ABSTRACT
Clearly there are many differences, such as culture, class, gender and sexuality that form divides within the wider society and where the power balance is asymmetrical. This chapter explores questions of difference in colour, and not issues of culture. Michael Rustin sees racism as akin to a psychotic state of mind. He argues that it is the very meaninglessness of the racial distinction in real terms that makes it such an ideal container, for no other complications of reality can intrude. Racism involves collective definitions which carry a process of de-personalization, seeing only the characteristics ascribed to that category and not the individual. The chapter considers two patients, one white and one black, to illustrate the issues in therapeutic work. There are, variety of routes that the white therapist can take in the attitude to work with a black patient.
