My Story, My Way: Conceptualization of Narrative Therapy with Trauma-Exposed Black Male Youth

Abstract

This manuscript conceptualizes narrative therapy as a therapeutic intervention for race-based trauma experienced by trauma-exposed Black males. Urban youth, particularly Black males in high-risk communities, frequently witness community violence and endure multiple ongoing traumas, including those that are race-related. Such trauma may be overlooked or exacerbated in schools through teachers’ implicit bias, inappropriate zero-tolerance disciplinary measures, out-of-school suspension, and misdiagnosis of trauma-related mental illnesses (e.g., anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder) as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This research explores race-based trauma from a blended theoretical framework incorporating trauma and narrative theories. Narrative therapy is presented as a collaboration-based counseling approach that emphasizes client experiences. Traditional talk therapies typically ignore race-based trauma as experienced by Black males. A culturally responsive narrative therapy model is proposed that incorporates the client’s preferred mode of story-sharing, such as poetry, song/rap, drama, dance, writing, and illustration. Model significance and recommendations for school administrators, counselors, and therapists are provided. Keywords: Black males, narrative therapy, urban schools, race-based trauma