White Racial Identity (Intercultural Therapy)

 

Race is primarily about physical appearance, culture is of sociological origin. Ethnicity is psychological because of its connection to the identity of the person. Race is a group of humans that share physical or social qualities. It is a socially constructed system of classifying individuals according to characteristics that are genetically determined but these are not always consistent. 

Cultural identity means all the knowledge and values shared by a society, e.g. language, familiar roles and communication patterns. Culture means “way of life”, it is passed on by heredity knowledge, it includes beliefs, behaviour, attitudes, values, morals and customs. It is passed on but not genetically. Identity is who a person is, or the qualities of a person or group that make them different from others. It functions as the lens through which someone registers experiences, it influences how they see, understand and respond to events. Culture therefore shapes a person’s approach to all areas of life, from gender role expectations, to attitude towards authority or communication style. Ethnicity means belonging to a distinctive social group that shares a religion, nationality or language. Ethnicity is a group of individuals sharing a common and distinctive racial, religious or cultural heritage. Ethnicity is a name for a group of people that identify with each other. Ethnicity is usually an inherited status based on society.

The white racial identity model was developed by Janet Helms in the1990s. It was created to raise the awareness of white people, about their role in creating and maintaining racism. It aids white people into taking responsibility by dismantling systemic racism through a framework of power and privilege. According to this model there are six stages of the process.

The first stage is the contact stage. There is a lack of understanding of racism and minimal experiences with people of colour. White people are unaware of their own racial identity or the fact that whiteness has an identity. They might view racism as individual prejudiced acts, rather than something ingrained and systemic. They may believe racism is kept alive by continued discussion and acknowledgement of it as an issue. They move past this stage when they are confronted by real-world racist experiences and become aware of the effects of white privilege. 

The second stage is called disintegration. Previously held beliefs and mottos are challenged by personal experiences and increased awareness of being white and its privileges. Common emotional responses are shame, guilt, anxiety, denial, depression and withdrawal. They might explore racist thinking with others and they may attempt to persuade others to abandon racist thinking. They may experience conflict in acknowledgement of whiteness and identifying lack of language to explore and explain inner conflicts. It is characterised by a feeling of being caught between racial realities. Individuals either move on from this stage positively (pseudo-independence) or negatively (reintegration), depending on how overwhelmed and avoidant the person becomes by their uncomfortable feelings. 

The third stage is called reintegration. Guilt, shame and anxiety is transformed into anger towards people of colour. There’s an increase in victim-blaming and paying attention only to misinformation that confirms the stereotypes. They lean into the idea that maybe white people have been treated as superior because they are. They might feel the urge to avoid the topic of racism, rather than work through their discomfort and define a non-racist identity. They can move past this stage when they are prompted to find a way to challenge and channel their discomfort into positive action. 

The fourth stage is called pseudo-independent. People abandon beliefs in white superiority and they understand intellectually the unfairness of white privilege. Personal responsibility is recognized to dismantle systemic racism. They confront and uncover racism. They may still harbour internalised superiority and do not understand how they can be both white and non-racist. Individuals move past this stage when they move into a more self-possessed space, where white fragility is reduced, and understand the need for engaging in anti-racism work. 

The fifth stage is immersion. They actively seek to connect to their own white identity, redefine their whiteness and make a commitment to anti-racism. They ask important questions about racial identity and engage in critical thoughts about self and others. They focus on forming a positive white identity, which is not based on superiority. They take more responsibility for racism and privilege, seek out immersion in communities of colour. They often seek out other white people who are engaged in anti-racism work for support. Individuals move on from this stage when anti-racism work is actively and continually engaged in and critical thought is absorbed into everyday life.

 The sixth stage is autonomy. White people have clearly defined a positive connection to their white racial identity. Racial identity continues to be fluid, open to feedback and ongoing self-examination. They use their privilege consciously and are actively anti-racist within own sphere of influence and they are engaged with social justice efforts around racism. They are knowledgeable about racial, ethnic and cultural differences, they value diversity and understand intersectionality.

 

Cross-cultural therapy is called the ‘fourth force’, it emphasises the importance of awareness of one’s own cultural values and potential biases, recognising differences in worldview between oneself and clients, and the ability to implement culturally appropriate interventions. The starting point for working with diversity is self-reflection. This means cultivating awareness of one’s own cultural and ethnic identity and values, what they mean to you and to others around you. In the case of white therapists, being white, the privileges of whiteness need to be acknowledged in order to practise effectively as a white therapist in a multicultural society. Continued commitment to reflexive practice is vital, being on the lookout for one’s own biases, prejudices and beliefs, about one’s own and other cultures. Supervision from a supervisor who is experienced in working with cultural diversity is recommended to facilitate this. In some circumstances, being transparent and dialoguing with the client about issues such as biases and prejudices may prove helpful for both parties.

Curiosity, respect and openness are key to avoiding these resulting in ruptures in therapy, and to building a strong therapeutic alliance. Learning about a client’s culture, when different from one’s own, facilitates developing cultural awareness. Importantly, knowledge should be checked through discussion with the client. This serves to help avoid stereotyping, and any notion that cultural groups are homogeneous. It also helps situate understanding from the client’s perspective, facilitating a sense of self that is meaningful to the person concerned within their personal and cultural context. It is an ethical consideration to have the sensitivity and ability to enter a different world and not only understand it, but feel comfortable to challenge it.