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Healing from racial trauma is possible. But yet, with the contemporary state of racial profiling and police brutality as reminders that Black lives do not matter, combined with racial injustice leading to education, housing, employment and health disparities within the Black communities, it can be difficult to maintain hope. Nevertheless, learning new ways of thinking and coping, it is possible to heal and overcome the wounds and pains of racial trauma. The first step is to look inwardly and remove the defenses covering up racial trauma.
When we experience a physical wound, we may put on a bandage so that the wound is not visible to others. Similarly, one covers up hurt of racial trauma to make it less visible or less detectable. These coverups often take the form of internalising emotions, suppressing feelings or isolating oneself from sources of racial trauma. After acknowledging the negative ways of coping with racial trauma, next steps include processing and expressing emotions and feelings and learning to cope using positive strategies, such as journaling, mindfulness, performance art to connect with social supports and undo the effects of racial trauma. It can feel like sorting through a mess in a closet. Items in the closet represent the memories and the experiences one has from racial trauma.
These experiences might include being the target of racial slur; racial profiling; attacks on self-worth; limited access to employment, education, healthcare, or housing; witnessing police brutality. Every time one experiences a new incident one folds it, throws it into the closet and eventually the closet is packed tight with memories of hurt. Healing from racial trauma entails slowly unpacking the closet, examining the things that one wants to keep and the things one wants to get rid of: (a). Examining the experiences with racism and racial trauma, (b). Exploring the psychological effect of trauma, (c). Identifying personal triggers, (d). Increasing cognitive and behavioural strategies for coping and healing. |
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Published on 23.03.2026 at 16:50 
