Anti-Racist Therapy: Clinical Tools for Cultural Responsiveness, Equity, and Healing

CPD

Planning Committee Disclosure - No relevant relationships

All members of the PESI, Inc. planning committee have provided disclosures of financial relationships with ineligible organizations and any relevant non-financial relationships prior to planning content for this activity. None of the committee members had relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies or other potentially biasing relationships to disclose to learners.  For speaker disclosures, please see the faculty biography.

Handouts

Speaker

John Weaver, LPC, LSATP, EMDR-C, CAADC, CCTP Related seminars and products

Innovative Counseling Group LLC

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John Weaver, LPC, LSATP, EMDR-C, CAADC, CCTP, is a highly skilled trauma specialist trained and certified in multiple facets of trauma-informed care. He specializes in working with adolescents and adults with post-traumatic stress, trauma, substance use issues and co-occurring disorders of depression, anxiety, and family related issues. John is a trauma & resilience trainer, a trauma informed peer support trainer, and a certified advanced alcohol and drug counselor. John supports BIPOC clients with trauma recovery and reliance building. He uses a blend of EMDR, cognitive behavioral, Motivational Interviewing, person-centered, reality based, and solution focused approaches to treatment. In addition, John serves as a consultant to other licensed clinicians and supervises residents seeking to become licensed professional counselors. John is frequently engaged by non-profit agencies, community-based programs, and mental health agencies to educate and train their staff on trauma informed care and provides organizations with trauma-informed care organizational best practices.

John believes that psychoeducation and a holistic approach are keys to healing, behavior modification, and one’s ability to maintain and sustain the changes that they have made. His own life experiences, as well as those of many of his clients, have compelled him to advocate for systemic change in the provision of culturally responsive care. He is an engaging presenter with a wealth of knowledge and a passion for change. John believes that people becoming more educated on the impacts of trauma, and racial trauma on mental health is essential to treating each client in a holistic manner and that there is no better time than now for clinicians to learn how to integrate anti-racism into their practice.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Johnathan Weaver has employment relationships with Inspire Family Services and Innovative Counseling Group. He receives a speaking honorarium from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Johnathan Weaver has no relevant non-financial relationships.

Additional Info

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Objectives

1. Evaluate the historical context of racism and its impact on mental health.
2. List practical techniques for identifying personal biases and assumptions.
3. Choose strategies for proactively addressing racial identity and racial trauma in therapy.
4. Utilize non-biased communication techniques and culturally responsive assessment and diagnosis methods.
5. Integrate anti-racist frameworks into treatment plans.
6. Differentiate between being “not racist” and the practice of anti-racism in the provision of mental health care services.

Outline

Beyond Cultural Competency

• “Not racist” is not enough
• Proactive steps in becoming anti-racist
• Historical context: The impact of racism on mental health
• Tools to examine bias and assumptions
• Establishing therapeutic alliance and trust through cultural humility
• Allyship and advocacy to support systemic change

Racial Identity and Racial Trauma

• Proactively address racial identity in therapy
• Tools for recognising racial trauma and its impact on mental health
  • Substance abuse disorders
  • Depression, anxiety, and mood disorders
  • Generational trauma and epigenetics
  • Family systems and relationships
• Empathy and validation in working with racial trauma survivors

The Power of Language

• Tips for non-biased communication
• Ensuring inclusive language in diagnostics
• Race-affirming communication techniques
• Repairing therapeutic missteps and unintended microaggressions

Culturally Responsive Assessment and Diagnosis

• Practical tips to reduce diagnostic bias
• How intersecting identities (e.g., race, gender, sexuality) impact mental health assessments
• Tools to understand your client’s cultural world
• Stigma-reduction strategies for diverse communities
• Intake examples that consider culture and values in assessment
• Ethical guidelines that consider fair and inclusive practice

Treatment and Intervention Strategies

• Incorporating anti-racist frameworks into treatment plans
• Culturally tailored therapy approaches:
  • Motivational interviewing to foster selfefficacy
  • Empowerment through a solution-focused approach
  • Culturally adaptive intervention for SUDs
  • The power of thought records in traumaprocessing
  • Culturally aligned psycho-education
  • …and more!

Intersectionality and Diverse Client Populations

• Special considerations for LGBTQ+ individuals of colour
• Identifying the unique needs of immigrant and refugee communities
• Indigenous and First Nations Communities: ensuring culturally relevant care

Ethical and Legal Considerations in Anti-Racist Counselling

• Incorporating professional codes of ethics into therapy
• Informed consent and confidentiality in culturally competent counselling
• Navigating legal and ethical challenges
• Advocacy and activism for systemic change in mental health care

Integrating Anti-Racism into Professional Practice

• Self-care and burnout prevention
• Leadership in anti-racist initiatives
• On-going evaluation of personal and professional growth
• Limitations of the research and potential risks

Target Audience

• Psychologists
• Counsellors
• Social Workers
• Marriage and Family Therapists
• Other mental health professionals