Understanding And Healing From Racial Trauma
“Everything going on is just too much right now.”
The number of times I’ve heard this over the past few months feels preposterous, but it’s the truth.
In the wake of recovering from COVID, dealing with an inept federal administration, seasonal depression, inflation, and having some truly horrible legislation signed into law locally: Marginalized communities, specifically racial minorities, have been carrying immense stress on our backs as we move forward.
Often, it may feel like we don't have the time or energy to discuss and share resources to engage in collective coping strategies. I hope to provide some language you can use to have these conversations on your own, with your peers, and your community. These conversations can help address inequality and heal generational trauma.
Racial Trauma, sometimes referred to as “racial battle fatigue,” describes how exposure to overt and covert forms of systemic racism can build up in people’s lives and cause serious injury to their mental and physical health.
This kind of trauma can be widespread among people of color and other marginalized groups in the U.S. Racial trauma can develop as a result of traumatic experiences both within and outside of your racial group.
Racial trauma can take on many forms, such as:
Post Traumatic Stress (PTSD) related to a single event: Experiencing or witnessing a terrifying event. When your safety is seriously threatened, or you feel like it is, it will have an impact on you. Incidents like hate crimes, racist assault, sexual crimes, and legal disenfranchisement can significantly shape your worldview and sense of self.
Secondary Trauma: When you are present for or see/hear about horrifying events, such as videos of racial violence, mass shootings, or reports of discrimination in your community.
Intergenerational Trauma: Mental and Physiological wounds that trickle down from one generation to the next. Trauma can show up on a genetic, cultural, and/or familial level. Intergenerational trauma is perpetuated by structural violence and ingrained racism in our institutions in the United States. Communities of color are not only tasked with battling the current climate, but they have also inherited the stress of violence/oppression directed towards their ancestors' generation.
Chronic Stress related to racism: Experiences that are ongoing and become harder to cope with as the burdens grow. This may include being stereotyped, ignored, discriminated against, held to higher standards, and other forms of mistreatment. This may also manifest as anxiety, depression, and excessive worry when dealing with racist laws, lack of access to resources, lack of social support, and lack of community.
How is This Impacting Me?
Racial Trauma is often unacknowledged, and, in many communities, it can feel taboo to speak about. However, the wounds can run deep. When people are unable to find the support they need to cope with how racial realities are impacting their lives, they may find themselves struggling with mental illnesses and physical health problems. They may also adopt unhealthy coping mechanisms.
These problems may include:
Recurring unwanted thoughts related to race-based experiences
Being constantly on edge or on guard
Avoiding places, people, and situations related to race-based experiences
Trouble sleeping
Digestive issues
Increased substance abuse
Self-destructive behaviors
Chronic Pain
High blood pressure and cardiac issues
Dissociation: feeling detached from one’s body and passively experiencing life
Feelings of worthlessness
Negative thoughts
Internalized racism, which is a negative self-perception of your own racial group
How Do I Heal From Racial Trauma?
Here are some ways to engage in healing and coping with racial trauma, for yourself and for future generations.
Build Pride Around Your Racial Identity
Engage with stories, music, and artifacts. Having an understanding of cultural history can be the first step to celebrating it.
Spend Time with your community. Being seen and heard is essential to healing. Connect with people who can engage in racially conscious conversations and help you process your thoughts and feelings.
Be creative with kiddos and the elderly. Both of these groups carry a lot of wisdom to share with all of us. Engaging in fun activities with them is shown to increase right-left brain connectivity.
Identify and Grow Safe Spaces
Are there hobbyist spaces or affinity groups where you would feel welcome? Some local examples include Artes de Mexico en Utah, Utah Muslim Civic League, and the Utah Center for Connection.
Spend your buck at local businesses owned by folks of color instead of chains. Check out Culture Coffee or Mestizo Coffee House. Order takeout from Mumbai House. Get your hair done at Curl Co. The options are endless!
Emotional Expression
Give yourself space and permission to feel all the complex feelings involved with being a person of color right now. If it is difficult to sit with your feelings, try drawing/writing, singing, screaming, boxing, or other activities you enjoy.
Journal your rage. Create poetry, share stories, make art, or design protest signs.
Engage in activism. What is the local community already doing that you can be a part of? Where does your expertise lie, and how can you apply it to empower marginalized communities?
Limit Your Use Of Social Media
Images and words shared on social media can be re-traumatizing. Go to your Instagram settings and turn off autoplay on videos to give you more control over what you see.
Unfollow accounts that trigger you, and limit your interactions with people who antagonize others on social media.
Get your news and political updates on websites, in newsletters, or at defined times rather than amid your feed. Let your social media become a place for art, connection, and joy.
Be Aware Of Your Mental Health
Check in with yourself about symptoms of racial trauma and be aware of changes in your behavior. Seek additional support if you need it, such as therapy, spiritual guidance, or family support.
Go outside. Be active. Play! The best thing you can do when people want to steal your joy is to refuse to give it to them. Find ways to get out of your routine and do things that make you laugh.
Explore Therapy. If ongoing issues of racial trauma continue to be distressing, therapy could be very beneficial in resolving the hurt and helping you feel more confident and empowered in life.
BIPOC-Owned Therapy in Salt Lake City
At Arches Healing & Growth, these conversations are not only part of our training, for many of us, they are part of our lived experience. Our practice is both BIPOC and transgender-owned, so our practice includes lessons learned from being marginalized. It can be incredibly beneficial to work with a therapist who shares some of your experiences.
Our licensed clinicians are available for individual, couples, or family therapy. Follow us on Instagram to stay updated on upcoming groups and workshops.
You can also schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced therapists!
