At Rooted Connections Counseling, we firmly believe that All Black Lives Matter. We stand in solidarity with those committed to Racial Justice and Racial Equity, and are committed to working to end the systemic oppression of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), particularly in the mental health community. We recognize that the work we do is part of a healthcare system that has oppressed People of Color since its inception, and that our practice has always benefited from the systems of white supremacy on which our country is built. It is on us to work to undo the harm that has been done to BIPOC, and to work to change the system of which we are a part.
To that end, we commit to holding ourselves accountable when we fail to recognize how these factors are at play in our work. It is our goal to become a place where People of Color and all who have been marginalized feel comfortable coming to heal from the ways in which they have been harmed, particularly by racism and oppression. This goal means we have work to do to earn the necessary trust to do so. We recognize that because we are part of a racist system, we have made mistakes that have likely caused harm to many marginalized groups, particularly our clients. We also recognize that there are many people to whom we have not been accessible, and unable to reach due to systemic barriers. It is our goal to reduce these barriers and extend our services to those who have not been able to use them.
We are always evolving and with that sometimes we will make mistakes. While it is not the responsibility of our clients to educate us on how we can be more anti-racist in our approach, is our hope that our clients will feel comfortable telling us if and when we make mistakes so that we can take necessary actions to rectify any errors we have made. It is our job to build a relationship in which this feels possible, hold ourselves accountable for what we do, and work to repair the damage. We want all people to feel welcome in our practice.
If you have any questions about how we plan to meet these goals, please ask your therapist for more information. If you are not yet a client but would still like to know this information, please contact our intake line (773-417-6342), or contact us via email on the website link.
