Reader,
Lately I’ve been thinking of the idea of creating safe spaces especially for people who hold systemically marginalized identities. That was my aim as a facilitator… “creating a brave and safe space for all participants”, but that is impossible! Yes, impossible, I bet you knew that already.
I wish I could, but I cannot ensure your safety if we’re in a shared/communal space, so why should I offer that? I’m not trying to be pessimistic or jaded when I say this. But I know that sooner or later, someone, even with the best of intentions, could cause harm. And I do want to be prepared for that.
How do you prepare for and recover from harm in communal spaces?
By setting a container for your meetings.
By offering repair.
If you have provided relationship counseling, or are trained in systems, you know how it goes. Even in the most loving of relationships there is the potential of causing unintended harm. And here is where we learn to offer repair.
But I know life is more complex than relationship counseling. And offering repair in communal spaces means:
In other words, if you caused rupture and offer repair, don’t expect your offer to be accepted. And if you were harmed by rupture, I’ll do my best to hold space for you and your needs.
Want to add more complexity to this puzzle?
Have in mind your identities, were your privileged identities harmed, or were your marginalized identities harmed? or both??
What's your reaction when one of your privileged identities is harmed vs. one of your marginalized identities?
How do you set a boundary if you're not ready for repair?
How do you create responsive and brave spaces in your community that can offer repair?
In community,
Silvana @ Decolonize Your Practice
Let's connect!
I help clinicians, healers, and coaches incorporate decolonized and liberatory values in their practices so that you can have a practice and/or service-based business that is truly affirming and welcoming to clients who hold marginalized identities.
Reader, Keeping it short and sweet and honouring my current bandwidth (because i want to support my clients and myself as we navigate oppression) From educators I have learned from and would learn again and again: Akilah Riley Richardson is offering a free webinar entitled “Becoming the B.I.O.M.E - The Therapeutic Presence for Marginalized People.” You can register here. Lily Zheng tells you What Comes After DEI here and the IG tldr version here. From educators I don’t know yet: Dr. Pavna...
Reader, This has been the topic this week in my clinical practice with other clinicians... ...Maybe this week (especially if you are in the US) you: though of not being a therapist anymore wanted to stay in bed we’re scared yourself about your future due to your identities thought you were not being efficient enough with your clients needed therapy yourself angry, done, ready to leave, enraged helpless, hopeless I hear you and I see you. I have felt all of the above as well… Then I recalled...
Reader, You are receiving this (pre-scheduled) email while I transition back from a break. So it doesn’t address or reflect on anything that might be happening in the world at the moment. (And honestly, I’m really hoping nothing major is happening… because we’ve all had plenty happen already.) These are some of the people I started following this year. They’re far from being your traditional therapy resource. None of them are therapists (in the Western sense), but they are IMHO amazing...