Racial Trauma, Neurons, and EMDR: The Path Towards an Anti-Racist Psychotherapy
Abstract
Although race is a social construction, it carries great significance and dire consequences in our North American culture. This presentation will explore how Anti-Black racism, racial trauma, and White Supremacy can impact psychotherapy. Using Young’s Five Faces of Oppression model, we will discuss how Anti-Black racism affects clients and therapists. In addition to discussing how systemic racism impacts service delivery, we will also explore the impact that Anti-Black racial microaggressions can have on the nervous system (e.g. allostatic load) of our clients. Recommendations for conducting EMDR from an Anti-Racist perspective will be discussed and encouraged. Case examples will be provided.
This session was originally presented as a live conference session in October 2020.
Target Audience
Intermediate
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants will be able to:
- Describe 3 key aspects which relate to racial trauma
- Define the concept of allostatic load
- Identify three recommendations for conducting anti-racist psychotherapy
Presenter: David Archer, MSW, MFT, Psychotherapist
Presenter Bio: David Archer is an anti-racist psychotherapist from Montreal, Canada. In addition to being trained as a clinical social worker, he is also a registered couple and family therapist. Though mindfulness, intersectional feminism, and critical race theory inform his philosophy, he works full time in private practice using EMDR, Brainspotting, EFT, and other strategies which utilize memory reconsolidation. Areas of interest relate to working with individuals who have suffered from PTSD, racial trauma, minority stress, addictions, and eating disorders. Mr. Archer is an ally of LGBTQ, Black, Indigenous, and oppressed people of colour around the world.
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 to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. ISSTD maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 08/20/2021 – 08/20/2024. 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.
Price
"Your Price" above reflects your final price based on your membership status and career level.
- ISSTD defines a student as those enrolled in a program of study leading to a degree or certification in the mental health field and who have an interest in trauma and dissociation.
- ISSTD defines an emerging professional as mental health professionals who have completed an advanced degree and are in the first three years of their career (or first three years after graduation for researchers).
- If you do not fall into one of the above categories please register as Professional/Retired.
These prices are for Tier I countries. For a list of countries by Tier click here. If you are located in a country that falls into Tier II-VI please contact ISSTD at cfas@isst-d.org to receive the appropriate discount code.