How to be a Better White Therapist for Black, Indigenous and People of Color

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I’ve had countless conversations with well-meaning white therapists that ask me how they can “help” Black, Indigenous, and People of global majority better.

I ask them what they’ve done so far, and overwhelmingly, they mean how to be a more effective therapist. Which, on the surface, sounds fine.

When I return to the fact that therapy does not happen within a vacuum, White therapists are often at a loss on how to be “helpful” beyond upholding this very privileged, powerful “helper” role.

No, asking BI&POC clients how they feel towards working with a white therapist is not “doing the work”.

The guise of “help” is harmful unless if one is committed to betraying the colonial empire.

Ways to be a Better White Therapist for Black, Indigenous and People of Color

Imagine a world where white therapists focused less on “helping” Black, Indigenous, and People of global majority “heal”, and more on:

betraying one’s role in upholding colonial violence
paying reparations & Landback movements, returning land
holding one another accountable, starting with the most powerful
dismantling whiteness, white feminism and supremacy delusion
helping other white people wake up, heal and transform
divesting from colonial capitalism

Can one’s ego bear directing all efforts towards ending occupation & empire, without colluding with the self-indulgent “sending aid” mislead? Stop white-savior violence on Turtle Island, globally, and in the mental health industrial complex.

I invite you to seriously sit with these concrete actions, bring them into dialogue with your community/ workplace/ supervision, and get to work. Click the images below for more resources.

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In solidarity for collective liberation & healing.