Beyond the Riots: Addressing Racial Trauma and Finding Hope

10 Selfcare Techniques to Combat the Effects of Racism

“My son was upset with me because I cancelled our trip to Liverpool. I just don’t want risk being attacked because of what we look like.”

“Before the riots, I felt invisible. People would just ignore me. Now it feels like they are all looking at me and the stares are not accompanied with smiles or empathy.”

“I feel like a prisoner in my own skin.”

These are all comments I have heard in the last few days following the race riots in the U.K. Now, this blog is not going to get into how wrong racism is. There is plenty of material on the internet covering the systems, attitudes and behaviours that have made this a perfect storm for this racial terrorism.

I do want to acknowledge the passing of the three innocent girls whom, people have used as a reason for the violence.  Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, I am so sorry this has happened to you. To your families, I send my heartfelt condolences. This is so unfair on many levels.

The level of injustice in the world seems to be increasing. Many black and brown and other Muslim people in the U.K.  currently do not feel safe as a result of the random acts of violence aimed at them.

From my observations, the biggest problem I see facing black and brown people now is racial trauma and its effects. Unfortunately, as a society, the awareness and acknowledgement of racial trauma is severely lacking. I have lost count of the number of times I have gone into organisations asking about racial safeguarding policies. They simply do not exist in the U.K. (if you are aware of any please let me know). They are not in the workplace, not in public services and for families and individuals at risk of racism, we also are not taught how self-care techniques to protect ourselves from the wrath of racism.

This what I am sharing in this blog. Techniques to help you soothe racial trauma. Because of my work as an antiracism educator and personal traumatic life events (including having had cancer), I have studied self-compassion and have attended therapy for many years. The gift I can offer to others, are tools I have either personally used or am aware of that help with the impact of race-related trauma.

Before going into these, it’s important to know there are 6 ways in which black and brown people are harmed by racism. Psychologist Dr Shelly Harrell has created a 6-level framework describing these:

1. Race-related life events. These include direct forms of racism like being called the ‘N’ or ‘P’ word or being physically attacked because of their skin colour.

2. Vicarious racism. Indirect exposure to racism. Example: hearing about the violent acts of the riots.

3. Daily racist micro-stressors. Today we refer to these are microaggressions. Example: Regularly being told that skin colour is invisible, therefore denying your experiences associated with it.

4. Chronic contextual stressor. The simple awareness of systemic racism and the uneven way in which resources are distributed in the world. 

5. Collective experiences of racism. Seeing racism perpetuate towards one’s own group.

6. Transgenerational transmission of group trauma. Parts of historical racial atrocities are passed on. Example: When elders of the family talk about their experiences of racism.[1]

Currently, many black people and Muslims in particular (or anyone perceived to be such) are experiencing 1,2,4 and 5. That is a lot to bear. Trauma can lead to hypervigilance, stress, physical diseases, substance abuse, mental health difficulties and much more. So, what can you do to minimise the effects of racism? The following are ten techniques designed to help you to help yourself. Where possible, I recommend books to deepen your learning. None of these techniques are new. However, practical application can make a world of difference. Therefore, after reading them, make a promise to yourself to indulge in at least one technique. Here goes.

1. Resist the urge to catastrophise. Catastrophising is thinking that a situation is worse than it really is. This is not to minimise what is currently happening, but we must put it into context. Over-exposure to conversations about the riots and constant watching of the news can feed this tendency to think events are worse than they are. You can combat this by asking yourself logical questions about your beliefs. “Is this happening everywhere in my area? Is it true that all white people are racist/are out to hurt me?” By doing this, we can often see that our thoughts are exaggerated, and we can help to calm ourselves down with logic and not give into irrational fear.

I recommend reading “Learned Optimism – How to Change Your Mind and Your Life” by Martin E.P. Seligman PHD. 

2. Take a Nap. It’s a simple technique that is often overlooked. When you can, nap, take a break, read a comforting book, watch something, anything that helps you feel rested. Tricia Hersey of The Nap Ministry penned the book “Rest is Resistance”. She advocates for racialised people to rest to challenge capitalism and racism.

3. Allow your body to feel the stress. Often we can bottle up our emotions connected to racism. This is a coping mechanism, however it is not good for us. “Even without economic disadvantage, the stresses of racial prejudice mount over time, toxifying the body and undermining its capacity to maintain itself.” This excerpt is from Gabe Mate’s ‘The Myth of Normal.’ He goes on to explain how biomarkers such as high blood pressure and stress hormones are significantly higher in black people compared to white individuals and even more so for black women. By finding secure methods to release this stress, we can help prevent some of the damage. You can see a therapist, learn about and indulge in somatic therapy (I’ve found this super helpful), write your frustrations in a journal, and talk to friends. Release this energy safely and whatever you do, don’t hold it in.

4. Take Responsibility. I know you’re probably thinking “Where are you going with this Rebbecca?” Stick with me. This technique is borrowed from the late author feminist Bell Hooks who wrote “All About Love”. In it, she says “Taking responsibility means that in the face of barriers we still have the capacity to invent our lives, to shape our destinies in ways that maximise our well-being.” I love this, as it reminds us that we have the power and autonomy to create our realities. We are creative by nature, and we get to choose how to show up in the world. We can choose how we react to the current situation. You can choose to sit and overthink, or you can choose to bake a cake, call a friend or play football with the children, for instance.

5.   Meditation is known to calm the mind and the body and help mitigate the effects of trauma. I use an app filled with daily meditations that help to soothe my body and brain. There are many free meditations on YouTube. Here is a specific meditation to combat the effects of racism called BIPOC Meditation: Racial Trauma Guided Meditation for Discussions Around Race and Racism  and check out our antiracism reading list. 

6. Educate Yourself. Because racism can be so painful for the global majority, often affected people can shy away from learning about it. Plus having lived experience can lead you to believe there is nothing else to learn, However, racism is a complex beast and new concepts and terminology are being introduced all the time. When you feel up to it, I highly recommend learning about racism and its impact so that you can adequately speak up for yourself. Listen to Strawberry Words’ podcast Compassionate Cultures, to learn more. 

7. Remember Your Ancestors. Many of our ancestors faced racial discrimination and as a result, developed resilience and power in having that shared experience. Going back into history, some of our ancestors held positions of power such as emperor Tariq Bin Ziyad who led the Muslim conquest of Spain in 711 and Queen Nzingha of Ndongo and Matamba who negotiated a peace treaty with the Portuguese in 1622 and conquered Matamba in 1630s. Learning about key role models can be incredibly empowering as it reminds us of who we are instead of believing in the false narratives others created about us.

8. Repeat Positive Affirmations. Affirmations feed the subconscious mind and in doing so they help to guide our day-to-day experiences. 95% of our thinking is unconscious and if we do not intentionally feed our sub-conscious brain, we can be guided by unhelpful and depressive thoughts. By repeating affirmations, we get to nourish our minds and bodies with soothing, affirming thoughts that help improve our day-to-day experiences. This affirmation is taken from “Decolonising Wellness – a QTBIPOC-centred Guide to Escape The Diet Trap, Heal Your Self-Image, and Achieve Body Liberation” by Dalia Kinsey. RD, LD.

I shower myself in kindness

I trust my body

I am valuable

I am safe

I am worthy of love

I take care of myself

I nurture myself

I love myself

Try repeating this several times in the morning and take note of how you feel after several days. Affirmations said regularly can be very powerful.

9. Connect With Your Friends and Loved Ones. There is a whole body of evidence which speaks to the importance of having positive connections with others. This article from the National Library of Medicine speaks of the positive effects of connectedness such as improving cancer healing rates, improving blood sugar rates and improving mental health. Read the article here. At this time, it is more important than ever to be around people who validate your experience and understand what you are going through. Make time to call or visit people. If you do not have many close people around you, consider joining a Facebook or Meetup group with like-minded people.

10. Remember, “This too shall pass.” The words of our ancestors were also sometimes affirmations. Phrases like this one have been repeated many times by family members throughout time to help during difficult moments.

And it will. This too shall pass. What is happening is just for the moment. It will come to an end. Catastrophising can lead us to believe that this is how the U.K.  will be forever. However, our families lived through the era of racial attacks during the 60s – 80s. We shall do the same. This too shall pass.

I hope these techniques help. I really do. For me, some have been transformational. In my work, I talk about racism every day. I couldn’t do that without having solid, reliable ways to combat the weight of those conversations. My ask of you is that you commit to utilising just one of these strategies.

When the riots began, they winded me for a few days. There were feelings of shock, hopelessness and I felt paralysed. However, now, I feel invigorated as I remember that although the country has been reminded of the ugliness of racism, it is in times like these, when tensions are heightened, that more people are awakened to the undeniable reality of racism and some, therefore, are more motivated to act. I am encouraged when I see allies speaking up against bigots (when in the past they probably would have remained quiet), hear of new tactics and policies to deal with racial deviants and see racialised people look out for one another in collective protection and compassion. It’s not all bad.

We are experiencing difficult times but change worth having is often difficult and I choose to believe this is a reckoning that will lead to a positive step change in how racism is dealt with in this country.

I choose hope. 

Rebbecca Hemmings

Director Strawberry Words Training Consultancy

www.strawberrywords.co.uk

[1] Headings taken from: Harrell, S. P. (2000). A multidimensional conceptualization of racism-related stress: Implications for the well-being of people of color. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 70(1), 42–57. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0087722

 Photo credit: Lensi Photography