Healing from racial trauma: tools for Black adults

Psychologists writing in the APA’s 2019 special issue on racial trauma describe healing that happens in groups and communities, not only in one-to-one therapy.

Because racism keeps happening, healing often means recovering again and again. Setbacks are not failure. Each time, you can return to what helps.

You don’t need to do everything. One breath practice, one boundary or one conversation is a real start.

The APA suggests talking with people you trust, such as friends, family, faith leaders or a therapist. Putting feelings into words can make them feel less intense, while bottling them up can take a toll over time.

Whether to report, speak up or let it go is your choice. Writing things down now keeps your options open.

Replaying what you should have said is common. Try writing it all down once, then closing the notebook. Expressive writing is one of the coping tools with research behind it.

Try this

1. Sit or lie down and drop your shoulders.
2. Breathe in through your nose for a count of 4.
3. Breathe out slowly for a count of 6.
4. Repeat for 2 to 5 minutes.

The APA suggests 10–20 minutes of deep breathing or meditation as a way to manage racial stress.

The APA suggests a short walk or 5–10 minutes of stretching or yoga, noting that being active helps reduce and manage stress.

Ideas

• Dance to a favourite song
• Join a walking group with friends
• Play ball, ride a bike, swim
• Stretch before bed

Mindfulness, which means paying calm attention to the present moment, is one of the coping tools reviewed for racial stress. Prayer and meditation are also listed by Mental Health America as ways to feel grounded.

Ideas

• No news or social media in the last hour before bed
• Write worries down so they don’t loop
• A calming routine: shower, music, scripture, prayer
• Keep your room dark and cool

• Body rest: naps, lying down, a slow morning
• Mind rest: time off screens and news
• Social rest: time with people who fill you up, or time alone
• Spirit rest: prayer, nature, music, worship

If resting makes you feel guilty, notice where that message came from. You are worthy of rest because you are human, not because you finished everything.

Ideas

• Close your eyes for five minutes at lunch
• Sit outside without your phone
• Say no to one extra task this week
• Take a full day off when you can

Self-compassion means meeting your own pain with kindness instead of blame. It is one of the strategies reviewed for racial stress.

The APA describes internalized racism, when negative messages about your group start to feel true about you. Noticing and questioning those thoughts, sometimes called cognitive restructuring, can loosen their grip.

Ask yourself

• Whose voice is this?
• What is the evidence against it?
• What would I say to a friend who thought this?

Some approaches teach you to notice thoughts as passing events rather than truths, called cognitive defusion. For example, “I’m not good enough” becomes “I’m having the thought that I’m not good enough.”

Expressive writing, putting your deepest thoughts and feelings about an experience on paper, is one of the coping tools reviewed. The APA suggests 5–10 minutes of journaling in the morning or before bed.

Mental Health America notes that a strong sense of community, heritage and history can support resilience, and that Black history is full of leaders, inventors, artists and activists.

Mental Health America suggests connecting with your culture, traditions and community to build a sense of belonging.

Ideas

• Cook a family recipe and share the story behind it
• Make a playlist of music that makes you proud
• Visit a Black museum, bookstore or festival
• Spend time with elders and listen

Laughter, celebration and creativity have long carried Black communities through hard times. Making space for them is part of healing.

The APA notes that constant coverage of racial injustice can be a source of stress, and suggests being deliberate about how much you take in.

Ideas

• Check the news once or twice a day, not all day
• Skip graphic videos; read a summary instead
• Mute words or accounts that leave you worse off
• Follow hard news with something that brings you joy

Questions to ask

• Is it safe to respond right now?
• Do I have the energy today?
• What outcome do I want?
• Can I come back to this later?

Things you can say

• “I’m not up for that conversation today.”
• “There are great books on that. I can send you one.”
• “I need to step away for a minute.”

In a large 2021 survey, most Black adults said they rely on prayer to help make major decisions. The APA suggests talking with clergy as one way to share what you are feeling.

BEAM (Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective) trains and supports healers and grassroots groups. It offers wellness tools, such as journal prompts, affirmations and peer support guides.

The APA lists advocacy as a protective factor and suggests exploring anger and pain through conversation or advocacy.

Action can be small

• Mentor a young person
• Volunteer with a local group
• Speak at a school or community meeting
• Support Black-owned businesses and artists

• BEAM: a Black Virtual Wellness Directory of healers and practitioners
• Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation: the Let’s Talk! Resource Guide of providers
• Therapy for Black Girls: a directory for Black women and girls

The AAKOMA Project provides tools and resources for youth and young adults of color and their caregivers.

• “Have you worked with Black clients who have experienced racism?”
• “How comfortable are you talking about race?”
• “How would you include my faith and culture?”
• “What do you do if you get something wrong about my culture?”