For Crying Out Loud: Racial Battle Fatigue and Black America: Implications for the Counseling Professions

Trauma is a far too common familiarity in the lived experiences of Black Americans that can be traced back to the historical and contemporary vestiges of white supremacy and racism in the United States. However, little is known about how persistent trauma from racialized events (e.g. microaggressions, discrimination, anti-Black violence) erodes the mental and physical health of Black Americans, contributing to distress and cumulative exhaustion. In this paper, the authors discuss Racial Battle Fatigue in relation to the experiences of Black Americans as a result of living in a racialized society. Using two case examples, the authors examine and explain how Racial Battle Fatigue takes a toll on Black people, and conclude with implications for counseling professionals.