Our therapists at Davidson Family Therapy stepped back from contributing media content in order to take the time to listen and reflect on the melanated voices of our country. I have not only become aware of aspects I can refine in my personal life to be more actively anti-racist, but also have opened my eyes to ways I can incorporate anti-racism into my work as a therapist. Multicultural understanding is incorporated into every accredited counseling program and taking a multicultural perspective when working with our clients has been ingrained in our treatment as therapists, so it could be easy for therapists to think we are well-equipped to empathize with BIPOC experiences… but this thought process is far from true. After taking some time to fully listen it is clear that the journey to better understanding the systemic racism and generational trauma experienced by people of color can never be fully understood, thus the journey to understanding should never end.
Also what has come to light in our community of therapists is the difference between being “multiculturally competent” and “actively anti-racist” are two separate concepts. Essentially, “multiculturalism” is understanding and respecting cultural differences, including the cultural differences and experiences of people of color. “Anti-racism” is understanding the differences, seeing the injustices, and doing something about it. I often equate empathy to a verb, elaborating that if we were to truly understand another’s feeling, it should be so intensely uncomfortable that we should feel compelled to do something about it, which does not exclude multiculturalism. While I could never fully understand the experiences of BIPOC communities, I do understand that they have endured injustices that are so deeply ingrained into the inner-workings of our country that it is going to take uniting as a community to reconstruct a system that supports, protects, and serves all people of color equally, which is why I stand as an ally.
Allyship is defined as a “lifelong process of building relationships based on trust, consistency, and accountability with marginalized individuals and/or groups of people.” Allyship is the ongoing balance of learning, growing, promoting change. In response to this new awareness of the importance of taking multiculturalism a step further- being anti-racist, I have enrolled in trainings to broaden my understanding and sharpen my skills to further my competence in how I can introduce allyship into my work as a therapist.
One aspect I have taken away from diving deeper into the narratives of the black community is the understanding that some people of color may understandably desire a therapist that has walked a similar path as them. No matter the amount of training I could- and will, have, I could never fit into those shoes, and that is okay. It is understandable that some people may wish to see a reflection of themselves in their therapist, and it should not be such a hunt for them to find someone who has a similar cultural background as them. This is why we have compiled a list of resources that help people of color search for therapists from a directory of therapists who have specific trainings and backgrounds that equip them to address the mental health issues of people of color.
We at Davidson Family Therapy work with all communities of color, and will continue on the never-ending path of educating ourselves on ways to strengthen our skills, but we do understand that we are not always the right fit for everyone. Our wish is for this list to encourage people of color in need of therapy to seek it out, through the comfort of directories filled with therapists specifically trained and equipped to meet their needs.
1. Therapy for Black Girls: https://therapyforblackgirls.com/
2. Therapy for Black Men: https://therapyforblackmen.org/find-a-therapist/
3. Therapy for Queer and Trans People of Color: https://www.nqttcn.com/directory
4. Therapy for Queer People of Color: https://therapyforqpoc.com/qpoc-therapist-directory-1#!directory
5. Funding for Therapy for Black women and girls: https://thelovelandfoundation.org/loveland-therapy-fund/
While we will always be a resource for our community- no matter the color, we hope this list could help expand options for every person of color find a therapist best suited for them.