Unwelcome, lonely or isolated. Especially if people or organisations have said or implied that you don't belong.

Confused or unsure about whether you've experienced racism. This is especially true if others ignore or deny your experiences. It can make you question your reality. This is sometimes referred to as racial gaslighting.Historical trauma (or historical loss). This is when you're affected by the realisation of how your racial group has been oppressed over time.

Racism or racial bullying can be overt or openly hostile, such as being called racist names or being sent threats. It’s important to remember that someone’s ethnicity or national origin may not be the same as their current nationality. For example, someone may have Indian national origins and be living in Britain with a British passport. Tell your therapist about any problems you're having with them. They might be keen to reflect, learn and do better.

Contribute to the pressure we feel to change or downplay parts of ourselves. This can include our hair, clothing, accent or even our skin. When society compels people in a minority to act like people in the majority, it's called assimilation. It can feel like we must 'fit in', to protect ourselves from racism. A system is something that is made up of lots of different connected parts. So systemic (or structural) racism describes how experiences of racism in many areas of life reinforce and fuel each other over time. Anxious, fearful and unsafe. You may worry about how people are going to perceive and treat you. You might feel visibly different and vulnerable when you are around lots of people of a different race. You may spend time thinking about how you'll protect yourself before entering certain spaces.