or indirectly, such as witnessing incidents of police brutality in videos. Regardless of their form, race-based events leave lasting psychological wounds, including increased hypervigilance, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and diminished self-esteem among people of color.
In the course of our research, we conducted interviews, including one with a 29-year-old Black woman who grew up in a predominantly white neighborhood near Detroit and was the first in her family to graduate from college and earn a master’s degree in counseling. Upon entering her first full-time job, she faced an environment dominated by white males where the voices of people of color were rarely heard. During staff meetings, she was often ignored, except when discussing issues of race. As a result, she felt devalued, leading to feelings of anxiety, sadness, and hopelessness, as well as a decline in self-esteem.
Healing from racialized trauma is achievable, although current instances of social injustice, coupled with centuries of violence, poverty, inadequate education, mass incarceration, family dysfunction, and health disparities, have made it challenging for some Black individuals to maintain hope—a crucial element in overcoming this trauma.
However, through the acquisition of new coping strategies and thought patterns, individuals can rediscover hope and recover from racialized trauma. Drawing from nearly 20 years of clinical experience and research, we have identified five holistic approaches to address these wounds:
Understanding and Identifying Racialized Trauma: The first step involves recognizing and comprehending the psychological consequences of racialized trauma, along with gaining knowledge of wellness strategies.
Promoting Higher Self-Esteem: Affirming personal strengths and replacing negative beliefs can empower individuals to confront racialized trauma effectively.
Developing Resilience: Tenacity during adversity is vital. Connecting with individuals, family, and the community can foster resilience, and engaging in activities that highlight cultural strengths can boost self-esteem.
Empowerment: Strength can be found in personal choices. Supporting Black-owned businesses, attending cultural events, and developing strategies for financial independence are ways to promote empowerment.
Building Community: Fostering a sense of belonging and combating feelings of isolation triggered by racialized trauma can be achieved through community engagement.
These five strategies offer a path towards healing from racialized trauma, providing individuals with the tools to confront the psychological impact of racism and contribute to the ongoing fight against racial injustices.