Navigating Racial Trauma & C-PTSD — The Walls We Use To Protect Us
Growing Up on the Outside Looking In
Imagine being a child who consistently finds themselves on the outside looking in. The birthday parties you weren’t invited to, recess and lunch times spent alone silently entertained by your thoughts and fantasies. On Valentine’s Day everybody’s Valentine’s Day boxes filled with sweet notes — except yours. Even the one or two notes you may have received were then met with ridicule from your peers, further cementing your sense of exclusion. For many Black children and children of colour in predominantly white schools and spaces, these experiences were not just isolated incidents, but a daily reality.
Viewing the impact of racial trauma as a form of complex trauma (C-PTSD) can help make sense of these specific feelings and behaviours that emerge from being on the outside looking in. Let’s take a closer look at how these childhood experiences may have quietly shaped how so many kids saw themselves and impacted how they connected with others as they grew up.
The Quiet Impact of Childhood Experiences
For many Black people and people of colour who grew up in predominantly white spaces, experiences of racial trauma may have been a constant presence — sometimes overt, other times subtle yet persistent. These encounters, whether through blatant acts of discrimination or quieter, painful moments of microaggressions, can shape how people see themselves and their connection to others. When there’s little to no support within the school system, and these daily struggles are faced in isolation, the effects can linger. These experiences could compound overtime, affecting how children eventually navigate the world as adults, contributing to racial trauma — which can be placed under the broader umbrella of complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD).
In these school environments, the support needed to address racism and racial trauma was often missing. Some teachers, intended to be supportive figures, may have, knowingly or unknowingly, added to the harm. This might have shown up in biases like setting lower expectations or issuing harsh punishments for minor actions. In some cases, teachers may have turned a blind eye or even participated in bullying behaviours from other students, leaving affected children feeling unseen, unprotected, and deeply isolated. Without intervention, the impacts of racial trauma could fester and become even more complex.
It’s important to remember that this is just one piece of the puzzle. Other major factors like family pressures, cultural messages, and media portrayals also might have played an important role. These layers add more complexity, creating a more or less stable foundation and further shaping how people see and react to the world around them.
The Impact on Connection
One of the first things to be impacted was often a child’s natural desire for connection. In an environment where racial trauma felt constant, the longing to connect with others might have started to feel unsafe. After repeated instances of rejection, ridicule, or bullying, the belief could emerge that reaching out only led to hurt. This protective instinct might lead them to build internal boundaries, holding themselves back from connection as a means of self-preservation. Over time, this strategy — shutting down the need for connection — could become second nature.
Trust, too, could become difficult to nurture. When authority figures like teachers contributed to or ignored harmful behavior, trusting that others wouldn’t cause harm could become challenging. Children in these situations might have learned to keep their guard up, to wonder if kindness or attention held hidden motives, and to be cautious with those who should have been sources of guidance and safety. This wariness could become yet another layer of self-protection, reinforcing the cycle of C-PTSD in the form of racial trauma.
The Power of Family Support
For some, family offered a sense of comfort and grounding, providing the affirmation they couldn’t find at school. When caregivers provide strong support, they can soften the impact of racial trauma. This attachment, though valuable, couldn’t always shield children from C-PTSD’s long-term effects.
Balancing Boundaries and Connection
For adults who have lived through racial trauma, the world can feel unpredictable. Even daily interactions, like those in workplaces or social settings, may feel fraught with potential triggers. To protect themselves, they may reinforce internal boundaries, shutting down needs for connection or maintaining distance. Yet this self-protection, while valuable, may also isolate them, creating a cycle of disconnection that can compound the effects of C-PTSD. The challenge is in finding a balance: staying safe while also creating space for meaningful connection in ways that feel authentic.
Racial Trauma & The Fight, Flight, Fawn, or Shutdown Responses
In settings that feel unsafe, the body’s natural responses — fight, flight, fawn, or shutdown — are easily triggered. Experiences of microaggressions or overt hostility may activate the physiological responses: a racing heart, muscle tension, or an urge to escape. These responses are the body’s way of protecting itself, preparing to confront or flee perceived danger. However, in situations where neither fighting nor fleeing feel possible, such as in a workplace, these responses may lead to feelings of being trapped or overwhelmed.
Sometimes, environments that seem to resemble past hurtful experiences can re-trigger a sense of danger, resulting in intense responses despite no immediate threat. For some, this overwhelm may lead to a shutdown — feelings of numbness, dissociation, or emotional detachment. Alternatively, a fawn response may arise, where the instinct is to appease others to maintain safety. This often means downplaying personal needs or adapting to avoid conflict, which can compound the effects of C-PTSD related to racial trauma by eroding a sense of authenticity.
Racial Trauma & Reclaiming Agency
When people are impacted by C-PTSD in the form of racial trauma, reclaiming agency can feel challenging. Everyday situations, whether at work or in social settings, may feel unpredictable and hold potential triggers. In this context, how can someone make choices that support connection and safety? For those whose lives have been shaped by racial trauma, reclaiming agency becomes an act of courage, redefining choices in a way that feels empowered and aligned with a true sense of self.
Racial trauma, though rarely discussed in the context of C-PTSD, is a crucial part of understanding these experiences. The ongoing nature of racial trauma shapes mental health and well-being, leading to a profound sense of disconnection that can persist even when circumstances have changed. Therapy for C-PTSD isn’t just about surviving — it’s about thriving. By exploring the impact of racial trauma as a form of C-PTSD, we can begin to heal past wounds, reclaim agency, and move toward a life that feels safe, authentic, and fulfilling.
As we move forward, let’s hold space for these experiences, honouring the resilience it takes to navigate a world marked by racial trauma and the courage it takes to heal with C-PTSD.
Works Referenced:
Hardy, K. V. (2023). Racial trauma: Clinical strategies and techniques for healing invisible wounds. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Heller, L., & LaPierre, A. (2012). Healing developmental trauma: How early trauma affects self-regulation, self-image, and the capacity for relationship. North Atlantic Books.
McWilliams, N. (2011). Psychoanalytic diagnosis: Understanding personality structure in the clinical process (2nd ed.). The Guilford Press.
