Black Psychology for Britain Today?

To our knowledge, Black/African psychology is not widespread among doctoral courses in clinical psychology in Britain. Freud’s choice of England for refuge during and after World War II, embedded into European secular culture the idea of individual human unconscious, as opposed to soul or spirit. When between 2009 and 2012 the second author (RRM) introduced African Psychology at the Tavistock Clinic (London, England), over two thirds of participants were Caucasian Europeans. Many were influenced by their time in Africa when they experienced their own cultural despiritedness.

The need for African psychology in Europe has never been more prevalent, as without an appreciation of Africanness the African diaspora within England will perish without trace. Just as earthquakes and superstorms are natural man-made disasters in the United States and Haiti, Britain has its own. There is complete assimilation of Black people into Caucasian culture. The 2011 census (Office for National Statistics, 2012) documents people of dual heritage (where parents differ on racial background) as the largest growing ethnic group in England and Wales (United Kingdom)—no longer Black or White but a separate assimilated racial group whose call to Africa may seem remote. This is at a time when Blacks are already a minority at 14% in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics, 2012).

This is compounded when Africans from the continent struggle with acceptance of both a positive African self-image and psychological understandings. Indeed, the impact of colonialism on Black British people furthered the destructive psychological effects of slavery. Those in Britain of Caribbean ancestry are removed from their African heritage in part because they associate it with both the cause of their enslavement (Africans selling Africans) and a continual second-class status. Black British crave manifestations of the Caucasian culture that created the slave trade. They hope that replicating their oppressors will allay dis-at-ease (disease). Those of African Caribbean ancestry often have a double degree of fracture, first from Africa to the Caribbean as enslavement and second from the Caribbean to Britain as colonialism. Therefore, there are two types of posttraumatic slavery disorder (Hargrow, 2013; Newton, 2007). This disorder creates and replicates the African self-denial and insistence on White cultural norms as their own, as described by Dr. Cooper in this issue. Often there is a strained relationship with those still in Africa or the Caribbean, a conflict between different forms of Blackness and little sense of togetherness of all Black people. Black British have an added inner conflict of residing in a country that led and benefited from the slave trade.

What does this mean? Blacks in Britain need to reclaim their own understanding of what it means to be human, furthermore divine. Otherwise, be stuck with a damaging European human self-image of a Black person. We of African ancestry acculturated in both European culture and European psychology need to understand that if we continue with the same Westernized approaches, with a different-colored face, and expect a different result, then we are truly insane (Nobles, Ajamu, Hilliard, & Grills 2006). Furthermore, will remain insane. In England and Wales, detention in hospital for mental health interventions under the Mental Health Act (Department of Health, 1983, 2007) is for some Black groups 6 times higher than average (Care Quality Commission & National Mental Health Development Unit, 2011). ¹ The authors’ clinical experience shows that Black recipients of mental health services are often mistreated, undertreated, or overtreated. Unless we move the agenda away from psychology that involves the study and understanding of behavior, and towards the spirit and best of African culture (Karenga, 2010), the situation will not improve. It takes boldness and belief for Black healers to get African-centered models on the agenda. The second author (RRM) is currently applying for accreditation of an African-centered therapy course in Britain, as only accreditation/validation will affirm acceptance of an African self-affirming program.

The call is to undo damage done by Freud and others, ² who were nonspiritual. We of African descent know from our ancestors’ cultural experiences, of an expectation for people to transcend their animal self, even their human self, and become made in the likeness of God. African Black psychology must persevere in its endeavor to modernize that which our ancestors knew and lived and we have lost. We need to know and value our African selves (Akbar, 1998) and teach our people to use the wisdom of our ancestors to create a sense of ourselves that is transformative, spirited, and optimal. Acculturated Europeans of African ancestry must take advantage of the psychological understanding that we have gleaned and add our innate intuitive knowing to it. Where would the idea of the unconscious develop to if Sigmund Freud used African Khemit philosophical understanding, rather than Greek myth, to explain the hidden motivations for behavior? He could not be spiritual, but we can, in all aspects of human knowing, being, and behaving. In Britain, we need to revisit our African traditions, the models of operating that keep us at peace (for which the laws of Maat (Karenga 2006) were established). Furthermore, use them as a blueprint for living and thinking. We must introduce our Westernized selves to our ancient African selves so we may benefit from our connectedness to all that is and ever has been.

What of the future for Black psychology in Britain? Theological applications are progressing. ³ The National Health Service ⁴ plans to allow clients choice of type of psychological therapy and from whom (Department of Health, 2012). This is an opportunity to offer African-centered therapy by Black psychological therapists for the benefit of all. In addition to mental health and well-being services, the spirit of varied populations could be served—for example, the emotional and behavioral problems that can be experienced by those with learning disabilities (intellectual disability) could be addressed. There is a need for continued British African psychology development and application. This applies to both theories and tools for all racial groups to achieve preventive and reactive healing.

As Britain the superpower fades, African psychology offers to illuminate the crumpled spirit of all. It can transcend the economic, cultural, and spiritual recession characteristic of today, and take us into an illuminated tomorrow.