Minority clients can often worry that therapists who don’t look like them or come from a different social location, will not understand their story or their struggles. They may be reluctant to share their true feelings and experiences for fear of judgment. We want to encourage BIPOC clients, in particular, to seek out therapists with whom you can be open and honest. It does no good to code-switch or censor yourself in therapy — it is intended to be a confidential space where you can let down your guard and say what you really feel. While we can never hope to fully understand every aspect of our clients’ lives, our approach is to be good listeners, advocates and allies.

Some challenges that BIPOC clients may experience include:

• micro-aggressions, discrimination and racism (overt and covert)
• socio-political injustices
• identity development & code switching
• economic and health inequities
• over-policing, violence and incarceration
• detentions and deportations
• interracial relationships
• workplace stress