As we continue our discussion on suicide prevention for Black children and youth, we must consider the ways SLPs can prevent suicide for CLD students in youth. One crucial way to do this is to create a safe space for children of color. Here are some tips adapted from Online Psychology@Pepperdine:

Regulate your own emotions. “Can you calmly talk about race?” We can help children feel calm and safe in our presence when we choose to regulate our own emotions about challenging topics.

Put up posters that support inclusion. Representation matters! “Featuring imagery and ideas that promote inclusion can give students a sense of belonging and cue that they are welcome” (OnlinePsychology@Pepperdine, 2021).

Create treatment plans that are inclusive of many identities: Introduce books written by authors of color. Use stories and assignments that highlight the histories of other cultures.

Assign writing prompts or discussions that encourage reflections/emotional regulation: This is the bottom line! We want to encourage students to use their expressive language skills and express their emotions (e.g., “To not hold their emotions in”). SLPs can have students practice identifying and labeling their emotions either confidentially or with peers.

Allow students to access a safe space: Find a location on your campus that helps the student feel safe or calm. This may be the classroom of a specific teacher they trust or a physical space like the library or counselors room.

Encourage students to take a timeout. Sometimes our students simply need a breather. According to the article, “if students can self-identify when they’re feeling overwhelmed, they can leave and come back when they’re ready.”

Establish an anonymous reporting system: Children are becoming more aware of microaggressions and overt racism at school and in other mainstream environments. Allow students to feel safe to report a racist incident and take it seriously through investigation. Do your best to ensure the student remains anonymous.

Recruit the help of teachers of color: Educators have a powerful skill for connecting with the students we serve. As SLPs, we can ask for help from our colleagues who “reflect and affirm the identities of students.” This, in turn, helps promote kinship, confidence, and safety for students.

Citation:

Pepperdine University. (2021, April 13). Helping Children of Color Heal from Collective Trauma [web log]. https://onlinegrad.pepperdine.edu/blog/children-of-color-collective-trauma-recovery/#supporting.