Aggression, shame, and white fragility: phenomenological illustration of an inter-racial gestalt

Abstract In response to a climate of chronic cross-racial ruptures at the institute where I was trained in Gestalt therapy theory, I have drawn on relational scholarship to help describe what I believe is a fixed inter-racial gestalt. In addition to self-reflection and scholarship from other theoretical traditions, I invoke the concepts of aggression, shame, and white fragility in the hope that Gestalt therapy can assimilate perspectives that are underrepresented in our literature. My aim in presenting this reflection is to illustrate rather than dictate. I hope that readers will feel invited to an ongoing conversation. Keywords white fragility, racial trauma, Gestalt therapy training, shame, aggression, relational healing