We at Our Little Haven are profoundly saddened by the suffering of so many from police brutality and racial inequity in our society. Here at Our Little Haven we know that many of our clients and families have experienced racism before these killings increased awareness to our nation and world. We are a diverse staff of helping professionals, albeit small in number, who serve a population significant in numbers of Black and Brown persons.
Amidst our outrage at the violent deaths of unarmed Black persons and other noted acts of violence, we acknowledge acts of racism as a form of trauma for many people in our communities. This is apparent whether experienced directly, vicariously through targeted loved ones or through media images, or from being a recipient of overt expressions or more subtle micro-aggressions. We also acknowledge the impact of injustice and discrimination on the health of individuals of color, and that the violence of racism can show in physical, emotional, occupational, economic, and psychological ways.
Unfortunately, in our professional roles and private lives, we witness first-hand the impact of this trauma on developing young children who may show symptoms of posttraumatic stress, including constant fear, lack of security, decreased self-esteem and self-worth, affected racial identity, and other psychological symptoms. We empathize with the feelings of confusion, sorrow, anger, frustration, fear, helplessness, grief, and anxiety experienced by our clients, their families, and our communities.
At Our Little Haven, we view it as our ongoing responsibility to remain equipped to serve our young and adult clients and families with cultural competence, being open to addressing the truths in their distress, standing against discrimination and inequity, and supporting them in processing and recovering from racist assaults. Our response is to continue our mission to increase the accessibility of mental health care to persons who traditionally experience barriers to such care, which often parallels the same groups of targeted racism. We will continue to act in the best interests of our clients’ mental health and well-being, upholding their integrity, rights to care by competent professionals, and their civil rights with respect and honor.
To our past, current, and future clients – We want you to know that you are not alone, and that we are here to help with hope, humility, kindness, generosity, compassion, and courage.
