Tammy Lewis Wilborn is a retired licensed professional counselor, clinical supervisor and counselor educator with 20 years of experience as a clinician. “Playing a New Game” is her inaugural book. Through personal anecdotes, narratives from participants in her doctoral research and other resources, Wilborn shares her knowledge of the impact of racial discrimination in the workplace and how to overcome it. She grabs the reader’s attention with sad (because they are true) data on the leading causes of death of Black women of all ages and how many of those conditions are directly linked to adverse work experiences. She further draws the reader in with existential questions and statements peppered throughout the book. For example, readers are challenged to reflect on “The real question is what script will I write for myself now that the pen is in my hand”? Such questions and statements are supported by the insights she imparts in a practical and solution-focused manner. For each actionable item, such as the promotion of self-care, Wilborn provides strategies that will teach clients to incorporate them into their normal routines. She does this while simultaneously correcting the misconceptions often associated with the concept. Wilborn also defines and simplifies terms and phrases, such as spirituality and “protect your piece, that are well used but may be misunderstood. Clinicians and clients will love and appreciate how Wilborn educates her readers while supplying them with techniques to address the stigma associated with talk therapy and pharmacological treatment options; the various types of clinical providers, license types, educational requirements and general areas of care offered; how to determine if a clinician is a good fit; the importance of boundaries (personal and professional); and the associated pitfalls when ineffective boundaries are in place. As Wilborn suggests, coping occurs on a continuum. Her book will assist clients on their journey to mental wellness and provide counselors with strategies derived during her lengthy career as a practitioner.
First published in Black Mental Health Today, Spring 2023 (Vol. 7).