Essential Elements for Working With Racial Trauma: A Guide for Health Service Psychologists

Abstract

As the experience of racism has been found to be associated with a plethora of adverse mental health outcomes across racial groups, it is imperative for clinicians to consider the role of racism-related stress and racial trauma when working with clients of color. As such, the current article provides a review of racial trauma and presents clinical guidelines for health service psychologists with a focus on intervention and prevention. We identify these essential elements as including facilitative knowledge, facilitative process, and facilitative techniques associated with assisting the healing process and establishing empowerment.