Webinar – Understanding The Psychological Impact Of Racial Trauma
This webinar took place on Thursday 24 February, 12-12.45pm GMT
What is racial trauma
Racial trauma refers to the mental and emotional harm caused by encounters with racial bias and ethnic discrimination, racism, or hate crimes. Racial trauma can result directly from other people or can be experienced within a wider system. It can also occur as a result of directly experiencing racism that is enacted on you, witnessing other people facing racism, or it can be shared intergenerationally.The impact of racial trauma on wellbeing
Experiences of race-based discrimination can have significant psychological impacts on individuals and their wider communities. In some individuals, prolonged incidents of racism can lead to symptoms like those experienced with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This can look like depression, anger, recurring thoughts of the event, physical reactions (e.g. headaches, chest pains, insomnia), hypervigilance, low-self-esteem, and dissociation.What will you learn from this webinar?
This FREE webinar explores some personal experiences of racial trauma, focusing on racial trauma in the workplace as well as how this can occur within the therapy room, in order to help raise awareness of the psychological impact of racial trauma and to encourage those who are suffering to seek support.Webinar recording
If you didn't register prior to the event, the webinar recording can be viewed via this link. If you registered for the webinar, you will automatically receive a link to view the recording within 48 hours of the webinar.Resources provided during this webinar
First Psychology Booklets
- Coping After Trauma - Your Guide To PTSD (pdf)
- Understanding And Learning How To Be Self-Compassionate - A Workbook And Guide (pdf)
- Your Guide To Mindfulness (pdf)
Suggested reading
- Book - Cousins, S, and C Hill, 2019, Overcoming everyday racism: Building resilience and wellbeing in the face of discrimination and microaggressions, London, Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
- Book - Kinouani, G, 2022, Living while black: Using joy, beauty, and connection to heal racial trauma, Boston, MA, Beacon Press.
- Journal article - Sue, D. W., Capodilupo, C.M., Torino, G.C., Bucceri, J.M., Holder, A.M., Journal - Nadal, K.L. & Esquilin, M. (2007), Racial microaggressions in everyday life: Implications for clinical practice, Am. Psychol., 62 (4), 271-86. doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.62.4.271.