Stirring the Roux: How Race-Based Traumatic Stress Shapes Parenting Neurodivergent Children in the Black Community

By Janelle Robinson

Parenting is a lot like making gumbo. The roux—the carefully stirred mixture of flour and fat—

is the foundation. Its color and consistency determine the flavor of the entire dish. A peanut-

butter-colored roux requires a short stir; a deep mahogany roux takes patience and vigilance.

Step away for a minute, and you risk burning it, starting over from scratch. When cooking

gumbo, you must pull up a chair to the stove and commit to stirring—the roux is everything. Just as a gumbo requires patience, attention, and knowledge of each ingredient, parenting—especially for Black families raising neurodivergent children—requires careful attention to the foundational forces that shape daily life: history, culture, structural inequities, and racial trauma.

But a roux alone does not make gumbo. Before you even begin, it behooves you to have all of your ingredients ready: the holy trinity of green peppers, onions, and celery; okra; chicken

Dr. Janelle Robinson, PhD, NCC, LPCS

thighs; sausage; shrimp; crab legs; chicken broth; bay leaves; garlic; and a carefully measured blend of Creole spices. Knowing your ingredients, their characteristics, and the timing of when they go into the pot ensures that the gumbo comes together harmoniously. You don’t put the shrimp in at the beginning, because seafood only needs a few minutes to cook. You must understand the unique qualities of each ingredient and how it interacts with others. Similarly, before we can support Black parents navigating complex systems with neurodivergent children, we must first understand the full recipe of their lived experience. Every ingredient matters, and missing even one, changes the outcome.

In this blog, we’ll explore how race-based traumatic stress, structural inequities, and historical context interact with neurodivergence to shape parenting, and offer practical takeaways for both parents and clinicians.

Understanding the Ingredients of Black Parenting

Just like the roux for gumbo, for Black families in America, that foundation includes a long and ongoing history of racism and racial inequity. These experiences are not abstract concepts or distant historical events; they are realities that shape how many Black parents understand safety, advocacy, and trust within institutions. When parenting a neurodivergent child, these realities do not disappear—they often become even more relevant. The same systems that are meant to support children, such as schools, healthcare providers, and therapeutic services, are also systems where bias, stereotypes, and unequal treatment have historically existed. As a result, Black parents may enter these spaces with a different set of concerns, expectations, and lived knowledge than families whose racial identities have not been shaped by the same history. This is why it is not enough to talk about neurodivergence alone. Diagnoses such as, autism spectrum disorder, are increasingly recognized and discussed however, the broader context surrounding Black families raising neurodivergent children is often overlooked. The parenting journey is not shaped solely by a child’s diagnosis or developmental needs. It is also influenced by “ingredients” such as, racial stress, microaggressions, structural inequities, and the constant negotiation of stereotypes and assumptions about Black children and Black parents. These realities can influence how children are perceived, how behaviors are interpreted, and how families are treated when they advocate for support.

For clinicians, educators, and support systems, understanding this context is essential. If we only focus on the “diagnosis,” we miss the larger picture that informs a family’s experience. Just as gumbo cannot be understood by looking at a single ingredient, the experiences of Black parents raising neurodivergent children cannot be understood without acknowledging the many forces that shape their reality. Race-based stress, historical trauma, intersectionality, structural inequities, and cultural context are all part of the mixture.

To have meaningful conversations about supporting Black neurodivergent children and their

families, we first need a shared understanding of these ingredients. The terms that follow help name and describe the forces that influence how Black parents navigate systems, advocate for their children, and interpret the support—or lack of support—they receive.

• Race-Based Traumatic Stress (RBTS) – the psychological and emotional impact of

experiencing racism and discrimination (Carter, 2007).

• Neurodivergence – Neurodivergence refers to individual variations in brain function and cognitive processing that differ from the societal norm, including conditions such as autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. (Doyle, 2020)

• Structural inequities – the systemic disadvantages experienced by certain social groups compared with others, rooted in policy, law, governance, and culture, that lead to unfair differences in life opportunities and outcomes (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine [NASEM], 2017, Chap. 3, pp. 99–183)

• Intersectionality – the overlapping and compounding effects of race, socioeconomic

status, disability, and other identities (Crenshaw, 1989).

• Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome – a condition in which a population has experienced

generations of trauma stemming from centuries of slavery and continues to be affected by ongoing oppression and systemic racism (Leary, 2005).

The Impact of Racism

In their 2015 article, Anderson et al. (2015) posited that everyday stressors can impact the well-being of all parents. When an additional layer of culturally specific stressors—such as race-based traumatic stress—is added, the burden can become particularly debilitating for Black parents. Research continues to demonstrate that experiences of racism are connected to negative health outcomes, including both physical and mental health effects (Harrell, Hall, & Taliaferro, 2003; Geronimus, 1992).

Dr. Hugh Butts (2002), through more than four decades of clinical work as a psychiatrist and

psychoanalytic practitioner, treated thousands of African American clients who described

various forms of racial trauma. What he observed was that many of the symptoms his clients

described closely resembled those associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

According to the DSM-5 TR (American Psychiatric Association, 2022), PTSD symptoms can

include recurrent, involuntary, and intrusive memories of distressing events; recurring distressing dreams related to the event; flashbacks; intense psychological distress when exposed to internal or external cues associated with the trauma; persistent avoidance of stimuli connected to the trauma; hypervigilance; exaggerated startle responses; difficulties with concentration; sleep disturbances; and other related symptoms. What Butts (2002) suggested was that he was observing many of these same trauma-related responses in clients who were describing experiences of racial trauma.

Similarly, Dr. Robert Carter (2007) highlighted the relationship between racial stressors and

negative health outcomes, noting connections between experiences of racism and conditions such as high blood pressure and heart disease. Harrell et al. (2003) also discussed how experiences of racism can trigger significant psychological and physiological arousal. In addition, Neblett et al. (2010) examined the relationship between racial discrimination and substance use among African American adolescents, pointing to the ways in which racial stress can influence coping behaviors.

Dr. Arline Geronimus (1992), through her work on the Weathering Hypothesis, has also

demonstrated how chronic exposure to racism and structural inequities can lead to cumulative physiological stress, contributing to significant health disparities, including negative health outcomes and disparities such as the disproportionately high rates of Black maternal mortality.

Finally, Dr. Joy DeGruy Leary (2005), in her book Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome, discusses

how repeated and generational experiences of racism and oppression can influence self-esteem, self-worth, and behavioral responses across generations.

Together, this body of research underscores a consistent finding: racial trauma is not simply an abstract concept, but a lived experience with measurable psychological, emotional, and

physiological consequences (Anderson et al., 2015; Butts, 2002; Carter, 2007; Harrell et al.,

2003; Neblett et al., 2010; Geronimus, 1992; DeGruy, 2005).

Parenting in Context

When we add parenting into the pot, an important question emerges: if African Americans

experience these forms of racial trauma, would these issues not also show up within Black

families, within the Black community, and within the experiences of Black parents?

Now imagine layering neurodivergence into this context. Neurodivergent children—those with

autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, or other neurological differences—introduce unique

developmental, social, and educational needs. For Black parents, the intersection of race-based traumatic stress and neurodivergence creates compounded challenges. Intersectionality—the overlapping and interconnected effects of race, disability, socioeconomic status, and other social identities (Crenshaw, 1989)—helps explain why these challenges are magnified. Access to quality services, the ability to afford aftercare or therapy, and navigating school systems are all influenced by structural inequities shaped by racial history and racial bias that shape access, expectations, and perceptions. The timing and preparation of each ingredient—much like in gumbo—become essential. A child with specific needs may require particular interventions at precise moments, just as shrimp must be added late to the pot to avoid overcooking. Parenting under these circumstances requires vigilance, creativity, and intentionality, as parents work to balance their child’s developmental needs with the realities of systemic barriers and racialized stressors.

Yet, just as a well-stirred roux is the heart of a rich gumbo, intentional, informed parenting

creates the foundation for resilience. Recognizing the historical and contemporary impacts of

racial trauma allows parents to respond with awareness rather than reaction. It allows them to advocate effectively for their child’s needs, to seek appropriate educational supports, and to nurture a child’s strengths. For clinicians working with these families, understanding the

interplay of RBTS and neurodivergence is essential. Interventions must be culturally responsive, grounded in respect for family context, and attentive to the unique challenges imposed by structural inequities.

Parenting, like gumbo-making, requires preparation, patience, and understanding of the

ingredients. A parent who can identify the ingredients shaping their child’s experience—the

historical trauma, the social stressors, the child’s neurological differences—can act with

intention, making decisions that honor both the child’s individuality and the family’s lived

experience. Similarly, clinicians who recognize the importance of these foundational elements can provide guidance and support that truly resonates.

The roux is a reminder that foundation matters. Each ingredient, each decision, each response has consequences. Black parents of neurodivergent children operate in a complex social and historical context, but with awareness, intentionality, and support, they can create a nurturing environment that allows children to flourish. The work is not easy, and the stirring must be continuous, but the result—a family resilient in the face of adversity—is worth every effort.

Practical Takeaways for Parents and Clinicians

For parents:

• Recognize and name the impact of race-based stress on your parenting.

• Be intentional with your responses, reflecting on your own coping and stress patterns.

• Advocate for your child’s needs in schools and community programs.

• Seek out culturally competent support and peer networks.

For clinicians:

• Validate Black parents’ experiences of racial trauma.

• Assess the intersections of RBTS and neurodivergence when supporting families.

• Provide culturally responsive, practical guidance for accessing resources and

interventions.

• Encourage reflective practices that help parents identify their strengths and areas for

intentional growth.

Conclusion

The roux serves as a powerful metaphor for the foundational work clinicians must do to support Black parents of neurodivergent children. The late great Leah Chase—author, queen of Creole cuisine, inductee of the James Beard Foundation's Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America, Lifetime Achievement Award recipient from the Southern Foodways Alliance, and holder of numerous honorary degrees and accolades—along with her late husband Edgar “Dooky” Chase II, who ran the historic Dooky Chase restaurant in New Orleans, LA since the 1940s, consistently emphasized the importance of the roux in all of her interviews, classes, and work. She understood, as many expert chefs do, that the roux determines the flavor and integrity of the entire dish. Similarly, attending carefully to history, trauma, and context shapes a parent’s experience and capacity to nurture their child.

Clinicians must recognize the structural inequities and systemic barriers that impact families,

from schools and aftercare programs to broader societal systems influenced by implicit bias and racial stereotypes. Advocacy is central: not only advocating for clients, but helping them

advocate for themselves. When parents feel overwhelmed, frustrated, or even hopeless in

navigating these complex systems with a neurodivergent Black child, clinicians’ roles are not to debate whether bias or microaggressions occurred, but to provide validation, active listening, and reflective support, while helping parents identify their own strengths and resilience.

By understanding race-based traumatic stress, historical trauma, and systemic oppression,

clinicians can offer culturally responsive care that empowers parents, connects them with

resources, and supports them in challenging barriers. Just as a roux requires patience, attention, and careful stirring, effective clinical support requires intentional, informed, and empathetic engagement with the foundational dynamics shaping a family’s experience.

About Dr. Janelle Robinson, PhD, NCC, LPCS

Dr. Janelle Renee Robinson, Ph.D., NCC, LPC is a Clinical Training Director and Core Faculty at the Family Institute at Northwestern University. She is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) in South Carolina, a licensed professional counselor supervisor (LPC-S) and a national certified counselor (NCC) with the National Board of Certified Counselors.

A native of Pittsburgh, PA, Dr. Robinson earned her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA, her MS in Professional Counseling from Carlow University also in Pittsburgh, PA., and her BS in Psychology from Tennessee State University, an HBCU in Nashville, TN. She has over 15 years of clinical experience counseling individuals, children and adolescents, and families in Pennsylvania, Alabama, and South Carolina. Dr. Robinson has over 10 years in academia and her clinical and scholarly interests include racialized trauma, as well as understanding how transgenerational trauma impacts the African American community. She is a professional member of the American Counseling Association, the Association of Counselor Education and Supervision, the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development, Counselors for Social Justice, and the South Carolina Counseling Association.

Dr. Robinson resides in Columbia, SC with her husband Travis and 3 beautiful children, Ezekiel, Kimberlyn, and Elijah. 

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