“Black Women Saved my Life”: A Case Study on Healing Intersectional Racial Trauma

Abstract

The painful consequences of intersectional racial trauma on the mental health of Black women have been examined in the existing literature. However, limited research explicates how to assess, conceptualize, and treat intersectional racial trauma in clinical practice. Practicing psychologists seeking to integrate science and practice for mental health and social justice breakthroughs desire innovative clinical models to facilitate this work. This paper presents a case study of a week-long, intensive teletherapy retreat to treat the intersectional racial trauma of a queer, middle-aged, Black cisgender woman. We detail theories and research regarding racial trauma and intersectionality and present the integrated How to Love a Human model. Then, we describe the client’s presenting concerns and how to assess and conceptualize intersectional racial trauma to inform a multifaceted, collectivistic treatment approach. Last, we chronologically overview each day of the retreat and address how our healing approach can serve as a research framework and clinical example to treat intersectional racial trauma among Black women.

PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT

Racial trauma is a painful reality for many Black women, with other intersecting forms of oppression exacerbating the impact. This paper describes how four Black women provided therapy through an innovative, collectivist model for a queer Black woman experiencing intersectional racial trauma.

Keywords:

• Racial trauma
• mental health
• black women
• intersectionality
• case study

Acknowledgement

The authors thank the client for her permission to share this story and the healing process.

Notes

1 Client provided permission to publish this case study using some identifying information for accurate context. We use a pseudonym throughout this text.