Disclosing racial trauma in psychological therapy: Exploring the experiences of racially minoritised people in the UK.

Abstract

Objectives: Exposure to racism is repeatedly experienced by individuals from racially minoritised backgrounds, and has a range of negative emotional, physical and social consequences; however, its traumatising effects are under-recognised. Further, psychological therapists often lack sufficient knowledge, training and confidence to sensitively manage conversations about racism. As this has important implications for the standards of care this population receives, this study explored how racially minoritised clients experience disclosing, or attempting to disclose racial trauma in psychological therapy.

Design: The study utilised an online qualitative survey design.

Methods: Participants were 28 adults who identified as belonging to minoritised racial groups and had engaged in psychological therapy in the UK. Therapy spanned a range of modalities, and providers included the NHS, private therapists/organisations, charities and university services. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.

Results: Three superordinate themes were constructed: The Dangers of Disclosure; Holding the Burden; and Feeling Heard and Held. These demonstrated both the range of potential harms and burdens associated with disclosures of racial trauma in therapy, and examples of meaningful, validating therapist responses to disclosure.

Conclusions: Therapists, regardless of racial heritage, have the potential to both perpetuate harm and provide meaningful support in response to disclosures of racial trauma. Racial reflexivity and education on racism and racial trauma are essential to ethical and antiracist therapeutic practice, and crucial to safeguarding racially minoritised clients from racial harm in therapy. These must be embedded in training, practice and policy for meaningful improvements in racially minoritised clients' experiences of therapy to occur.