It was a simple question: "How are you?" that put us on a journey of discovery. I (Lisa) wanted to get in touch with Michelle, my teaching assistant, after racist tension consumed the news. George Floyd had just been killed and the media focused on his death, the death of Ahmaud Arbery, and the cry for justice for the African American community.
Michelle was initially deaf and unsure how to articulate the various thoughts and feelings that recent events had triggered for her. I could tell that she needed a break from our usual academic work, so I assigned a reflective activity to give her space for introspection.
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The events reminded me (Michelle) of a comment actor Will Smith had made earlier on a television show that night: “Racism doesn't get worse; it is filmed. "
As my ideas began to crystallize, Lisa and I began to share our perspectives on the sobering current events. The result was a rich dialogue between us – raw, authentic and refreshingly open.
What follows is an extract from our discussion. We hope this will stimulate other discussions and encourage the counselors not to be afraid of a dialogue about the race. We believe that such open communication will help us better understand each other and the reality of systemic problems, identify our blind spots and areas of growth, improve our customer care and advance our profession.
Racism at first sight
Lisa: Michelle, you told me how much you triggered the recent acts of racism in America and the protests that followed. Could you share some of your background?
Michelle: I was born to an African American father and a Japanese mother in connection with the 1968 riot and well-known riot. The United States was embroiled in an unpopular war in Vietnam, and the racial tensions at home were an additional black eye on our status as world leaders. It is sobering to consider that the institutionalized racism that led to the widespread violence and destruction of many cities, including Washington, Chicago and Baltimore, has not been eradicated in my life.
My first understanding of racism took place in first grade. My mom met me every day after school to walk the mile or so back to our house. One day a white pickup truck pulled up next to us and two Caucasian men started shouting racist nicknames and throwing beer bottles at us. My mother grabbed me and ran to a nearby park that they couldn't follow in their vehicle.
My mother reported the incident to the police, but it was not investigated and the matter was dropped. It wasn't until a few years later that I understood what was going on that day and the fact that the idea of my existence was hideous to someone just because I looked like that.
The path to becoming a consultant
Lisa: That must have been a terrible experience for you. How did your childhood impact your career path as a professional consultant?
Michelle: I've been driven to prove my worth and worth to society through academic and athletic achievements. When it came time to apply for college, I wanted to tick the “Other” box as “Multicultural” wasn't an option at the time.
My mother surprisingly questioned my decision: "Michelle, whether you like it or not, the world will look at the color of your skin and decide that you are African American. Why not show them that you are kind too , motivated, intelligent and talented? It doesn't have to be either or. "
My mother's advice enabled me to look beyond my neighborhood and the typical path my coworkers had gone through which was community college or service and retail jobs. I applied to the United States Naval Academy and got into 10th grade which allowed women. As a midshipman, it was not lost on me that there were few black or brown faces, and I was often reminded that there were 20 other applicants for each who was accepted, so I had to have my presence counted.
I found my subsequent experience in the Marine Corps to be a great example of inclusion as we all worked together toward a common mission. There were no black, white, brown, or yellow marines – we were all "green". As an intelligence officer, I was adept at understanding the human nature of our enemies and recommending appropriate responses to conflict. This intuition and desire to heal the ailment led me straight to my next career as a professional consultant.
Experiencing racism with clients
Lisa: Have you experienced racism in dealing with customers and if so, how did you manage it?
Michelle: Depending on how I wear my hair, it was apparently difficult for others to determine my race. In the course of my life I have been mistaken for Filipino, Puerto Rican, Thai / Burmese, South Korean, and Samoan.
As a licensed professional advisor, clients have refused to meet with me because I was not pale enough for their liking or dark enough to "understand their experiences". Several clients have made racially derogatory comments about African American or Asian groups around me for being unaware of my multiracial background. A Caucasian client made the flip comment, “She [a Hispanic friend] is so stupid. What did she expect from a black man? They are all dogs and cannot keep a job! "
These comments were made so casually that it is not difficult to imagine worse things being said in other settings. It's a sad reminder that racial prejudice and stereotypes are still at the fore among some people. Sad, because such views prevent the speaker from seeing the potentially good aspects of another race and benefiting from their culture. Sad, because such a split prevents the unity that could make us stronger as neighbors, employees or fellow travelers on this life's path. My identity is neither the “little mongrel girl” who had to hide in a park, nor are these people described as the sum of these humiliating or derogatory statements. We can and must do better.
At the beginning of my career I learned from a Caucasian customer that he hated "black people". I was quite surprised and it must have shown on my face because he immediately added: "But you are fine. You are not like the others I met."
As you can imagine, I was furious with his audacity and saddened by his views, but I knew from his treatment that it was not time to get into a heated debate about his racist beliefs. However, I realized that his sharing of these ideas with me indicated that he felt safe around me and that I had been entrusted with a variable I had not previously known about him. While offended by his comment, I remember thinking, “Focus on the customer. This is not about me; it's about the customer. "
I will be judged fairly and unfairly, but I choose to live so that my race is recognized and not a critic. I also recognize that every instance of racism is a learning opportunity – for me to better understand how the other person came to their beliefs, and for clients to perhaps broaden their views to go beyond how one person looks Character to see. We are all a product of our genetics, care, environment and experience. A client's life may have taught them to hate, but if we as counselors don't believe in the potential for people to change and grow, then we are in the wrong job.
Racism can take many forms. It can be open or covert, generational or situational, and institutional or individual. As counselors, we need to be prepared for whatever it manifests itself and realize that some people don't even know how hurtful their beliefs are until they are spoken out loud and someone checks them out. In working with clients, I've found that racism is often based on fear. The more information the customer wants to know about the object of his fear, the less impact he has. Working with a client's racist utterances takes the same unconditional positive consideration you would give any client, and it is an opportunity to model healthy self-image and emotional regulation.
So let's take the previously mentioned client who said he hated black people. For this interview I'll call him "John". When John made this statement, I did not respond to his comments, but I was able to work with him later in therapy to deal with some of his distorted schemas when he was ready. The following are some practical suggestions for working with clients who show signs of racism:
1) It's not about you. (Do not personalize the racist statements of your customers.)
Me: “It sounds like there is anger and pain behind this statement. Tell me about the blacks you met before "
John: “Well, they make me sick. Are you lazy. They lie around doing drugs and collecting a social check while I keep banging my bum. "
2) Carefully challenge over-generalizations.
Me: "Who are you?" Are you talking about specific people you know? "
John: “No, you know what I mean. Black only. "
Me: "I know some black people, but they don't do drugs and they have jobs."
John: "I know they are not all like that. As I said, you are fine because I know you are making a living."
Me: "So you don't hate all blacks, only the blacks who are uneducated or unemployed?"
John: "Yes, I think."
3) Help customers clarify their feelings.
Me: “Some may see your answer as jealousy rather than hate. They work hard, but they get by without work. Would you consider jealousy a better word? "
John: “No! I'm not jealous of these black people. Shoot, I'm way better than you. I am financially secure with a good job and a house. There is nothing to be jealous of. "
Me: “You work hard and have big plans. So why are you comparing yourself to them? "
John: "I'm not! You are a burden on society. You could do as well as I did if you only applied."
Me: “So, help me understand. If there is no comparison in your eyes, why do you even care? "
John: "Because my tax dollars will finance your lifestyle."
Me: “In fact, your and my tax dollars will fund a lot of things, like the military, social security, and national debt. Do you hate her too? "
John: "No, that's just stupid. Of course I don't hate the military. They are necessary for the defense of our nation. It's just that our precious resources should only be used for important things that affect society as a whole benefit. "
Me: "If hate is too strong or not the right word, how can you better describe how you feel?"
John: "I guess you could say I'm frustrated."
4) Help clients clarify their beliefs.
Me: "OK, you are frustrated with some uneducated or unemployed black people."
John: "Yes, because they are on welfare."
Me: "I also know many welfare recipients – whites, blacks, Hispanics, etc. Are you frustrated with them too?"
John [staring at me]: "I know what you are doing. No, I am not frustrated with everyone. You just turn things around."
5) Follow psychoeducation.
Me: "I'm just trying to understand what you believe and why you believe it. Words are important and I hope you can see that there is a big difference between" I hate black people "and" I'm frustrated about. " what I consider to be the misuse of taxpayers' money ".
Some people are where they are due to lack of care, growing up in an unsafe environment or even traumatic experiences. But when you are handicapped by things beyond your control, and the color of your skin usually prevents others from seeing you as a person or realizing your worth, it is difficult to have hope of living otherwise.
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We all have prejudices – due to our genetics, care, environment and experiences – which can stimulate our emotions and distort our thinking. Racism occurs when we start to believe these biases about a whole group of people without considering individual differences. It may be easy to blame a whole group of people for a situation, but it is much more helpful to honestly examine why we feel this way and when we are in our power to do something about it.
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An open discussion of race with a client is possible, but advisors must consider the client's willingness and ensure that the discussion is an integral part of the context of the client's presentation problem. The counseling office is not a bullying pulpit nor a place where counselors can satisfy their own emotional needs. However, if a client is willing and open to discuss the topic, counselors should be willing to "go there" while maintaining empathy and without countertransference affecting their effectiveness.
Experience racism at work
Lisa: Thank you for sharing your experiences and such practical suggestions for working with customers. I think we are often surprised by comments made during the sessions and it is very helpful to think ahead of time about what to do in these situations. In addition to interacting with customers, have you also experienced racism in our professional field?
Michelle: Sure. I once had a colleague who told me that she would no longer accept Medicaid clients because they were "all black, unemployed, and unmarried with a group of children." Another colleague noted that the black customers brought their children to be tested for attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder "just so they can get a check". These were seasoned professionals who had seen customers for many years.
Lisa: How disappointing to hear such comments from your colleagues. As a Caucasian, I have found that many of my white colleagues are satisfied when they know that they are not personally prejudiced against others. However, I understand that a lack of personal hatred is not enough to counter systemic racism. As a profession, what can we do to make progress and move forward in this area?
Michelle: The first is to stop apologizing. I can't speak for all people of color, but we're not looking for excuses. Now let me consider this: I always advise my customers to "own what is yours". If you personally contributed in any way to the oppression of a person of color, apologize to that person. Otherwise, a blanket apology often suggests that someone does not understand the nature of institutional racism.
Second, ask, hear, learn and act. We will never solve the problem if we don't understand the nature of the problem. Ask people of color about their experiences. You will be surprised how many instances of racism – such as inappropriate comments or jokes in the workplace – individuals have had to brush aside or ignore. Question formal processes at work that have been around for a long time because the “this is how we always did it” attitudes may indicate tacit approval of an oppressive infrastructure (e.g., not taking Medicaid customers because they doesn't pay off as well) commercial insurance).
Listen to the conversations that take place when there are no colored people in the room. They can be an indication of an undercurrent of racism (e.g. gossip or complaints about people of color) that needs to be exposed.
Learn by reading books, listening to podcasts, or subscribing to YouTube channels of people of color.
Take action by speaking out loud when you hear racist comments or when you see acts of discrimination. Be ready to engage with faith organizations, social justice movements, and causes of people of skin color (e.g., speaking at a city council meeting about traumatized caring for African American neighborhoods or joining a peaceful march). Lastly, you will help shape the future of the consulting profession. Become a supervisor and share the wisdom you share about institutional racism and the need to work with people of color to fix the system.
Third, it is important for supervisors to recognize that our supervisors come from different backgrounds and have different levels of multicultural competence. I conduct a first interview with my supervisors to get a feel for their goals, strengths and weaknesses. Included in this interview is a question about their ethnicity, care, environment, and experience related to working with races and other marginalized groups. The answer is usually: "I had a multicultural awareness course as part of my master's degree." I understand this to mean that they don't know what they don't know, so it is the manager's responsibility to prepare consultants in training in this area of competence.
I take a supervised developmental approach and encourage supervisors to take multicultural considerations into account when approaching each client and their diagnosis. Our discussions also include case studies tailored to better identify your own prejudices and blind spots.
With all the media coverage of the race rioting, the past few weeks have provided my supervisors with a rich environment to learn about institutional racism and ask their clients questions about social justice. It is not only a multicultural but also an ethical problem. Therefore, I try to ensure that my supervisors not only can work with people from different backgrounds, but are also willing to admit their own areas of cultural ignorance and work towards expanding their knowledge.
Combination of multicultural competence and trauma-informed care
Lisa: Is there another area where we can look for change?
Michelle: All professional counseling organizations have made statements of support for the current nonviolent protests and offered opportunities to assist victims of racial trauma. This is a good start to addressing the problem. However, if we are to make a difference, we need to reassess the profession's approach to multicultural and trauma-informed education as they go hand in hand.
Most counseling programs have a compulsory multicultural class and may offer some trauma electives. However, multicultural competence should be incorporated throughout the program, and traumatized care should be a required part of any curriculum. Given that the design of the Masters programs is geared towards clinical competence, which is determined by personal hours, how well can internships and internships reveal and evaluate multicultural skills and competencies in trauma care? Her new book, Preparing for Trauma Work in Clinical Mental Health, explores concepts such as historical trauma, disenfranchised grief, advocacy, and ethnic identity and would really fill that curriculum void.
Temporary and licensed counselors should require annual multicultural and trauma refresher training to ensure that counselors are maintaining best practices. To obtain a license, counselors should demonstrate their competence in working with different clients and different trauma backgrounds. In addition, all professional advisors should play an active role in advocating for their clients and in their communities.
Just as the color of my skin is subconsciously noticed by the people I meet, similar experiences happen with our color customers, most of whom have lived with some form of oppression during their lifetime. Counselors must be prepared to address multicultural considerations in trauma-informed care in order to understand how to properly form appropriate therapeutic alliances with clients and improve safety and stabilization. This is a call from the Herald to advisors to change the way we deal with the effects of institutionalized racism if we really want to be agents of change.
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Michelle Fielder is a licensed professional advisor and recognized clinical director in private practice. She is also a PhD student in Regent University's consultant training and supervision program. Contact them at [email protected].
Lisa Compton is a certified trauma treatment specialist and full-time faculty at Regent University. Contact them at [email protected].
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