Reflections For My Colleagues: Black Clinicians And White Privilege In The Therapeutic Space

By Carole Showell, LCSW, CCTP, CCATP- Being a Black therapist can be tough sometimes, especially when you have clients who are covertly racist, and bring their abusive White Privilege into the therapeutic space. None of my current White clients are like this, thankfully, but I have experienced this situation in the past.

I'll call them WPCs, White Privilege Clients. WPCs operate on the belief that a Black clinician's time, energy, and emotional resources all belong to them. In the therapeutic relationship, the Black clinician is expected to take on a Mammy role and be wholly responsible for the WPC's emotions, while also devoting all resources solely to them.

Black clinicians are not allowed to make mistakes and they're not entitled to their own thoughts, emotions, needs or boundaries. If they are less then perfect, the WPC cracks the whip. Here comes the overseer.

"Why didn't you pick more cotton? Lazy, stupid N*****."

The Black clinician is scolded, berated, chastised for any perceived wrong doing or mistake. Perfection is demanded. The Black clinician is not perceived as a person. Perhaps they're viewed as 3/5.

The thing about covert racism is that it's hard to prove but you can feel it in how a person treats you and interacts with you. Their resentment and anger bubbles just below the surface. Their need for control by begins to manifest in small, almost unnoticeable ways.

I observed that when WPCs are upset with other White people in positions of authority (or just a White person who has more power in a relationship), WPCs' anger with that person is rarely expressed directly to the individual. A level of respect and restraint is maintained.

When WPCs are angry with Black providers, they attack them directly. Angry, aggressive, tearing them down as a professional and questioning their skills as a therapist. They speak with disrespect, rage, and a sense of entitlement. It becomes clear that deep down, the WPC has little respect for the Black provider, resents the provider's position, and views them as lesser than and inferior.

"Know your place, boy! You're gettin' a little too big for your britches."

I've been called unprofessional and accused of not understanding the power differential in a provider-client relationship by WPCs. I've been doing this for 11 years, have an almost 100% client retention rate, AND a waitlist. I think I know what I'm doing and I know that I'm really good at it.

"You must be DEI. They only let you into UPenn because of DEI."

WPCs have accused of me making excuses when I defend myself against unfair accusations and I've been accused of emotionally abandoning clients. The WPCs fail to disclose their level of distress or clearly communicate their needs. I was expected to be a magical negro and guess.

"N*****! You should've known what I wanted. Now you get the whip!"

WPCs casually attack a Black clinicians' professionalism and their skills as a therapist when they do not give the WPC their whole self on demand. WPCs refuse to take responsibility for their emotions and actions. They run from accountability, while placing blame on the back of the Black clinician.

"I wouldn't have to whip you, N*****, if you didn't make me mad."

A WPC will gaslight the Black clinician into believing that they're at fault for the WPCs emotional distress. The Black clinician may begin to question their skills as a therapist and wonder, "What am I doing wrong? Everything seems to upset them and nothing I do is right. I'm constantly being berated..."

"What are you doing, girl? Clean this again and do it right this time. Do you wanna get hit again?"

Since WPCs refuse to take responsibility for their emotions, their unskillfulness is projected onto the Black clinician and WPCs will gaslight the Black clinician into believing their job is to be the WPC's emotional mule.

"The massa, he's alright. Really, he is! He doesn't whip us too much as long as we get the work done. And Mistress, she'll only hit you if you do something bad. They're decent folks, Massa and Mistress."

WPCs have a very high level of narcissistic traits. They are skilled at emotional manipulation and taking complete control over the therapeutic space. The Black clinician becomes enslaved by the White Privilege of the WPC. It's hard to see that North Star to freedom, at this point.

It's often difficult to understand what's happening while in therapeutic alliance with a WPC. Their narcissism is as covert as their racism. The Black clinician won't even notice when the WPC places the noose around their neck. Their manipulation is subtle, intentional, and insidious. Then, the noose tightens, slowly.

So how do you get out of this?

Be prepared for the WPC to lash out worse than you've ever seen. They'll say the most hurtful things that they can think of because their goal is cruelty, cutting you down, and weaponizing their White Privilege to cause as much psychological harm to you as they can on their way out.

Remember, a WPC has no true respect for you and you're not considered a person. They will attack everything that you are and do their best to make you strange fruit.

They'll victimize themselves while continuing to avoid accountability, accusing you of failing to bear responsibility for their emotions. I know, the Poplar tree is right there, looming. Throw off the noose and walk away.

Know who your supporters are and be ready to rely on them. If you have your own therapist be ready to talk and process. And be patient with yourself in your recovery. You've just walked away from an abusive relationship.

Finally, protect your peace. Protect yourself. When you notice the first signs of narcissistic behavior- possessiveness and entitlement. Refer out and walk away as quickly as you can. You do not have to endure the abuse of White Privilege and White Entitlement.