Hi and welcome back to the savvy psychologist podcast. I'm your host

Dr Ellen Hendrickson and I'll help you meet life's challenges with

evidence-based research, a sympathetic ear, and zero judgment.

So big thanks goes to listener Crystal Allen from New York who wrote in asking about how to handle racist interactions.

So last week on the podcast we covered six tips to handle micro-aggressions,

unintentional but hurtful comments or actions. This week, among other things,

we'll talk about what to do if you accidentally open your mouth and insert your foot.

Despite our best intentions, we all have and we all will.

Of course we're not going to solve racism in a 10 minute podcast but here are six

tips to approach the issue of racism.

If you missed last week's episode, here's a quick recap.

Microaggressions are unintended discrimination,

like complimenting an Asian American individual on his English, asking a mixed race person, what are you?

Crossing the street when you see a minority man walking your way or calling anyone exotic.

Some microaggressions are particularly versatile. For example, I'm not racist, I have insert minority group here, friends. Or you're not like most, insert minority group here, people. But no matter your color, next

time you find yourself as the accidental micro-aggressor, think of the following.

Tip number one, don't get defensive.

You'll just dig yourself in deeper, which will make things more awkward and make you look

like a jerk.

Everyone makes honest mistakes, but defending a mistake, especially if it hurt someone's feelings,

takes it to the next level where you don't want to go.

For example, if you get an Asian American colleague mixed up with another Asian American colleague,

...