The dispassionate and ritualized murder of Tess Hutchinson in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” (1948) is reminiscent of other disturbing works of literature, such as The Hunger Games, The Long Walk, Battle Royale, etc. At the same time, the events of the short story bring to mind “natural” killings, like those…

Dear Psychology Today, that was the last straw. After the lynching of George Floyd was splattered all over our screens, everyone, everyone, put out some sort of statement, even if absolutely disingenuous and performative (aka complete BS). Everyone at least pretended to care about racism (as if they were just…

Am I a prophet and I just don’t know it? I wrote these lines Before Last Week: “Please RSVP. The revolution has already started.” This week, more than ever, I want to hear your response to this question: Are you anti-racist or are you racist? Note that “not racist” is…

Please don’t call me that. “Latinx” is the hip term du jour, but not all of us are on board or even comfortable with that term. Many of us still prefer to use Latin, Latino, Latina, or Hispanic. These are still in use. They are not obsolete. They are not…

Thanksgiving was lovely. I spent it with my spouse’s side of the family. The White, Southern side. Brothers- and sisters-in-law, and their children. (No “seniors,” because sadly, they’ve already passed.) We had a really great time. They are truly wonderful people. And yes, shit came up. Compared to the horror…

MEMO: To: Minority therapist From: White/straight/cis/etc. therapist Re: Referral Date: All the freaking time Notes: *Needs sliding scale or pro-bono. K thanks bye! THANK YOU NOTE: Dear white/straight/cis/etc. therapist, Aww! You shouldn’t have! You really shouldn’t have. How did you know? More unpaid work is exactly what I needed! Should I pay you back by sending you an additional drain on your time, financial and emotional resources? Or are we even?

Dear White Therapists, If you routinely refer POC out to “culturally competent” therapists because that’s not your “expertise,” and you’re not actively seeking out training or education on how to no longer be culturally incompetent, you should change all your listings and profiles to say “Whites Only.“ Because accuracy is important. Sincerely, The Honest Therapist

My therapy fee, the one that no one really pays, is very high. It was calculated to counterbalance all the reduced rate slots I want –and am expected– to have available for folks with limited resources, often, unfortunately, POC and other minorities. And also, because “The Work,” the extra things…

I can explain about the Lexus. It was a hand-me-down. The End. Moral of the story: Don’t judge a therapist’s socioeconomic status by the car she drives.