Reaching a milestone

11/07/22 • 24 min

In today's episode Guilaine reflects on reaching a milestone within the PHD she is currently undertaking. She gives the lowdown on what she's been working on, discusses some of the challenges she has encountered and what she has learnt so far, and she discusses where she stands in relation to the research and some of the implications for her and for Race Reflections.
Her study looks at whiteness, at time and space, at memory, with focus is on developing a group analytical frame for addressing whiteness and racialised violence in Psychotherapy, and an exploration of the overlap between group analysis and African philosophies, challenging "Western"linear temporalities. It looks at hpw whiteness as a factor or force for trauma becomes reproduced, reenacted and reiterated within the clinical encounter, and the implications this offers on how whiteness comes to be within institutions, organisations and teams relationally, procedurally and structurally.
Podcast about the start of her PHD process: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1623760/episodes/9373225
PHD study page: https://racereflections.co.uk/whiteness-in-psychotherapy/
Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts.

To send us your queries, questions and dilemmas please email [email protected]

To send us your queries, questions and dilemmas please email [email protected]

Previous Episode

RE-RELEASE: Surviving the Workplace While Black

In this re-released episode first published on Jun 7, 2021 we consider surviving the workplace while black. We reflect on the workplace conditions of previous and current generations of black people, particularly black women.
We think about three strands that are navigated when working while black:
1. Inequalities and structural racism which impacts physical and mental health.
2. Experiences of discrimination, interpersonal racism and bullying which intersect with structural issues.
3. The internal and external pressures put on black people by themselves, their family and community, to work twice as hard to overcome these oppressive systems.
Living While Black: The Essential Guide to Overcoming Racial Trauma is out: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/144/1442992/living-while-black/9781529109436.html
Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts.

To send us your queries, questions and dilemmas please email [email protected]

Next Episode

Can Black employees ever be authentic in the workplace?

In today's episode Guilaine responds to a listener question: Can Black employees ever be authentic in the workplace? She answers the question with some other questions and reflects on the issues surrounding them.
The first is: Is authenticity a desirable aim to achieve for Black people and organisations? She comes to the conclusion that their is a strong case as a general rule for the importance of workplace authenticity in improving culture, morale, well-being, organisational turnover and even leadership.
But it isn't simple as her second question suggests: Is it realistic, both for organisations and for black employees, that a workplace can increase it's level of authenticity? She reflects that some change can be achieved with sustained effort but that a blanket expectation of authenticity doesn't take into account difference in terms of experiences, cultures and beliefs. She considers the barriers such as the British/English cultural aversion to authenticity, and how whilst leaders may be the guardians of organisational culture they are often leading from the "snowy white peak" of white middleclass masculinity which doesn't tend to embrace authenticity.
She concludes with advice for employers on ways they can encourage authenticity and support the people that this (counter) cultural change will potentially challenge and isolate.
Some other Race Reflections AT WORK podcasts that touch on these issues:
Authenticity: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1623760/10665249
The only person of colour in the workplace: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1623760/10172908
Imposter Syndrome: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1623760/11323973
Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts.