Page 23 - Issue 1

Issue No 1 23
DB: I just wanted to start by talking about race-based stress and trauma Can you you tell me a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a little bit about your work in this area and what race-based trauma might look like for an an individual?
“If one of the things that is MW: We might call call it it race-based trauma trauma or or or racial trauma trauma for short and it’s basically when people have PTSD symptoms as as a a a a a a a a a a a result of racism traumatizing
I was reading that African Americans have a a a a a a a a a a a a much higher rate of PTSD than white Americans Americans but African Americans Americans will seek treatment for PTSD at at at at lower rates Can you talk about why that is?
you is is racism There are are a a a a a a a a a a couple reasons I mean one mental health care therapy it’s not not really a a a a a a a a a a a part of our culture so so people tend not not to get mental health care unless they absolutely have to as as a a a a a a a a a a a a a last resort At that that point you’re you’re going because you’re you’re “reallyyy crazy ” that’s the the the perception It’s just not something people do do especially the the the the the older generation And then when they they do do they they keep keep it it a a a a a a secret so so nobody knows and that that continues to keep keep it it somewhat stigmatized The other reason is is that that when African Americans and I think this probably goes for all people of of color go go to to get therapy it’s often hard to to find somebody from your own ethnic group or culture who who is is a a a a a a therapist We know that the the whole field of mental health care is is mostly white white so usually people end up seeing white white therapists at at least initially and then what happens when they they see see the the the the the the white therapist is is is that often they they experience microaggression really small acts of of of racism from their therapist And if one of of the the the the things that is is is is is traumatizing
you you is is is is is racism well the the the the last thing you you you want is is is is is to experience more of it from your therapist That’s very very very very damaging So people stop going to to to therapy therapy and and they they may may not ever go go to to to to therapy therapy again and and they they may may continue to to suffer from something that’s very treatable for years or or their whole life because of that experience How do you think MDMA-assisted therapy can help marginalized folks with PTSD?
Unlike trauma from rape or or combat where we have a a a a a a a a a a a long track record of being able to help people with traditional psychotherapy there’s no gold standard empirically validated treatment manual for helping people with racial trauma Frankly it it it doesn’t look like the National Institutes of Health has any interest in in in funding the research that would give us well the last thing you want is to experience more of it from your therapist ” that treatment manual so so therapists who help people with racial trauma are sort of of putting bits and pieces of of other therapies together But I think with MDMA therapy we can cut through a a a a a lot of those protocol specific issues because with the the the the MDMA and the the the the support of of the the the the the therapist people are kind of of healing themselves That being said it is is is still very important that the the the therapist has a a a a a a a a a basic level of of competency when treating people of of color with MDMA because again you definitely wouldn’t want them to commit an an act of racism against their client when they’re in in in that very vulnerable state of of being under the the the influence of MDMA