A Therapeutic Approach to the Treatment of Racist-Incident-Based Trauma

ABSTRACT The purpose of this paper is to outline a thematic approach to the clinical treatment of clients who have experienced racial trauma. Using the literature on trauma and racist incidents, the authors explore the following counseling themes for trauma treatment: acknowledge, share, safety and self-care, grieve, shame and self-blame/internalized racism, anger, coping strategies, and resistance strategies. The authors then provide a case study of a Native American client. In addition, potential buffers to the traumatizing impact of racist incidents are provided. In conclusion, the importance of counselor competence is explored. Limitations of the proposed themes are described and a call for further examination of counseling responses to racist-incident-based trauma is made.