1) I feel like now is the time to share this story. When George Floyd died and I started to speak up about my experiences of racism in Ireland a lot of media outlets reached out to me and I was very overwhelmed and still quite upset so I felt it good to see my therapist and talk

About how I was feeling. My therapist *was* a middle aged Irish woman. It was the first time we’d ever discussed racism and I left that session in disbelief, anger and shock.

She couldn’t understand why I was getting “so worked up” about his death, speaking out and being involved in marches. She said she could understand the feeling I felt because she felt the same way when princess Diana died (where’s the correlation you may ask)

I gave her examples of my experiences (which I shouldn’t have to) to get her to understand my feelings. I told her a colleague had said my Nigerian food smelt like cat piss & her response was that when her 2 boys were younger they got teased for bringing P&J sandwiches to school

I explained how at times when I experienced racism I either lashed out at the culprit but I was told that wasn’t the right response, and she also asked if i believed in the soul and when I said yes. She said well she believes that our souls can occupy different forms

And that she may have been “Black or Asian in her last life” so it’s not really to do with colour. Also I am a Masters educated student becoming a solicitor and my therapist told me it was my responsibility to be the bigger person and ignore it as I “have a bright future ahead”

I never felt more broken. I came out of the session in tears and I never went back. Not only did she gaslight me and make me feel like my experiences were insignificant, she centred herself, told me my response to racism wasn’t appropriate and that I shouldn’t see George Floyd as

Black I should just see him as a “human” who died tragically. This was in June. I do not say lightly that racist and ignorant people occupy every position in Irish society. I have seen and experienced it first hand. This is why I say educate your families and friends.

I don’t have the privilege to just “ignore” what is my reality. I am 23, and quite secure in myself but had that been a little black boy/girl in that session I can imagine the devastating impact it would have.
Ps. If anyone knows a black Irish therapist do let me know

Oh! I completely forgot the icing on the cake! I asked her if she thought all lives matter so & she said well yes they do and seeing the look on my face she said quietly “I’ve said the wrong thing haven’t I”
honestly if I don’t laugh about it now I’ll actually cry. A crazy day.