Self-Care as Resistance: Protecting Your Mental Health in a System Not Built for You
Let’s be real—self-care for therapists of color isn’t just about relaxation. It’s about survival. It’s about protecting your peace in a profession that often demands more from you while giving less in return. The emotional labor, the microaggressions, the pressure to be both healer and advocate—it all adds up.
Prioritizing your well-being isn’t indulgent; it’s a radical act of resistance. It’s choosing sustainability over burnout in a field where therapists of color are underrepresented, overextended, and often carrying the added weight of systemic inequities. It’s choosing to exist fully and unapologetically, rather than being consumed by exhaustion, injustice, or unrealistic expectations.
So, what does self-care look like when the system isn’t built with you in mind?
1: SET BOUNDARIES
Therapists of color are often expected to carry more—more emotional labor, more advocacy, more unpaid education for colleagues who don’t share your lived experience. The pressure to “show up” even when you’re depleted is real.
Set boundaries that protect your energy and longevity in this field. Boundaries don’t mean you care less—they mean you’re making sure you can keep caring without sacrificing yourself in the process.
Limit unpaid emotional labor. You are not responsible for educating every colleague about racial trauma, cultural competence, or systemic oppression. Be selective of when and how you choose to engage in these conversations.
Say no without guilt. Not every consultation, speaking request, or extra case is your responsibility. Protect your bandwidth.
Guard your non-clinical hours. Set clear work-life boundaries—whether that’s turning off notifications after hours or carving out time in your schedule for uninterrupted rest.
2: REST
Therapists of color often feel the pressure to overwork—not just for professional validation, but because of the deeply ingrained, capitalistic expectation to push through no matter what. In a capitalistic system, your productivity determines your worth. But rest is not a privilege—it’s a necessity. Radical rest is resistance.
Take time off unapologetically. You don’t need to be “on” all the time. Whether it’s a vacation or a mental health day, rest is essential to longevity in this field. If you burn yourself out early, you may not be able to make the same impact as if you show up whole, present, and fully rested.
Reject grind culture. Your worth is not tied to how much you produce or how many clients you see. Prioritize quality over quantity.
Honor your need for sleep. Chronic stress and racial battle fatigue take a toll. Protect your rest like you would protect a client’s right to care.
3: FIND COMMUNITY
Therapy can be isolating, and for therapists of color, that isolation can be even more pronounced—especially in predominantly white professional spaces. You need a community where you don’t have to explain why something is exhausting, harmful, or heavy—it’s just understood. You can’t do this work alone, healing happens in community.
Join a peer consultation group for therapists of color. Having a space to process cases, navigate ethical dilemmas, and decompress with people who get it is invaluable.
Seek mentorship from therapists who share your lived experiences. If you don’t see one in your immediate circle, expand your network through professional organizations, social media, or mentorship programs.
Create your own support system. If a space doesn’t exist, consider forming a small group of trusted colleagues for regular check-ins, case consultation, and emotional support.
4: CHASE JOY
Way too often, therapists of color are only seen through the lens of struggle, advocacy, and resilience. But joy is just as much a part of our humanity as anything else.
Make time for what lights you up outside of therapy. Whether it’s music, movement, art, or simply doing nothing—prioritize joy as a regular practice, not an afterthought. Add it to your calendar and make it non-negotiable.
Laugh often. Humor is healing. Find spaces—inside and outside of work—where you can laugh freely and fully.
Celebrate yourself. Acknowledge your wins, big and small. You deserve to take up space in your own narrative.
5: THERAPY FOR THE HEALER
Holding space for others doesn’t mean you don’t need space held for you. The emotional weight of this work—especially when you’re working with clients who share your lived experiences—can be overwhelming.
Find your own therapist. Having a space to process your own emotions, racial trauma, and professional stress without being in the therapist role is invaluable.
Seek culturally competent supervision. If your current supervisor doesn’t understand the intersection of race and mental health, find one who does—or supplement with peer consultation.
Prioritize emotional processing. Whether through therapy, journaling, or safe conversations with trusted colleagues, make sure you’re not carrying everything alone.
6: PROTECT YOUR ENERGY
Therapists of color often navigate environments that demand resilience but don’t offer protection from the racial trauma, microaggressions, and systemic barriers that come with this field. Protecting your energy is essential. Your energy is sacred, guard it fiercely and unapologetically.
Limit exposure to retraumatizing content. Be mindful of how much news and social media you consume—especially when it comes to racial violence and injustice.
Curate your professional spaces. If a workplace, organization, or colleague is draining you, reevaluate your level of engagement. Not every space deserves your energy.
Ground yourself in affirming practices. Whether it’s meditation, ancestral rituals, nature, or spiritual practices—find what recenters you and make it an active part of your daily practice.
At The Therapeutic Table, we don’t just talk about self-care—we actively create the spaces where it’s possible. As therapists of color, we know that sustaining yourself in this field requires more than individual effort—it requires community, resources, and intentional support. We believe that thriving as a therapist of color isn’t just about surviving the system—it’s about building a space where you feel supported, valued, and empowered. At The Therapeutic Table, your self-care is not an afterthought—it’s a necessity.
#QTNA. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
What’s one self-care boundary you’ve set (or want to set) that has helped you protect your energy as a therapist of color?
How do you navigate the tension between showing up for your clients and making space for your own healing?
How has your cultural identity shaped the way you approach self-care in your professional life?
The Therapeutic Table aims to be a cultural refuge for mental health therapists of color. Our mission? To decolonize the mental health field by building a supportive, culturally responsive space where we can connect, access resources designed with our needs in mind, and share a collective journey toward growth, healing, and liberation. Think:
Culturally relevant wellness programs to prevent burnout and honor the emotional labor we carry.
Peer support and virtual coworking because you deserve to do this work without feeling isolated.
Workshops and tools crafted to help BIPOC therapists thrive while centering anti-oppressive and liberatory practices.
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