How Therapists Can Help Black Women Navigate Job Loss

"Loosely defined as an "exposure to an event outside the normal range of the human experience," PTSD is now being considered for all people in various circumstances, not just service members or first responders. With the introduction of additional trauma disorders such as acute stress disorder, our mental health community is witnessing a shift and greater inclusion of various types of trauma and the implications across a lifespan, which can include, but are not limited to, job loss and forced shifts in identity."

"But what happens when trauma is associated with identity and is caused by the projection of ignorance from one person to another, simply based on their race and gender? What happens when one experiences targeted trauma, such as job loss, simply because they are a Black woman? While we acknowledge the bridge that is being formed, one can note that this recorded-breaking unemployment rate for Black women is not a mere coincidence and has individual, family, and community, and national implications."

Over 314,000 Black women lost their jobs in 2025, producing devastating financial, familial, and identity impacts for many who serve as heads of household. Expanded clinical recognition of trauma now includes PTSD and acute stress disorder for nontraditional events such as sudden job loss and forced identity shifts. Targeted job loss tied to race and gender produces a specific form of trauma with individual, family, community, and national consequences. Trauma can cause disrupted attachment, loss of identity, grief, shame, anger, and emotional suffering, while also presenting opportunities for realignment, empowerment, resilience, and community building. Practical, culturally informed supports are needed immediately.

Read at Psychology Today