Page 306 - Microaggressions in Everyday Live Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation

280 microaggressive impact on mental health practice

cultural guide who is willing to help you understand their group, some-
one willing to introduce you to new experiences and who can aid you
in processing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Being in new situations
is uncomfortable and often awakens fears and apprehensions that can
block your experiential development. This leads us to the importance of
the next principle.
• Principle Four — Learn from Constant Vigilance of Biases and Fears. This
is probably a most diffi cult thing to do. As we saw in our analysis on dif-

ficult dialogues on race, when biases and fears come to the surface, the
strong powerful emotions of anxiety, guilt, and defensiveness often act
as emotional roadblocks that hinder monitoring and exploring biases.
Yet, to overcome this immediate reaction, to entertain the possibility
of harboring prejudices or making/behaving in a biased fashion, and
to continue open communication with someone who might have been
offended is to start the difficult journal of being honest with oneself.

Engaging and being open to exploring one ’ s own biases with a minority
friend, for example, results in positive changes for you and your friend.
• Principle Five — Learn by Being Committed to Personal Action Against
Racism, Sexism, and Heterosexism. This principle is very much related
to Counseling Psychology Model Training Values Statement Addressing
Diversity which makes it clear that in the face of prejudicial actions that
harass and intimidate, helping professionals have a moral and ethical
responsibility to intervene appropriately. Racist remarks, jokes, or biased
actions are challenged even if embarrassing and frightening. It means
noticing the possibility of direct action against discrimination and preju-
dice in everyday life, not just in a clinical setting. It means taking action
in one ’ s family, employment, and community to correct injustices.
The suggestions given above, and many others in previous chapters,
have the major goal of providing equal access and opportunity for all groups
in our society. Microaggressions are reflections of a worldview that harms,

restricts, hinders, and oppresses various marginalized groups in this nation.
As such, they reveal unpleasant truths about us that are painful and uncom-
fortable. Microaggressions are manifestations of systems of unfairness in
our nation because they do psychological harm to marginalized groups
through a process of denigration and invalidation; they create disparities
in education, employment, and health care; and they contradict the stated
values of a democratic nation. As such, our nation must actively address
these abuses not only on a personal level, but through systemic action.

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