ADVANCING ANTIRACIST THERAPY FOR RACIALISED COMMUNITIES
Published on 1 October, 2024.
The COVID-19 pandemic, the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement, and race riots across the UK have made the psychological toll of racism more visible and urgent. Racism is not just an isolated act of discrimination; it is a pervasive and cumulative force that shapes every aspect of life for Black and racialised people. It is a fundamental cause and driver of poor mental health, causing trauma and race-based stress and disparities in mental health outcomes. However when people from racialised communities, particularly Black people, need treatment arising from racial injury, they are met with unsafe pathways to care, culturally inappropriate services and ultimately experience poorer outcomes. Statutory health services in the UK have largely failed to tailor their approaches to address racial trauma, and engagement with systems that lack acknowledgement or understanding of racism’s effects can exacerbate mental health struggles. Dominated by Eurocentric understandings of mental health and treatment options, these services often employ “raceneutral” approaches that overlook the cultural and racial nuances that shape experiences of trauma and stress. This results in missed opportunities for healing and furthers racial discrimination, perpetuating disparities. This report calls for an urgent reevaluation of how we address mental health in the UK by examining the intersections of racism, inequality, and mental health. The ongoing physical and psychological toll of racism with little recourse for support makes racial trauma a public health emergency. Crucially, racial wellness therapy and community-led approaches, such as Zuri Therapy, are essential alternatives that are able to address current gaps in statutory services. Racial wellness therapies offer promising models in reducing mental health disparities, fostering healing, and providing culturally relevant care for Black and racialised communities. By recognising the impact of racism on mental health and advancing community-based interventions, policymakers and practitioners can contribute to a more inclusive and responsive mental health system