On Becoming a Racially Sensitive Therapist

Transforming one’s clinical practice begins with transforming oneself.

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Claims of color blindness and the insistence that all clients are essentially the same have contributed to a dearth of knowledge and understanding regarding the delivery of racially sensitive treatment. For many clinicians, addressing issues of race in therapy mirrors the same discomfort that permeates most of our efforts to discuss it outside of treatment. Yet providing racially sensitive therapy, as well as possessing the clinical acumen to address complex issues of race and culture, is vital to competent contemporary practice. So where does one begin?

With contributions from experts across the field, this book provides a comprehensive roadmap to achieving this lofty goal. While it identifies important skills, techniques, and strategies that are necessary for culturally competent practice, it also invites clinicians to consider that the process of becoming a racially sensitive therapist is one that commences with racial self-examination, self-interrogation, and personal transformation.