Dear College of Education Community,
For Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), the importance of self-care is essential yet complex in the face of ongoing discrimination. How to understand self-care in the face of this complexity is addressed by several psychologists in a July 2022 article in the online American Psychology Association (APA) Monitor. “For those of us who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color, there are extra layers that exhaust us and that we don’t have any other choice but to navigate—racism, oppression, interlocking forms of dehumanization,” states Hector Y. Adames, PsyD, a professor at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology and director of its Immigration, Critical Race, and Cultural Equity Lab (IC-RACE Lab). “Because of that, it’s so vital that we deeply think about how to take care of ourselves and each other.” To illuminate what self-care might look like for people of color, Adames and other psychologists have offered a number of critically important ideas related to this topic. As stated in the APA Monitor article, “Self-care should incorporate one’s community, values, and culture. It sometimes means challenging what’s considered normal. It includes a mandate to set boundaries. And it’s about claiming joy, pleasure, and rest despite a legacy of oppression.” “It’s really important for us not just to survive but also to thrive,” said Grace A. Chen, PhD, a counseling psychologist in the San Francisco Bay Area. “It’s not just about coping or avoiding burnout but about experiencing life more joyfully. Activism is important, but there’s this balance of, ‘Let’s also celebrate what’s wonderful about our communities and about being connected with one another.’”
Here are some brief recommendations from the APA Monitor article, relevant for all BIPOC professionals, staff, and students:
Self-care as integrity-For Chen, it’s important to view self-care as a way of being—as something that is intimately connected to one’s values and priorities and that informs all of life’s decisions. Her own values, for example, include intentionally resisting the mindset that success is about doing more and making more money and instead putting a premium on work-life balance and on contributing to her community.
Self-care as resistance-As Chen’s comments suggest, self-care for people of color can also mean bucking aspects of society that don’t align with your values or well-being—whether it’s joining in efforts to end racism or adopting a lifestyle that allows more time for relaxation.
Self-care as community connection-For Adames, the concept of self-care feels pretty foreign. “It makes me think about ‘me, myself, and I,’ and I come from a culture where we think ‘we, us, ours,’” said Adames, who is AfroLatinx. “So, I need to reorient the idea of self-care so that it’s about ‘How do we take care of ourselves?’” Adames prioritizes connecting with like-minded colleagues who intentionally support one another. They have also created a theory and practice of radical healing that involves acknowledging and actively resisting all forms of oppression and envisioning possibilities for freedom and wellness.
Self-care as boundary management-Many individuals of color say they are regularly tapped to go beyond what’s expected of White peers because they’re one of the few people of color in their professional settings—what is referred to as a “diversity tax.” As her thinking on self-care has evolved, Michigan State University professor NiCole Buchanan, PhD. now teaches all of her patients assertiveness skills—how to articulate their needs and wants while simultaneously honoring others’ rights and preferences. These techniques are particularly salient for professionals of color who are taking on too much, she said.
Self-care as a cultural fit-Embracing cultural traditions and realities is another important aspect of self-care for people of color, said clinical psychologist Robyn L. Gobin, PhD, an assistant professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In a virtual continuing education workshop on self-care for people of color that she hosted in 2021, participants shared the cultural healing methods they practice, including taking part in healing circles, enjoying African or other forms of Indigenous dance, gardening, and reclaiming old family recipes.
Self-care as creative expression, balance, and joy-Creative self-expression is another great way to recharge batteries that may be run down from overwork or issues involving racism. Self-care for psychologists of color is also about allowing room for joy, Buchanan emphasized. A breakthrough came when she realized that her ancestors underwent such hardships so that she and future generations could live in ways that allow for joy, happiness, and love. She also believes that over time, living in these expanded ways can have powerful effects on the body. She cited research suggesting that intergenerational trauma can be passed on in the body—for example, in altered immune functioning—but the same research also suggests that such genetic patterning can be changed for the better (Huber-Lang, M., et al., Nature Immunology, Vol. 19, 2018).
To read more of this article, go to: https://www.apa.org/monitor/2022/07/news-psychologists-self-care
And for further reading on this topic:
The self-care prescription
Gobin, R. L., Althea Press, 2019
Pleasure activism: The politics of feeling good
brown, a. m., AK Press, 2019
Toward a psychological framework of radical healing in communities of color
French, B. H., et al., The Counseling Psychologist, 2020
Self-care as a competency benchmark: Creating a culture of shared responsibility
Miller, A. E., Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 2021
Surviving and resisting hate: A toolkit for people of color (PDF, 31.7MB)
Adames, H. Y., & Chavez-Dueñas, N. Y., 2017
For a list of other self-care options, you can also go to our COE self-care website for resources for faculty, staff, students, and the community at
https://www.csun.edu/eisner-education/self-care
Self-care was never more important than now for BIPOC colleagues and students, while allies should seek greater understanding of how to support self-care for these valued members of our collective community.
Warmly,
Shari