Black Identities and White Therapies: Race, Respect and Diversity

by Divine Charura (Editor), Colin Lago (Editor)

This vibrant new book springs from the continued failure of the counselling and psychotherapy profession to adequately prepare trainees to meet the needs of today’s multi-ethnic, multiracial and multicultural society. The editors, both highly experienced trainers and academics, have gathered together here a group of new and established writers who draw on personal and professional experiences to present an array of fresh ideas and approaches. Their aim is to inform training curricula that would more adequately prepare therapy students to respond sensitively and in culturally appropriate ways to clients of diverse cultural and racial identities.

Each chapter presents a challenge to all therapeutic practitioners, whatever their specialist role, to attend to and reflect on their personal and professional attitudes and behaviours in relation to clients of all heritages and origins. Issues addressed include unconscious privilege, ‘othering’, micro-aggressions, broaching, racism, discrimination, the search for meaning, identity complexity, intersectional understanding, heritage, biases and projections, trauma, intergenerational trauma, introjections, projection and decolonisation of the curriculum.

This book is a wake-up call to the profession to develop more inclusive models of theory and practice, and to every counsellor, psychotherapist and counselling psychologist to review their professional practice and ensure a better fit between the aspirations and theories of their professional calling and the needs of our multi-ethnic, multiracial and multicultural society today.

Genres: Nonfiction, Counselling, Race, Psychology, Anti Racist

251 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2021

Reviews

[Reuben Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally get to mark it completed after 18 months! 🥳🫠😂 I think when I started this I wanted it to be the Black version of Czyzselska’s ‘Queering Psychotherapy’, and when it wasn’t, I struggled to engage as well - where QP was generally pretty conversational and accessible, this felt way more academic and I just generally don’t get on well with textbooks. I’m glad I persevered (slowly) though, because it was such a useful resource. There was so much in it that prompted reflection and self-development, taught me new things, backed up stuff I already thought with solid theory and research, and inspired me on how to improve my practice. Absolutely deserves to be on every therapist and trainee’s reading list.

[Meep · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a stunning book. I have dog-eared so many pages.

It speaks to the experience of student and trainer, qualified counsellors and supervisor, no matter what your race or ethnicity.

It is a must-read for anyone who wants to be an effective counsellor.