Let’s be honest.

Talking about race in the therapy room can feel overwhelming.

What if I say the wrong thing?
What if I don’t say anything at all?
What if I make it worse?

These are questions I’ve asked myself more times than I can count.

Recently, I had the honor of speaking with Dr. Nathalie Edmond, a licensed psychologist and author of Mindful Race Talk. This conversation was one of the most heartfelt and honest episodes I’ve recorded in a while.

We talked about what it means to bring intentionality, and humanity, into conversations about race… especially as clinicians.

Here are some key takeaways that stayed with me.

1. Being a Therapist Means More Than Clinical Skills

As Nathalie shared, being a therapist in private practice means wearing many hats.

You’re not just a provider, you’re also:

• A business owner

• A communicator

• A human navigating systems of power

So when race, identity, and culture enter the room (which they always do), it’s our job to meet them with curiosity, not fear.

2. Embodied Conversations Are the Ones That Heal

One of my favorite moments in our conversation was when Nathalie described what it means to have an embodied conversation about race.

It’s not just about getting the words right.

It’s about tuning in to your heart rate, your breath, your shoulders, and your emotions.

It’s asking, “Am I here? Am I present?”

Because when we’re present, we’re not performing—we’re connecting.

3. Curiosity Is More Important Than Certainty

So many therapists want to get race “right.”

But Nathalie reminded me: we don’t need to be perfect, we just need to be curious.

That means:

• Asking open questions like, “How has your racial identity shaped your story?”

• Checking in regularly, not just once

• Being willing to get it wrong, and repair if needed

It also means seeing our clients as they want to be seen—not through our assumptions.

4. Compassion and Accountability Can Coexist

We talked about cancel culture, and the fear so many clinicians feel about saying the “wrong” thing.

Nathalie’s wisdom was clear:

• Labels often shut down dialogue

• Real growth happens when we hold space for both compassion and accountability

This isn’t about avoiding hard topics, it’s about showing up with humility.

5. Building Cross-Racial Solidarity Starts With Small Steps

Nathalie encouraged all of us to:

• Be in community with people who are different from us

• Learn how our own identities intersect with privilege and marginalization

• Take risks and leave our comfort zones

• Avoid checking boxes and instead build fluency over time

A Question for All of Us

Nathalie left us with a question that I’ve been sitting with ever since:

“What does it look like to stay curious when discomfort shows up?”

Whether you’re early in your journey or deep into this work, this question invites all of us into deeper integrity—and into deeper relationships with the people we serve.

If you haven’t yet, I highly recommend reading Nathalie’s book,
Mindful Race Talk: Building Literacy, Fluency, and Agility.

It’s a beautiful, grounded guide for clinicians and humans alike.

You can learn more about Nathalie’s work at www.drnatedmond.com and check out her membership community, Anti-Racism Revolution.

And if this resonated, I’d love for you to join us at QuietBuilder.com where I write twice a month about building businesses with soul.

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