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Symposia

Racial Trauma

When Trauma is Omnipresent: Exploring Biomarkers and Interventions for Racial Trauma

3 - (SYM 44) Healing Racial Trauma Protocol: A Pilot Study to Determine the Acceptability of the Intervention

Saturday, November 22, 2025
12:41 PM - 1:00 PM CST
Location: Strand 9, Level 2
Keywords: Racial Trauma, Treatment, Evidence-Based Practice
Recommended Readings: Comas-Díaz, L., Hall, G. N., & Neville, H. A. (2019). Racial trauma: Theory, research, and healing: Introduction to the special issue.American Psychologist, 74(1), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000442,   Cénat, J. M. (2022). Complex Racial Trauma: Evidence, Theory, Assessment, and Treatment. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 18(3), 675–687. https://doi.org/10.1177/17456916221120428,   Carter R. T., Forsyth J. (2010). Reactions to racial discrimination: Emotional stress and help-seeking behaviors. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 2(3), 183–191. https://doi.org/10.1037/A0020102,   Williams, M. T., Holmes, S., Zare, M., Haeny, A., & Faber, S. (2023). An Evidence-Based Approach for Treating Stress and Trauma due to Racism. Cognitive and behavioral practice, 30(4), 565–588. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpra.2022.07.001,   Yoon, S. A., & Weierich, M. R. (2016). Salivary biomarkers of neural hypervigilance in trauma-exposed women. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 63, 17–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.09.007
Abstract Body

Currently, there is a lack of evidence-based interventions for racial trauma. Existing trauma treatments often fail to address the complexities of racial experiences and their multifaceted effects, making them unsuitable for this population. Given the pervasive nature of racism and the daily microaggressions faced by people of color, traditional exposure-based interventions for PTSD may not be effective. The Healing Racial Trauma treatment protocol (William et al., 2023)  incorporates established CBT strategies and has the potential to become one of the first evidence-based treatments specifically designed for racial trauma.



 



We conducted a pilot study to examine the acceptability of the Healing Racial Trauma protocol among people of color with racial trauma. The Healing Racial Trauma protocol consists of three phases: "Stop the Bleeding," which provides psychoeducation and support; "Healing,” which helps clients reframe harmful thoughts stemming from racism; and "Empowerment," which encourages clients to confront racism in their daily lives.  Participants in the current pilot study consisted of people of color living in a mid-sized city in the Western United States. Participants were predominantly women (75%) and Latine (50%) and were between 20 - 32 years of age (M = 27.3, SD = 2.6). Participants attended 12 to 14 weekly, one-hour psychotherapy sessions. Four participants who completed the Healing Racial Trauma protocol took part in a semi-structured interview at the end of the treatment. Reflexive thematic analysis was employed to code the data and extract themes.



 



Most participants found the treatment acceptable and relevant to their experiences with racial discrimination. They reported a deeper understanding of how racism functions in society and its impact on the well-being of minoritized populations. Additionally, they appreciated the opportunity to process their racial experiences in a validating and non-judgmental environment. However, some participants felt that the treatment included excessive psychoeducation about racism, with certain topics not directly relating to their personal experiences. This is the first study to utilize this protocol for addressing racial trauma, and the findings suggest that this intervention may be beneficial in helping individuals navigate the complexities of racism and their own experiences.