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ForwardIntersectionality & Trauma: Lessons from Institutional Courage & Dreamstorming
Abstract
In this presentation, Dr. Gómez will use research to discuss strategies for engaging in clinically-relevant change at both individual and systems levels. First, she will provide a basic primer on intersectional oppression (e.g., interlocking racism and sexism; Collins, 2017) that impacts Black women in the U.S. She then will detail her research with cultural betrayal trauma theory (CBTT; e.g., Giroux et al., 2023), which she created as a Black feminist scientific framework for examining the unique cultural betrayal harm of within-group violence in marginalized communities, including specifically Black male perpetrated sexual abuse against Black women. According to CBTT, (intra)cultural trust, such as solidarity in the Black community, is a protective factor against racism and intersectional oppression. As a violation of (intra)cultural trust, within-group violence is a cultural betrayal trauma. Research has shown that cultural betrayal trauma is associated with mental health outcomes, such as dissociation, and cultural outcomes, such as internalized prejudice (Howard Valdivia et al., 2023). As an avenue for discussing clinicians’ roles as both therapists and systems-changemakers, she will share the fictionalized clinical case of Moanna, a Black Muslim woman with a cultural betrayal sexual trauma history, who is involved with Child Protective Services on account of the suspected child sexual abuse of her young daughter by another relative. Given the role of institutions in both harm and healing (Pinciotti & Orcutt, 2021), Dr. Gómez will detail the constructs of institutional courage (Gómez et al., 2023; Smidt et al., 2023) and dreamstorming (Gómez, 2023) within the context of this case. From her book, The Cultural Betrayal of Black Women & Girls: A Black Feminist Approach to Healing from Sexual Abuse (Gómez, 2023), she will share common barriers to systemic change, including the uneven power field, (im)measurable progress, and problematizing power, as relates to Moanna’s case. Additionally from The Cultural Betrayal of Black Women & Girls (Gómez, 2023), she will then discuss strategies for longevity in effective changemaking work, including engaging in an ethic of caring (Collins, 2022) and taking breaks from the difficulties of this work. Finally, Dr. Gómez will close with reasons to remain hopeful in our current world of volatility, violence, discrimination, and inequality, while leaving attendees with an exercise in dreamstorming that they can take with them in their own work in effecting positive change.
Potential to Distress: Yes
Target Audience
Intermediate
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this session participants will be able to:
- Define intersectional oppression
- Define three primary aspects of cultural betrayal trauma theory: (intra)cultural trust, cultural betrayal trauma, and cultural outcomes
- Define one tenet of institutional courage within each category: Operations, Self-Assessments, & Reparations
- Identify common barriers to making systemic change in clinical organizational settings
- Identify strategies for effectiveness and longevity in systems-level changemaking work
Jennifer M. Gómez, PhD
Jennifer M. Gómez, PhD is an Associate Professor at the School of Social Work and Faculty Affiliate at the Center for Innovation in Social Work & Health at Boston University. Additionally, she serves on the Boards of Center for Institutional Courage and End Rape On Campus. At ISSTD, she serves on the Board, Scientific Committee, and Annual Conference Committee, and is a guest co-editor of the upcoming special issue of Journal of Trauma & Dissociation on intersectional oppression, dissociation, and healing in diverse marginalized people. Dr. Gómez’ research centers around cultural betrayal trauma theory (CBTT), which she created as a Black feminist theoretical framework for examining the impact of violence within the context of inequality on Black and other marginalized populations. Her research has been published in over 100 peer-reviewed journals, books, newsletters, regional and national media outlets, and the Open Science Framework. Her work has been funded by the Ford Foundation Fellowships Program, administered by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, & Medicine (NASEM), the Michigan Center for Urban African American Aging Research (MCUAAAR)—National Institute on Aging (NIA), and the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences (CASBS) at Stanford University. Her transdisciplinary book, “The Cultural Betrayal of Black Women & Girls: A Black Feminist Approach to Healing from Sexual Abuse”, published by the American Psychological Association, won the 2024 ISSTD Frank W Putnam Outstanding Book Award. In “The Cultural Betrayal of Black Women & Girls”, Dr. Gómez centers Black women and girls through incorporating basic research on racism, intersectional oppression, and cultural betrayal trauma theory, as well as application in the form of culturally competent trauma therapy, radical healing in the Black community, and institutional courage (Freyd, 2018) to promote systems-level change. https://jmgomez.org
Available Credit
- 1.50 APAThe International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
- 1.50 ASWB ACEThe International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD), #1744, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 08/20/2024 – 08/20/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 1.50 continuing education credits.
- 1.50 ISSTD Certificate ProgramThis program is eligible for 1.50 credits in the ISSTD Certificate Program. No certificate of completion is generated for this type of credit.
Early registration ends August 31, 2025 at 5:00 PM US Eastern Time. Prices will increase for emerging professional and professional/retired rates at that time by $50.
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Cancellations must be received in writing via email or fax. A processing fee of $45 will be charged for cancellations received on or before Sunday, August 31, 2025 at 5:00 PM US Eastern Time. No refunds will be issued for no-shows. Refund requests will not be accepted after August 31, 2025. Not all requests will be granted. Substitutions for attendees are accepted until September 23, 2025;
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During this conference, conference organizers, presenters and staff will address any concerns that arise. Every effort will be made to address the concerns during the conference when possible. If these individuals are unable to address the participant’s concerns, the complaints and grievances shall be presented in writing to ISSTD Headquarters at [email protected]. These will be forwarded on for review by the Virtual and Regional Conference Committee.
Social Workers: Should social workers have a specific grievance, these grievances will be addressed by D. Michael Coy, LICSW. In situations where the social worker would have a conflict of interest, then, Christine Forner, MSW will review the grievance.
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