Black Male Grief Reaction to Trauma
A Clinical Case Study of One Man’s Mental Health Treatment
by Dr. Allen Eugene Lipscomb
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Dr. Allen E. Lipscomb is a black male grief researcher and clinician who has written a book about black males dealing with traumatic grief and complex PTSD.
The field of grief has been and still is led primarily by white clinicians. As a privileged white 63 year old woman from the suburbs of New York, who went to college in South Carolina in the mid 70's, I knew I needed to go to Dr Lipscomb's 3 Part Virtual Training on Black Male Grief in August 2020. He is a passionate, brilliant teacher and leader in helping clinicians get clarity, compassion and skills when working with black males and youth.
In his book (which I got before the training had ended that week) he starts by providing his basis for treatment: Ego Psychological perspective, Critical Race Theoretical understanding, and the treatment utilization of Emotion-Focused Therapy for Trauma (EFTT).
Then he breaks down the complex etiology of PTSD with laser focus on external factors i.e. what types of coping strategies are condoned or tolerated, the acculturation process of "accepted norm coping skills found within the dominant culture (i.e. White/Caucasian)", internal factors i.e. how trauma impacts affect, mood and perception, the importance of the comorbidity of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder, and so much more.
And that's only the first 2 chapters. In the 3rd chapter he goes into the hx of the ego psychology model, honoring defensive mechanisms, attachment theory, EFTT and the imperativeness of understanding critical race theory and how oppression shows up, yes even in the therapy room.
There is SO much research and many examples that Dr Lipscomb shares in bite size pieces so that when I got to the case study it further opened up my perspective on how I could have worked differently with previous clients and my capacity to connect with the black male clients I will have in treatment in the future.
Go get this book! And look at his 2nd book BRuH Approach to Therapy (BAT) and Other Related Services to Promote Healing of Traumatic Grief Among African American Men and Youth: A Clinical Practice Guide and Workbook Honoring-Based Practice.