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Contributing Author: Damon A. Pryor, LMHC, Edited by Natalie Cort, Ph.D.
In a world in which Barbecue Beckys and Corner Store Carols are caught on camera, Americans are becoming increasingly aware of cases in which the police are misused against Black people doing mundane, everyday activities. Despite these acts being more visible, White individuals’ complaints to law enforcement continue to result in the confrontation of Black individuals engaging in non-threatening daily activities such as sleeping, while Black, on a couch in a college dorm. For Black clinicians conducting in-home therapy, the potential of such complaints should be critical considerations.
Early in my career while working as an in-home therapist I encountered my own working while Black moment. After an in-home therapy session where a client became combative, my colleague and I vacated the home. As my colleague called our clinical supervisor to report the incident, a strange thing happened. While loading containers filled with therapy supplies into my SUV, two cars slowly drove towards me. I quickly realized that they were police cars. As the police cars approached, I mentally scanned my appearance: thermal shirt, wide legged jeans, Ecko vest and ‘Timbs’ (Timberland boots). As a Black male psychotherapist committed to developing a rapport with clients whose homes I enter, the ways I dress has always been an important consideration. When conducting in-home therapy in urban and socioeconomically disadvantaged communities, I am careful to dress in relatable ways to ensure that I did not communicate authority or intimidation. However, as I stood there next to my black SUV with its slightly tinted windows, I instantly realized that I was wearing the uniform and looked the part. Not the part of the dedicated mental health professional that I am, but the part of the stereotyped urban Black male.
My story ended well, as after questioning myself, my colleague, and our client, the police appeared to recognize her emotional and behavioral struggles and appropriately engaged in de-escalation tactics. However, I am aware of the things that worked in my favor, including (1) the presence of my White female colleague, (2) my deliberate positioning of myself under a lit street lamp with my hands in sight, and (3) quickly clipping my ID to my vest to make it visible.
As I reflect on my clinical training, I realize that I was never advised on ways to effectively manage the experience of conducting in-home therapy while Black. Instead, I relied on lessons learned during "the talk” ─ the conversation about race and law-enforcement interactions that parents have with their Black children, especially their sons. It is imperative that, as the numbers of clinicians of color increase in the mental health field, training programs incorporate discussions about doing in-home therapy while Black…while Latinx…etc. Guidance needs to be provided to graduate students and trainees to ensure they engage in culturally informed strategies that decrease the noted risks.
Moreover, the types of support provided to underrepresented clinicians, particularly clinicians of color, should be thoughtfully considered. In the days after the incident, though it was my White female colleague’s behavior that appeared to trigger our client’s anger, the supervisors’ attention primarily focused on my actions ─ whether I had done something wrong and what I could have done differently. Additionally, I was amazed that they expressed concern for my colleague’s distress and offered her support while I received no such attention, even though my actions had been deemed appropriate.
Being a Black male clinician is both satisfying and complicated. It leads to challenges in the ways I practice and advocate. However, I remain confident that our world and our field has the potential to change. I stand tall in the knowledge that I am not alone, and I am comforted by the possibility that my experience may help others excel at doing therapy while Black.
Damon Pryor is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Humanistic Approaches. Additionally, he has specialized clinical training in Global Mental Health as well as African and Caribbean Mental Health at William James College.
