Effects of Racism on African American Women
Running Head: From Racism to Wholeness
Mitigating Internalized Racism Among African-American Women:
A Journey to Wholeness
introduction
The legacy of racism in American spans some two hundred years and has been linked to a number of behavioral and mental health problems for people of color and especially African Americans. For African Americans, the struggle to understand and cope with the insidious affects of racism dates back to slavery and are as real today as they were during that time (Gilbert et al 2009). African Americans are regularly exposed to racism on multiple levels (Lewis-Coles and Constantine, 2006). This exposure according to Harrell (2000) is embedded within the African American interpersonal, collective, cultural and sociopolitical perspective and maybe a predictor of stress that is due primarily to the nature of racism.
Given the ubiquitous nature of the effects of racism on the wellbeing of African American, it is important to identify alternative traditional psychotherapies that can mitigate these deleterious effects of these social, psychological and physical elements in the lives of African American women. To mitigate the effects of racism and accomplish this goal, it is important to view the African American woman within the context of her environment to understand behavioral responses in order to move her to a healthy discovery of herself within the context of the African philosophy and way of life. Clearly there is need, as this paper will elucidate, for a paradigm shift that focuses on the development of more culturally sensitive and specific approaches with considerations placed on the emotional, social and spiritual interaction to achieve better race-related outcomes for the African American woman (Gilbert et al, 2009; Schiele, 2000).
Scope of the Problem According to the Women of Color Health Data book (2006) suggest that racial discrimination and racism have remained significant operative factors in the health and
Mitigating Internalized Racism Among African-American Women:
A Journey to Wholeness
introduction
The legacy of racism in American spans some two hundred years and has been linked to a number of behavioral and mental health problems for people of color and especially African Americans. For African Americans, the struggle to understand and cope with the insidious affects of racism dates back to slavery and are as real today as they were during that time (Gilbert et al 2009). African Americans are regularly exposed to racism on multiple levels (Lewis-Coles and Constantine, 2006). This exposure according to Harrell (2000) is embedded within the African American interpersonal, collective, cultural and sociopolitical perspective and maybe a predictor of stress that is due primarily to the nature of racism.
Given the ubiquitous nature of the effects of racism on the wellbeing of African American, it is important to identify alternative traditional psychotherapies that can mitigate these deleterious effects of these social, psychological and physical elements in the lives of African American women. To mitigate the effects of racism and accomplish this goal, it is important to view the African American woman within the context of her environment to understand behavioral responses in order to move her to a healthy discovery of herself within the context of the African philosophy and way of life. Clearly there is need, as this paper will elucidate, for a paradigm shift that focuses on the development of more culturally sensitive and specific approaches with considerations placed on the emotional, social and spiritual interaction to achieve better race-related outcomes for the African American woman (Gilbert et al, 2009; Schiele, 2000).
Scope of the Problem According to the Women of Color Health Data book (2006) suggest that racial discrimination and racism have remained significant operative factors in the health and
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