Racial Identity, White Counsellors and Therapists G Tuckwell. Buckingham: Open University Press, 2002, £16.99 hb, 188 pp., ISBN 0335-21021-X

This book, written by a school teacher turned counsellor, aims to address anxieties facing white counsellors and psychotherapists, working with clients from other racial groups. It explores issues and processes associated with race and racial identity and also offers a framework for extending the understanding of race on the sense of self. As such, it is one of the few books available to do so as most of the existing literature concentrates more on understanding the different cultural groups, the impact that their race has on them, their experience of society and the impact of racism on them. Fewer people from Black and other minority ethnic groups are known to be referred for talking therapies. Even less is known about how they respond to these treatments - whether it is from white therapists or from the small (but growing) band of black therapists. The publishing of this book is therefore timely.

This book discusses frankly the eurocentric model of white supremacy and domination, which influences important attitudes relating to superiority and inferiority. It proposes a broader and deeper understanding, which should take account of intra-psychic, interpersonal and sociopolitical factors. The author argues that practitioners need to recognise their own racial attitudes and counter-transference reactions in relation to clients, as collective beliefs about white supremacy can be damaging. The case for the role of supervision and training to help develop racially aware practice, is well-made and well accepted by all practitioners.

It is a shame that the style of the book could deter novices to this field as it coherently brings together world-wide expert views and current thinking in this complex field. A shame too, because it is a refreshingly honest attempt to grapple with much that is never openly spoken about, but that nevertheless exists. I particularly found the summing up section at the end of each chapter useful as this promotes reflective practices. This book will probably be avidly sought by experts in the field of counselling and psychotherapy rather than the majority of the readers of this journal because of its specialist stance.