African Psychology :Going Beyond the Psychology that Enslaved Us | Dr Erica McInnis | TEDxTrafford

Key Concepts

• African Psychology: A psychological approach centering the experiences of people of African ancestry and the global majority, focusing on spirituality, self-determination, and ancestral wisdom.
• Kmetic People: Ancient Egyptians, recognized as originating from the African continent.
• Tahuti (Thoth): Egyptian god of knowledge, wisdom, and teaching.
• Imhotep: Egyptian god of medicine and healing, predating Hippocrates.
• Sekhmet: Egyptian goddess representing warrior energy and righteous power.
• Emotional Emancipation Circles (EEC): Group healing modality developed to address racial trauma within the African diaspora.
• Self-Determination: The ability to make choices and control one's own life and destiny, considered essential for wellness in African psychology.

The Question of Psychological Reliance & Personal Journey

The central question posed is whether the psychology that historically contributed to the oppression of certain groups can be relied upon for their healing and liberation. The speaker, a British-Jamaican clinical psychologist, recounts her personal journey of achieving professional success – becoming a doctor of clinical psychology by age 28 – only to face a series of devastating losses: the deaths of her parents and a near-fatal cancer diagnosis. This period of intense hardship led her to question the efficacy of traditional Western psychology and to explore the potential of African psychology. She describes her background as a first-generation immigrant, the daughter of pioneers from the Windrush generation, highlighting the systemic differences in how people of color are perceived and treated when traveling or migrating, contrasting the “expat” status afforded to white travelers with the “migrant” or “immigrant” label applied to people of African descent.

Defining and Exploring African Psychology

African psychology is defined as a framework that prioritizes the experiences of people of African ancestry and the global majority. It’s presented as a spiritual approach, rooted in the healing practices and philosophies that sustained ancestors through enslavement and colonization. A core tenet is the importance of self-determination for achieving wellness. The speaker’s formal study of African psychology began with a Churchill Fellowship to America, where she learned directly from leading scholars in the field. She emphasizes that African psychology isn’t a monolithic entity but a broad subject with diverse applications.

The Influence of Ancient Egyptian Deities

During her illness, the speaker found solace and guidance in the energies of three ancient Egyptian deities: Tahuti, Imhotep, and Sekhmet.

• Tahuti (Thoth): Representing knowledge and wisdom, Tahuti inspired her to both learn and teach. Despite feeling inadequate in her knowledge of African psychology, she recalled a course emphasizing the value of sharing even limited knowledge, leading her to establish the first online school dedicated to teaching African psychology, currently serving nearly 1,000 students.
• Imhotep: As the god of medicine and healing, Imhotep motivated her to document her own healing journey in an African-centered wellness journal – the first of its kind – and to facilitate healing for others through Emotional Emancipation Circles (EECs). EECs, developed by the Association of Black Psychologists and the Community Healing Network, are specifically designed to address racial trauma within the African diaspora.
• Sekhmet: The goddess of warrior energy prompted her to advocate for the inclusion of African psychology within UK doctoral training programs in clinical, educational, and counseling psychology. She was particularly moved by the protests following the murder of George Floyd and the removal of statues representing enslavers, recognizing the need to address re-traumatization within educational settings. Her efforts have resulted in African psychology being integrated into the curriculum at some UK universities.

The "Rise Up" Technique & Ancestral Connection

The speaker demonstrates and leads the audience in a grounding technique: “Let us rise up on the shoulders of our good elders and draw down the wisdom of our good ancestors.” This practice is presented as a way to access inner strength and resilience during challenging times. She clarifies that not all elders or ancestors are sources of positive guidance, emphasizing the importance of consciously choosing to learn from those who embody wisdom and positive values. She acknowledges that ancestors did the best they could with the resources available to them, and that selecting the “good parts” of their legacy is crucial.

Data & Statistics

• Nearly 1,000 students are currently enrolled in the speaker’s online school teaching African psychology.
• Imhotep predates Hippocrates by thousands of years, highlighting the long history of African contributions to medicine.

Logical Connections

The presentation follows a clear narrative arc: personal crisis leading to a search for alternative psychological frameworks, exploration of African psychology and its historical roots, application of ancient Egyptian deities as sources of strength and guidance, and finally, a practical technique for accessing ancestral wisdom. The speaker seamlessly connects her personal experiences with broader systemic issues of racial trauma and the need for culturally relevant healing modalities.

Synthesis & Conclusion

The speaker’s journey underscores the limitations of relying solely on psychological frameworks developed within systems of oppression to address the needs of those who have been historically marginalized. African psychology, with its emphasis on spirituality, self-determination, and ancestral wisdom, offers a powerful alternative. The “rise up” technique serves as a tangible tool for individuals to connect with their heritage and draw strength from the resilience of their ancestors. The core takeaway is a call to consciously choose where to draw energy from during times of adversity – whether it be the wisdom of Tahuti, the healing power of Imhotep, or the warrior spirit of Sekhmet – ultimately advocating for a psychology that empowers and liberates.