How does skin colour affect the therapeutic relationship in art psychotherapy?

ABSTRACT

A recent seismic shift has brought issues of race and privilege into the collective consciousness, namely the global pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020. This article looks at the consequences of not addressing power and White privilege in the art therapy room. Adopting an intersectional self-reflexive approach, this article presents my experience as a trainee art psychotherapist working in multicultural inner-city schools and argues for the prioritisation of addressing power and White privilege within art therapy practice. Using clinical vignettes I reflect on my own relationship with White privilege and consider how this might disrupt the formation of a therapeutic relationship. My experience aligned with much of the relevant literature, that to better understand and possibly dismantle damaging occurrences of power and White privilege in art therapy, more work and attention must be paid to this area. This includes current literature as well as developing our knowledge through future research that incorporates the voices of service users. Training in intersectionality and social justice are recommended to support the profession with facing up to the existence of White privilege. In addition, a compassionate space must be created to reflect on White privilege and fragility, so the work of countering the dominant narrative and educating the privileged does not fall only to those who have been marginalised and oppressed.

Plain-language summary

Issues of race and privilege have been brought into the collective consciousness through the global pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020. This paper looks at the effect of not addressing power and White privilege in the therapy room and argues for the power and privilege that comes from being White to be reflected on as a priority in art therapy practice. To do this I have used my own experience to present my personal journey alongside relevant literature. Drawing on experience from my work in inner-city schools I examine my own relationship with being White and consider how this might disrupt the formation of a therapeutic relationship.

I agree with much of the relevant literature, that to better understand and possibly dismantle damaging occurrences of power and White privilege in art therapy, more work and attention must be paid to this area. This includes current literature as well as developing our knowledge through future research that incorporates the voices of service users. To support the profession with facing up to the existence of White privilege I recommend training in how wider systems affect an individual’s varied and intersecting experiences of disadvantage and oppression, and the effect this has on that individual. In addition, a compassionate space must be created to reflect on White privilege and fragility, so the work of countering the dominant narrative and educating the privileged does not fall only to those who have been marginalised and oppressed.

KEYWORDS:

• Race
• white privilege
• intersectionality
• social justice
• therapeutic relationship
• power
• trauma

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Janina Sochanik

Janina Sochanik is influenced mostly by feminist and critical pedagogies, considering the multiple layers of intersecting oppression, and is interested in approaches to prevent the inadvertent reinforcement of structural oppressions in art psychotherapy.

Prior to completing her training as an art psychotherapist in 2019 Janina has spent much of her professional career supporting people to discover and utilise their collective and individual strengths and skills. This extensive and diverse experience began with devising theatrical performances with various communities. Completing a masters in community development in 2009 she has mentored and facilitated marginalised communities to set up community projects and manage community spaces and has facilitated parenting and psychoeducation courses with vulnerable people.

Since qualifying Janina has specialised in trauma informed practice and has provided art psychotherapy in NHS crisis care and with a gender-based violence charity. Janina is currently working in secondary education delivering individual and group art psychotherapy.