Letting the Chips, Cracks, Breaks, and Missing Pieces Show: The Metaphorical Implications of Kintsugi for Clinical Social Work Practice with People of the Black Diaspora

Kintsugi, the ancient Japanese art of repairing tableware, sees beauty in imperfection, and embraces the stories told by the visible fractures of a mended piece. The process-oriented nature of this mending practice, which centers attentive assessment, using the correct materials for repair and allowing requisite time for each step, has metaphorical implications for clinical social work practice with people who have experienced complex trauma. In this clinical practice note, I focus on Kintsugi’s foundational use of urushi, a bonding lacquer. I make the case for conceptualizing urushi as a metaphor for generational healing for trauma survivors, particularly for Black Diasporan clients. I detail my participation in the mugi and sabi steps of Kintsugi and provide a clinical example of retrospective application of the urushi metaphor. I close with implications for clinical social work practice.