In today's episode Guilaine reflects on the last year, both for Race Reflections as an institution and for herself personally, and thinks forward towards the year to come.

Wishing you a Happy New Year from all at Race Reflections!

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In today's episode Guilaine talks about Race Reflection’s Large Group on Whiteness At Work that starts in February. She reflects on the groups aim to help understand the impact of Whiteness, race discrimination and race inequality on wellbeing, mental health, team dynamics and institutional functioning. Starting by considering how Whiteness functions and impacts the workplace, grounding the theory with some examples, and then discussing why she created the Large Group On Whiteness At Work, what the course entails and how you can apply to join.

Large Group On Whiteness At Work: https://racereflections.co.uk/whiteness-at-work-large-group/

Large Group On Whiteness: https://racereflections.co.uk/events/111495/

NOTE: Due to the seasonal holidays January’s two podcast episodes are coming out on different days to usual, but by February we will return to our usual pattern of the first and third Monday’s of every month.

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It’s nearly the end of 2025 so with Christmas and New Years Eve coming up soon what better moment than to think about things that glitter, and what goes in to making them?

In today's episode Simone does a deep-dive into Taylor Swift’s engagement ring and it’s connection to mining and colonialism. Although it’s not really about the ring but about what it and “American royalty” represent within white supremacy during these times of genocide(s).

They consider some of the workers involved in the creation of this ring and the histories and contexts that formed this August 2025 media moment.

Articles referred to:

The diamond for Taylor Swift's ring may be from India, claims Instagram user! : https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/fashion/luxury/cover-story/the-diamond-for-taylor-swifts-ring-may-be-from-india-claims-instagram-user/articleshow/123541549.cms

Blood Diamonds: The Kimberley Process and Their History: https://ourosjewels.co.uk/blogs/education/blood-diamonds-kimberley-process

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In today's episode Guilaine responds to an email sent to her about the differential treatment of people of colour in the workplace, and why Black people are treated more harshly. This question was a response to a thread she made about the idealisation of Black people, and so this episode is also a follow up to the last episode where she spoke on that topic.

She begins with an aside considering hierarchies of Racism under White Supremacy, particularly in relation to the UK, France and the USA.

She then goes through examples of differential treatment across racial lines and shares some thoughts on the reasons why these patterns are engrained within white supremacist society.

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In today's episode Guilaine reflects on how, seemingly paradoxically, when Black people (and other marginalised groups) are idealised in the workplace it can put them at risk, and result in their denigration and/or devaluation.

She begins by looking an an example, a Black doctor mentioned in Black Skin, White Masks by Franz Fanon: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/313127/black-skin-white-masks-by-fanon-frantz/9780241396667

She expands on this concept to detail the ways that this doctor might be exceptionalised and idealised due to being a competent and skilled person from a group that is not seen to have those qualities. And how this sets them up to fail when any mistake is made on their part resulting in a pendulum swing where they are often seen as betraying the person or institution that was idealising them.

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In today's episode Guilaine reflects on what she has learnt from the first year of this course and offers some advice for how people might prepare for the course, particularly for people who are new to analytic thinking and practice.

She hadn’t necessarily anticipated that such a broad range of people that would be attracted to applying, which enriches the conversation and the group for all parties, but also brings some challenges. So some preparation for applicants who come from outside of mental health and psychotherapy may be helpful.

She considers that even though the course being primarily online helps make it accessible there are a few elements involved in it being online that can be challenging and she reflects on those areas and how to overcome these challenges.

People who are coming to group analytic thinking and practice for the first time are not necessarily familiar with the role that the unconscious plays within that, and so some preparation around could be helpful. Similarly reflecting on reflectivity and the self will be required. And preparation for the way that group analysis by design is unstructured.

If you are interested in being a part of the next cohort of this course that will be beginning in January this episode should be useful for you. Also if you have issues do feel free to reach out to Guilaine about them. And if you want to be a part of it do apply as soon as you can as places are limited and will be allocated in order of application.

Contact Guilaine at contact@racereflections.co.uk

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In today's episode Simone continues on their reflections around Black Maternal Health Week which took place in April earlier this year, organised by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance: https://blackmamasmatter.org/

The first episode covering this topic can be found here: How Black women and others experience discrimination at work while pregnant https://www.buzzsprout.com/1623760/episodes/17304518

Simone considers this years theme Healing Legacies: strengthening Black maternal health through collective action and advocacy. They begin by reminding us of the range of people who experience pregnancies, and define and explore the spectrum of gender identities.

They then talk about the role of doulas in supporting pregnant people during their birth process and postpartum.

They then take the article: Doulas, Racism, and Whiteness: How Birth Support Workers Process Advocacy towards Women of Color by Juan L. Salinas, Manisha Salinas and Megan Kahn as a jumping off point: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/12/1/19

They talk about the findings of this paper and combine that with their own lived experience and knowledge of other research and advocacy to go through the specific issues faced by both Black doulas and Black birthing people.

They finish by looking at another article: Addressing Systemic Racism in Birth Doula Services to Reduce Health Inequities in the United States by Marieke S Van Eijk, Grace A Guenther, Paula M Kett, Andrew D Jopson, Bianca K Frogner and Susan M Skillman https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8896213/

And recommending Episode 182 of the podcast Evidence Based Birth: Black-led Queer and Trans Birth Work with Mystique Hargrove, Kortney Lapeyrolerie, and Nadine Ashby https://evidencebasedbirth.com/black-led-queer-and-trans-birth-work-with-mystique-hargrove-kortney-lapeyrolerie-and-nadine-ashby/

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In today's episode Guilaine responds to some queries and questions about accessing our foundation course in Group Analysis centring racial trauma.

She begins by outlining what the course consists of and celebrating its certification by the Institute of Group Analysis. Then she talks about the ways this course is designed to be accessible and goes over the different pathways offered for you to follow if you require financial or structural support.

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