Therapy for Women of Color in Leadership in NYC 

Have you ever felt like your voice doesn’t matter even if you’re in a leadership position? Do you feel as though your colleagues don’t give you the support you need? Are there times when you felt your ideas or behavior were criticized based on what others may think is “appropriate” for your gender or race?

While many women who belong to the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) community and women who identify as Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) may hold leadership positions, not everyone recognizes their authority as willingly as they might recognize a male leader’s. BIPOC and AAPI women face hurdles that aren’t just rooted in gender bias, but also racial bias. 

Though systemic racism and sexism continue to be prevalent problems in society, you’re not alone in facing them. It may be helpful to seek therapy for women of color in leadership, so you can identify and work through these issues in the workplace. Though therapy will not solve a broken system, it can help you reclaim your voice, take up more space, and feel unapologetically empowered to own your position. 

We specialize in therapy for women of color in leadership in NYC. This type of therapy seeks to help BIPOC and AAPI women in leadership posts handle stressors that are unique but not uncommon to those in their position.

Women of color who are leaders tend to experience a laundry list of challenges. It’s virtually impossible to list all the instances that point to systemic racism and sexism precisely because it has been deeply ingrained in our culture. In fact, a 2006 study found that organizations tend to view straight, white men as more effective leaders. The same study found that when an organization fails, straight, white, male leaders are viewed as less responsible for the outcome. 

Getting to a leadership position is already an uphill climb for many BIPOC and AAPI women. Once you reach a position of authority, even more difficult challenges seem to present themselves. Some of these challenges may include the following: 

• Receiving criticism for being too soft-spoken or non-aggressive.

• Not feeling a sense of belonging in industries dominated by white males.

• Not being seen as fully credible leaders by colleagues and employees.

• Being left out of conversations or during brainstorming sessions.

• Not receiving the support you need to implement positive changes in the workplace.

• Experiencing extreme pressure in the workplace to perform better than others to gain acceptance from colleagues and employees.

• Feeling anxiety or hesitation over being outspoken when ideas are shot down or belittled.

• Receiving covert or overt statements or patronizing comments that point to racial and gender bias.

• Sacrificing time, such as maternity leaves, to immediately go back to work to fulfill workplace responsibilities.

• Constantly feeling stressed, threatened, or paranoid that other leaders may be conspiring against you.

• Not being able to express your leadership style in a way that is authentic to your race and gender. 

• Losing sleep over workplace demands that you want to accomplish just so you can “prove yourself” to others. 

Therapy for women of color in leadership positions may help in acknowledging that these problems are not something to brush off as “normal” workplace challenges. The effects of systemic racism and race-based trauma can leave you dealing with the effects of intergenerational trauma all your life, bleeding into difficulties in the workplace. You might feel as though you’re a fraud and unworthy of your position, causing you to lose confidence in your capabilities. 

By acknowledging that the system is flawed, you can take steps toward more empowering mindsets and actions that can help you regain your confidence to speak up, own your leadership position, and take charge without being bogged down by macro- and microaggressions.