Ision: A Case Study Of Orion's Life

This case study is a story of a young African American man named Orion who grew up not being able to embrace his racial identity. Throughout his life, he attended elite schools, filled primarily with white students, which did not allow him to develop his racial identity or pride in his race. Orion’s racial experiences at school also negatively affected his self-esteem and caused him to develop anxiety issues. The schools he attended did not allow him to be in a culture where his race was something that he could and should be proud of. As a result, Orion tried to suppress his race and any race related so that he would not be different from his white companions. In turn, He struggled with not being black enough to be accepted by the black community, causing his racial insecurities. All the while, Orion’s story also explores his relationships with his friend, family, and partners throughout his life and how they were affected by his anxiety and internal race issues. Orion’s identity issue started when he was at a …show more content…
The counselor provided the opportunity that Orion needed to overcome his anxieties, for she encouraged Orion to start journaling to help reduce his anxiousness. Journaling gave Orion the chance that he needed to honestly and openly express himself when he could not do so in person. He often shared and discussed his writings with his best guy friends so that he could develop and better understand his overall identity. Additionally, Orion’s relationship with his sister was the catalyst that sparked change in how he treated his romantic partners. Orion greatly respected his sister and their relationship and thought that he should use similar principals from their relationship in his relationships with his potential romantic partners. His second romantic relationship experience also taught him how to control his emotional anxiety and how to treat others