Real Therapy's Commitment to Anti-Racism
Let me begin by acknowledging that becoming anti-racist is a lifelong process, not an outcome. Let me also say that as a white woman, I could have launched a successful career as a therapist without ever “needing” to do the hard work of becoming anti-racist. This is a tragic problem.
I was educated and trained in a system that upholds white supremacy. I willingly intellectualized race in the protected walls of my grad school classrooms but failed to identify the very personal transgressions for which I needed to be held accountable (white fragility at its finest). Outside of the classroom, I know I have hurt Black clients and colleagues by not committing to anti-racist practices sooner, or for failing to fully commit because of my own personal, social, or financial benefit. For that I am deeply sorry.
My aim was to have Real Therapy rooted in anti-racist social work. It was born from years of direct service with BIPOC communities in Chicago and fellowships in India and the Middle East-North Africa (MENA) region. It was my dream to open and operate a therapy practice that could effectively support marginalized people without the constraints of external funding that so often steers nonprofits away from their original mission and vision.
Although I have been actively practicing anti-racist social work for the past several years, I am still learning and making mistakes along the way.
Here are some concrete actions that Real Therapy is taking to advance racial justice through mental health. I truly hope you (and other community members) will consider providing feedback and suggestions. This list is meant to be ever-evolving.
Clinical Practices
#1: I commit to honoring the therapy session as a healing space for Black clients, not for myself.
#2: I commit to acknowledging my own biases, values, and privileged identities openly with clients.
#3: I welcome inquiry, pushback, and feedback from clients on race-related conversations, while not expecting BIPOC clients to be my educators.
Education & Training
#4: I commit to ongoing training and education about anti-racism.
I am currently involved in a group that meets bi-weekly to unpack white supremacy and take action on racial justice. I am leading a project within this group that focuses on practicing anti-racism in the workplace.
#5: I commit to collaborating with BIPOC therapists through consultation and supervision.
Community Building & Accessibility
#6: Real Therapy reserves 20% of appointments for clients who need a sliding scale fee.
#7: [In the works] Real Therapy will be partnering with local nonprofits that serve BIPOC to help provide low- to no-cost services to their clients.
I’d love to hear your reflections, thoughts, criticism, ideas, or any general feedback. Feel free to leave a comment below and/or contact me directly.