PROTECTING SELF PROTECTING OTHERS EXPERIENCES OF BLACK WOMEN DURING GROUP PROCESS ON HUMANISTIC PSYCHOTHERAPY TRAINING COURSES PROTECTING SELF PROTECTING OTHERS

RESEARCH EXPLORING THE EXPERIENCES OF BOTH TRAINEE AND QUALIFIED THERAPISTS DURING THE GROUP PROCESS AS PART OF THEIR COUNSELLING TRAINING.

AIMS During this presentation I will be discussing the following; Motivation for study Why the study was undertaken Methodology and limitations Findings of the study Implications Summary

FINDINGS OF STUDY Identity: Black women struggled to be themselves within group process. Protection: Black women withdrew in order to protect themselves. Loss of Personhood: Black women spoke of being invisible or overlooked. White members of the group would try to 'normalise' their experience eg: "I know a Black person". Facilitation: Black women felt that at times they were saved by the facilitator, other times it felt as though the Black women were the facilitators. Expectations: There were expectations that empathy, understanding, recognition and acceptance along with congruence would be felt in the group. Communication, Language and Spirituality: These were all interlinked as Black women held non-verbal language and intuitive sensing as the key form of communicating.

PROTECT SELF PROTECT OTHERS

PROTECT SELF PROTECT OTHERS Black women took on the role of protector of self and others against pre-conceived ideas that their peers might have of Black people.

PROTECT SELF PROTECT OTHERS Black women protected themselves and others against the uncomfortableness regarding issues to do with skin colour and being Black.

PROTECT SELF PROTECT OTHERS Black women protected themselves and their peers by not being” Too Black”.

PROTECT SELF PROTECT OTHERS Black women protected themselves and others by becoming what others wanted them to be. “ I need to remember where I am…I am a Black woman. …it doesn’t feel as though I’m allowed to be myself”.

PROTECT SELF PROTECT OTHERS Black women protected themselves and others from misunderstanding in terms of language. “I had to try to put it in a language”.

PROTECT SELF PROTECT OTHERS Black women protected themselves and their peers in terms of their spirituality. “Bringing my spirituality into the room I might be too much”.

PROTECT SELF PROTECT OTHERS Is this me or is this peoples projection of their own issues….I needed to examine that.”

THE FINDINGS OF THE RESEARCH WILL PRIMARILY BE OF INTEREST TO; GROUP FACILITATORS, TEACHERS, MANAGERS AND SUPERVISORS. IT WILL ALSO BE INSIGHTFUL FOR COUNSELLORS AND PSYCHOTHERAPISTS WHOSE CLIENT GROUP INCLUDE PEOPLE OF COLOUR.