Racism in Psychology and Moving Towards Anti-racist practice

Racism in Clinical Psychology and moving towards Anti-Racist Practice Clinical Psychology has an unfortunate yet irrefutable history with the maintenance of racism, an uncomfortable truth so rarely acknowledged. To simply be “not racist” is a passive and neutral act in which one remains complicit with the structures that maintain racism. Anti-Racism however is an active and conscious process that involves deliberate action to identify and examine structures, systems, attitudes and practices to ensure an equal distribution of power, privileges and opportunities. This workshop aims to explore the contribution that psychology has made to racism and the way this is perpetuated both in and out of the therapy room. We will support attendees to reflect on the difficult and uncomfortable questions that begin to arise when we take an anti-racist stance. The workshop will provide compassionate and structured support to guide attendees to begin to reflect on individual privileges and biases. Finally, we will think critically about how to move towards anti-racist practice. As Desmond Tutu says, “if you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor”, so join us to explore how to move beyond neutrality to a deliberate anti-racist stance.