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Racial Trauma, Behavioral Health and Healing

The health consequences of generational and ongoing racism are profound and complex. How can care providers better understand and help? For African Americans, the experience of racial trauma—or what Dr. Joy DeGruy identifies as Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome—can impact every aspect of life. But with the right help and support, trauma doesn’t have to be “a life sentence,” says addiction counselor and behavioral consultant Samuel Simmons, founder of the Community Empowerment Through Black Men Healing Conference. As Simmons explains, many of the young African American men he works with “carry the wounds of race-based trauma like an invisible weight.” Some adaptive behaviors can strengthen a person’s resilience while other coping behaviors can be self-defeating or destructive. Risky substance use, for example, often begins as a way of managing the pain of unresolved trauma. Acknowledging the experience of trauma is the starting place for healing, says Simmons. In providing culturally sensitive, trauma-informed care, he reminds his clients that seeking help is a show of strength and that taking time for reflection and self-care is not selfish¬—it’s healthy and empowering. Watch, listen and learn more about Simmons’ trauma-informed approach and healing strategies.