[thread] People in psychology may wonder how the profession can reflect/exacerbate racist structures. They might think the problem must be with psychiatry, with "medical" diagnosis and ability to section (detain involuntarity in hospital). Below are some thoughts:/1

Psychologists see themselves and therapy as apolitical--I hear this often. As Cushman writes, psychologists think & #39;good therapy& #39; = & #39;good politics& #39;, but dont realise they replicate (even endorse) status quo. Impt because psy disciplines reflects White middle-class as & #39;normality& #39;/2

This then reflects in the therapy room, where political issues are & #39;psychologised& #39;. Without overt discrimination, the therapy room itself performs a convenient political role in locating distress asso. with poverty, racism, etc, in the patient& #39;s mind. This is known. /3

But it& #39;s worse. Think of how we construe abnormality. Personality theories like to highlight ppl& #39;s & #39;sensitivity& #39; and & #39;suspiciousness& #39;. Now think of the great James Baldwin& #39;s "To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time."/4

Many psy professionals would pathologise Baldwin, and this isnt conjecture: anger towards the State is today, as it was historically, pathologised. This is esp obvious in Prevent, but Prevent is a symptom of the wider issues with & #39;psychologisation& #39;--not the cause./5

I may even say therapists who doesn& #39;t explicitly position their therapy room/practice within wider community issues and movements, are possibly (unintentionally) replicating racist structures which seek to locate distress within ppl--to the exclusion of racist structures /end