Trauma Therapy For The BIPOC Community

By: Melanated Women's Health LLC 

Trauma comes in many forms, from childhood abuse to combat experiences, natural disasters, car accidents, home invasion, intimate partner violence, racialized experiences, generational experiences of war, displacement, disenfranchisement, and more. These traumatic experiences can result in attachment concerns, relationship problems, lowered sense of safety and prolonged feelings of overwhelm, disconnection, and vulnerability.

The trauma therapists at Melanated Women's Health LLC help clients recognize the signs of unresolved trauma as part of the approach to trauma therapy. Knowing the signs of unresolved trauma is the first step towards healing for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. Furthermore, trauma therapy for the BIPOC community supports physical and medical health. Though anyone can experience traumatic life experiences, research on complex racial trauma has shown that BIPOC community have unique traumatic experiences which impact their health because it is a major risk factor in terms of physical health (i.e., diabetes, hypertension, endocrine and cardiovascular illness) and mental-health concerns (i.e., depression, anxiety, PTSD, substance abuse, suicidal ideation and behaviors), in addition to premature death.

BIPOC communities experience the following types of traumas: 

Racial Trauma: Experiences of discrimination, microaggressions in the workplace and community, racial profiling whole engaging in activities of daily life (eg., shopping in a store), and hate crimes can lead to significant psychological distress, anxiety, generalized mistrust, and more for BIPOC individuals.

• Historical Trauma: This refers to the years of collective trauma experienced by BIPOC communities due to historical injustices, such as slavery, colonization, genocide, forced assimilation, and displacement.
• Intergenerational Trauma: Research has shown that trauma that is experienced by previous generations (eg., grandparents and great grandparents) can impact the mental health and well-being of subsequent generations within BIPOC communities, because the trauma responses are passed down through families by way of parenting practices.
• Systemic Trauma: BIPOC communities may experience trauma due to ongoing systemic inequalities in areas such as education, healthcare, employment, housing, and criminal justice, which perpetuate disparities and contribute to chronic stress and trauma.
• Cultural Trauma through identity erasure: BIPOC individuals and communities may experience trauma related to the loss of cultural identity, disconnection from cultural roots, and erasure of cultural practices and histories.

Trauma can leave lasting imprints on your mind and body, but it doesn't have to define your future because posttraumatic growth and healing is possible. For this reason, it is important for members of the BIPOC community to seek trauma therapy from a licensed culturally competent trauma therapist who is aware of historical and systemic contexts, and sensitive to the intersectionality of identities. A culturally responsive trauma therapist will provide a safe and validating space for you to explore and heal from trauma, while also acknowledging and validating the impact of systemic oppression and racism on your lived experiences. The trauma therapists at Melanated Women's LLC are trained in many techniques used in trauma therapy, such as including include Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and mindfulness-based therapies, among others.

It is important to note that trauma therapy will not make you forget the traumatic experience. Instead, a few common goals of trauma therapy are: 

• Empowering you to increase understanding for the psychological, emotional, and physical symptoms resulting from trauma.
• Reduce distressing symptoms, develop coping strategies for trauma triggers, and ultimately restore a sense of safety and well-being.
• Improve self-worth, strengthen resiliency, and develop a secure attachment which contributes to positive relationship experiences.

As you navigate the complexities of trauma recovery, remember that trauma healing is possible and be supported with the help of trauma therapist. Contact Melanated Women's Health LLC at info@MelanatedWomensHealth.com to learn more about how one of our compassionate trauma therapist can help you work towards healing from trauma.