“By Helping Others, I Help Me”: Examining the Impact of the Sawubona Healing Circle—A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Ongoing anti-Black racism impacts daily life for many Black people across the globe. The Association of Black Psychologists developed the Sawubona Healing Circles (SHCs) for Black people to have a space to process and heal from anti-Black racism. The objective of this qualitative study was to understand the impact of the SHCs on attendees. Ten adults who self-identified as Black completed qualitative interviews on their experiences participating in the SHCs; nine were retained for analysis (age range: 19-65 years; six cisgender women; two cisgender men, and one nonbinary person). The data were analyzed using a narrative phenomenological approach with a racially diverse research team. Emerging themes included: (a) Affirmation Through Cultural Grounding, (b) Reimagining/Reawakening a Pan-African Kinship, (c) Freedom through Self-Definition/Recognition, and (d) Collective Responsibility/Consciousness. The findings reiterate the need for easily accessible spaces for Black people across the diaspora to address the impact of anti-Black racism.