Coping with racial trauma can look different for everyone. It will be important to consider what your needs may be and how that may change during different times. The following are some resources and tools you may find helpful in the coping and healing process.

ISPRC Racial Wellness Toolbox

Created by the Institute for the Study and Promotion of Race and Culture at Boston College, this toolbox provides steps for creating your own Racism Recovery Plan to use when coping with and managing racial trauma.

Black Lives Matter Healing Toolkit

Created by the Black Lives Matter Healing Justice Working Group, this toolkit gives guidance for staying centered and grounded while building healing justice into direct actions.

The Four Bodies Toolkit: A Holistic Toolkit for Coping with Racial Trauma by Jacquelyn Ogorchukwu

This toolkit focuses on a holistic approach to managing racial trauma by caring for the mental body, the emotional body, the physical body, and the spiritual body.

Coping Skill: HALT

• "HALT stands for never get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired."  Addressing or managing HALT can enhance your ability to cope with racial trauma and stress.
• Dominic Bradley describes how feeling Hungry, Angry, Lonely, and Tired impacts them and what they do to address each of those needs. Bradley’s article emphasizes that HALT is not only useful for racial trauma, but it is also helpful for just generally navigating life as a person with a marginalized identity.

Coping Skill: Engage in Basic Self-care

Engagement in basic self-care such as exercise, nutritional food intake, and sleep is essential in managing racial trauma.

• Exercise: Engaging in any form of physical activity is helpful for reducing stress. Learn more about the brain-changing benefits of exercise.
• Nutritional Food: Gaining a better understanding of nutrition can improve physical and mental health wellness. Find out how nutrition interacts with your brain's neurotransmitters.
• Sleep: Sleep is essential for mental and physical wellbeing. Gain an understanding of how sleep affects your emotions.

Coping Skill: Build or Access a Support Network

Sharing your experiences with a person or group who has similar experiences can help you navigate racial stress and trauma. Module Three outlines diversity, inclusion, and equity resources at GVSU and in the community.

Sources: Racism Recovery Plan Steps; Healing in Action: A Toolkit for Black Lives Matter Healing Justice & Direct Action; The Four Bodies: A Holistic Toolkit for Coping with Racial Trauma; Racial Trauma is Real: The Impact of Police Shootings on African Americans; Family-Care, Community-­Care and Self­-Care Tool Kit: Healing in the Face of Racial Trauma; A Psychologist’s Guide To Healing From Racial Trauma

Go forward to: Racial Trauma, Management, and Self-care Workshop: Module Three