Race and Racism ARE Clinical Topics

#1

The U.S. is awash in racial tension. It is affecting everyone emotionally, including all of our patients, and including ourselves. The fact that it is a political force does not mean that it’s not also emotionally triggering, traumatic, fear-inducing, and highly clinically relevant.

Patients are all talking about this, including my Hasidic, Litvish, Modern Orthodox, unobservant Jewish and gentile patients.

Therapists are all talking about this on every other professional listserv.

The fact we have trouble not getting mad at each other about it is because no one can talk about this without getting mad at each other. We, Torah Jews, are not very different from other people. The discussions on my other professional listservs are also triggered and ractive.

But I think the discussion should continue on our listserv. The fact it’s painful and polarizing means it’s something we need to work through, not something to suppress.

Nachum Binyamin Klafter, MD
דר’ נחום בנימין קלפטר
7502 State Road, Suite 2280
Cincinnati OH 45255-2800
Phone (513) 474-8900 Fax (513) 231-0653
nachum.binyamin.klafter@gmail.com

www.klafter.com

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#2

I agree, we should be talking about this, simply because it is ‘triggering’. That in itself turns it into a clinical issue, not political. As Rozi Wax says, if we, as therapist can’t talk about it civilly and respectfully, what does that say about us as clinicians?
And I do mind, that when conversations get heated on Listserv, they get shunted off here. That doesn’t address the issues, I would far prefer to know that the rude/abusive contributors, especially those who make it personal, were warned that if they can’t be civil, they do not belong. (pssst - Hope those in command are reading this?? Should i say it again louder?? Good Shabos! Shifra A
Shifra Apter MA, Psychotherapist, London UK
+44 (0) 7976279643

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#3

What is it like to grow up and live as a black man or woman in the United States?
What is it like to grow up and live as an Orthodox Jewish man or woman in the United States?
What is it like to be both Jewish and black?

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#4

Hi,
I have never tried posting in forums before.
I am interested in following this discussion, and I wonder, if now that I posted this reply, will I receive an automated email notification every time additional replies are posted on this thread?
Also, is this thread viewable by the public at large, or only to Nefesh members?
Gut shabbos to all.

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#5

I found this article from 1977 after the looting from the NYC blackout. Much of it resonates with today’s issues. Curious to hear others’ thoughts on this, particularly, where does personal agency come into play for Black people in an anti-racist lens? How can we have accountability in a fair and equitable way?

As I’m writing, I do think that these questions can work with many trauma survivors as well.

(Warning: long article but worth a print out to read over Shabbos…)

Eager to hear everyone’s thought.

Have a good Shabbos!

Adina

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#6

How do we know we are not doing harm?

“For instance, a recent metanalysis on microaggressions found little empirical substantiation for the harm claims advanced in the literature. Yet there is abundant research demonstrating harm caused by heightened perceptions of racism, discrimination, racialized violence, and racial inequality. There are very well-established and highly-adverse impacts on the psychological and even physical, well-being of people of color when they perceive more racism, racial inequality, and discrimination. That is, we have not (yet) been able to empirically verify that microaggressions are typically harmful, nor have we been able to effectively measure the extent of that harm. (Again, the vast majority of blacks and Hispanics find even the paradigm cases to be inoffensive). However, we have ample reason to believe that sensitizing people to better perceive and to take greater offense at these “slights” actually would cause harm.”

See the full article: https://contexts.org/blog/who-gets-to-define-whats-racist/

There are major implications about how our profession is teaching and dealing with racism if this bears out to be the truth…

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