Lift-the-flap Questions and Answers about Racism (Questions & Answers)

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Health problems can then further affect work and income. Work, study, money, housing and physical health are all connected to our mental health. This creates a vicious circle of disadvantage. Systemic racism and the pandemic

Expectations and pressure around who we should turn to for support, like elders and spiritual leaders Internalised racism is when we hold negative views about ourselves because of our race. Internalised colourism is when these views relate to our skin shade. Anxious, fearful and unsafe. You may worry about how people are going to perceive and treat you. You might feel visibly different and vulnerable when you are around lots of people of a different race. You may spend time thinking about how you'll protect yourself before entering certain spaces. Sometimes we feel uncomfortable talking about things we don’t know much about. If a child asks you a question which you don’t know the answer to, it’s okay to suggest that you learn together. The following resources can also be a great way to improve your understanding of race and racism: This type of racism is subtle and can make it seem like it’s okay to dismiss racial prejudice or discrimination with comments like, ’it’s in your head’, or telling someone they’re ‘playing the race card’.

Anti-racism is taking action to challenge racism and promote equality. It is more than not being racist – it is about working against racism. Interpersonal racism is when a person treats you poorly or unfairly because of your race. This might be colleagues, classmates, strangers, service staff, and even family members or friends. It can happen in person or online. Learning about race, racism and privilege can lead people to consider what else they can do to combat discrimination. Sometimes, the next step can involve committing yourself to becoming actively anti-racist but it’s not always clear what that means. But when people talk about being anti-racist, it includes: Covert racism can come from unconscious bias. This is when someone unknowingly accepts racial stereotypes, and this influences their behaviour.

Forced to suppress how you feel. You may find that you can't show or even fully feel your natural responses to your experiences. To avoid more abuse, and keep yourself safe, you may feel like you must not react to racism. This can leave you feeling numb, or mean that the experience stays with you for a long time.Do they take your experiences of racism seriously? For example, by being respectful and not downplaying or denying them.

For example – experiencing institutional racism at school as a child might make it more difficult to find work as an adult. Bias in hiring processes can make this even harder. Then at work, institutional and interpersonal racism can be a barrier to promotion. These barriers can affect your income.

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Have they had any experience of supporting people with the effects of racism? You can ask them directly. A responsible therapist will answer your questions honestly and openly. Feel constant, exhausting and disempowering. For example, we may feel like we have to play different roles in different spaces to stay safe. This is sometimes called code-switching. Sometimes it's very obvious, with a clear intention to harm or offend. This is often called overt racism. It can include: It can mean the historical end of colonial rule. But it can also mean challenging the cultural dominance of Western ideas over others. It can mean breaking down the lasting impact colonialism has had on society. Racism and racial abuse or bullying can be really distressing for children and young people. When a child is bullied or treated differently because of their race, it can lead to feelings of isolation, depression, anger or even shame about their race or how they look.

Show them our information about how racism can affect mental health. It's your therapist's own responsibility to educate themselves about racism. But they may welcome new information. Confused or unsure about whether you've experienced racism. This is especially true if others ignore or deny your experiences. It can make you question your reality. This is sometimes referred to as racial gaslighting. calling out racism and discrimination wherever you see it and using your own privilege to draw attention to it Stop seeing them, or ask to be referred to another therapist. This might feel like the right option if they're often making you feel unheard, or unsafe. Angry or frustrated. Particularly if you're being treated unfairly, and if you feel powerless to control it.There's no universal definition of racial trauma. Some professionals use it to mean all the effects that encountering racism can have on how we think, feel and behave. Others, like those using the race-based traumatic stress injury model, use it to describe a specific group of symptoms. Historical trauma (or historical loss). This is when you're affected by the realisation of how your racial group has been oppressed over time. Or it can be covert or harder to recognise, involving subtle comments that put a child or young person down and devalue their experience or identity.