One of my formative experiences as a therapist-in-training a decade ago was attending a large therapy conference with a few of my classmates. I was very disappointed to see that I was one of very few therapists of color present and that deepened my interest in becoming and training other therapists of color to better support and represent the diversity of our society.

Minority clients can often worry that therapists who don’t look like them or come from a different social location, will not understand their story or their struggles. They may be reluctant to share their true feelings and experiences for fear of judgment. I want to encourage BIPOC clients, in particular, to seek out therapists with whom you can be open and honest. It does no good to code-switch or censor yourself in therapy — it is intended to be a confidential space where you can let down your guard and say what you really feel. While I can never hope to fully understand every aspect of my clients’ lives, my approach is to be a good listener, advocate and ally, who is continually learning and doing my own anti-racist work.

Some challenges that BIPOC clients may experience include:

• micro-aggressions, discrimination and racism (overt and covert)
• socio-political injustices
• identity development & code switching
• economic and health inequities
• over-policing, violence and incarceration
• detentions and deportations
• interracial relationships
• workplace stress