Black History Month is a time to honor the Black and African-American experience! To celebrate Black History Month, we asked EMDRIA members for video or written responses to the following question:
*** Joshualin Dean, LMHC, Florida, USA – “Black History Month often provides a space to reflect on not only where we have been, but also how we carry our history forward, including our bodies, communities, and professional spaces. As a BIPOC Clinician and EMDRIA Approved Consultant, there is intentionality in creating psychologically safe spaces that foster learning and growth, while holding space for important discussions about learning and providing culturally informed EMDR from a place of humility. EMDR on its own is a powerful treatment; however, culturally informed case conceptualization is crucial in providing care to historically marginalized populations. This careful consideration of history is not only limited to history taking as a clinician but also serves as an important consideration when providing consultation and creating spaces for learning. The intersecting identities of the learners in front of us are just as important to hold in mind. As we continue the journey toward creating safe spaces for individuals of all backgrounds, how do we teach this meaningful work in ways that do not replicate harm?”
*** Rudie Edwards-Ugiomoh, LICSW, Ohio, USA – “Culturally responsive EMDR case conceptualization for Black and African-American clients requires acknowledging that trauma exists within historical and systemic contexts. I assess for racial trauma, microaggressions, and intergenerational wounds alongside individual traumatic events—understanding that a client’s nervous system may carry responses shaped by collective experiences of racism and discrimination. Building trust is foundational. I create space for clients to define their own cultural identity and explore how spirituality, family systems, and community connection serve as sources of resilience. I avoid assumptions about what healing looks like. During the preparation phase, I collaboratively develop resourcing that honors culturally meaningful supports—whether that’s ancestral strength, faith traditions, or community bonds. Negative cognitions are examined through a lens that distinguishes internalized oppression from individual belief, ensuring we target the appropriate root. This approach validates lived experience while empowering clients to reprocess trauma authentically.”
*** Dr. Jenay Garrett, LPC, Virginia, USA (Note for subtitles on the videos, play the video and click on the ‘CC’ icon in the lower right-hand corner for closed captioning.)
*** Kionna Howell, LPC, Pennsylvania, USA
*** Renata Huewitt, LPC, LMHC, Virginia and Florida, USA
*** Dr. Arielle Jordan, LCPC, Maryland and Virginia, USA – “A culturally responsive EMDR case conceptualization for Black and African American clients starts with respecting the intelligence of the nervous system. Many clients are not reacting to a single traumatic event but to chronic racialized stress, cumulative loss, and moral injury shaped by history and present-day realities. Research shows repeated exposure to discrimination activates threat responses similar to acute trauma, often without a clear endpoint. Strong conceptualization tracks patterns rather than isolated memories. It asks when vigilance became necessary, when silence kept people safe, and when strength was the only viable option. Behaviors often mislabeled as resistance are understood as adaptive survival strategies that once worked very well. Evidence-based practice also requires clinician self-awareness. The therapist’s capacity to tolerate conversations about race, power, and mistrust directly affects nervous system safety. Cultural identity, faith, and collective resilience are integrated as active resources and targets. When culture is woven into beliefs, memories, and resourcing, EMDR supports not only symptom relief, but restored agency, dignity, and embodied safety.”
*** Jasmine Scott, LCPC, Maryland, USA – “Black people are not a monolith, and not every Black client will experience these terms as problematic, but given historical context and present-day systemic racism, many Black clients have never truly experienced safety, and similarly, the term containment may evoke associations with incarceration or reinforce the message that thoughts and feelings need to be off the table in order to survive. Ultimately, culturally responsive EMDR with Black clients requires clinicians to examine how standard interventions are delivered, to hold historical and systemic realities alongside individual trauma histories, and to mold the preparation phase so it is truly beneficial for the person sitting in front of them. Adaptation is not a deviation from EMDR; it is an ethical application of it. This flexibility becomes even more critical with the population I serve. I primarily work with women who experience vaginismus, uterine fibroids, and endometriosis.”
*** George Tabb, LCSW, North Carolina, USA
*** Latasha Thomas, LPC, Pennsylvania, USA – “In my opinion, one of the key factors for a culturally appropriate case conceptualization for BIPOC clients is lived experience: historically and current. The media would have one believe that all people of color come from the same environments, speak the same language, and behave the same way; but just like other folk, people of color are multidimensional. For instance those of us who live in the North have a very different lived experience than those from the South or any other region of the country. Yes, of course, there are many cultural overlaps, however, I find it paramount not to assume and to allow the client to disclose things about their experience that are unique. It’s these distinctive factors that most likely are at the root of some of the negative beliefs they hold regarding themselves and the world. “
*** Angela VanWright, LPC-S, Louisiana, USA – “Culturally responsive EMDR case conceptualization for clients who identify as Black or African-American begins with cultural humility and historical awareness. Trauma must be understood not only as single events, but as cumulative and intergenerational, shaped by systemic racism, racial stress, microaggressions, and ongoing inequities that impact the nervous system over time. Effective conceptualization requires clinicians to validate racialized experiences as legitimate trauma, while also remaining attentive to how negative cognitions related to safety, worth, power, and belonging may be culturally and historically informed. Equally important is identifying and integrating cultural strengths, such as spirituality, faith, family, community, resilience, and storytelling, as protective resources within EMDR phases. Finally, a strong therapeutic relationship—grounded in transparency, awareness of power dynamics, and openness to conversations about race—creates the safety necessary for meaningful processing and healing.
*** Rayvéne Whatley, LPC-S, Georgia, USA – “When conceptualizing EMDR with Black or African-American clients, cultural context isn’t an add-on, it’s central to how I understand their experiences and nervous system responses. I start by zooming out before I zoom in. I’m not just asking, “What happened?” I’m asking, “What context did this happen in?” Racial stress, chronic vigilance, code-switching, and unspoken pressure to stay strong all shape how the nervous system adapts. I pay close attention to what has been protective rather than pathologizing survival strategies. Emotional restraint, hyper-independence, or constant alertness often make sense given a client’s lived reality. Those patterns deserve respect before they’re challenged. Cultural humility is non-negotiable. I name power dynamics, check my assumptions, and let clients define what safety and healing look like for them. Preparation often takes longer, and that’s intentional. Building trust, strengthening culturally meaningful resources, and creating real safety sets the foundation for effective reprocessing, not delays it.
“What factors help ensure a culturally responsive EMDR case conceptualization for clients who identify as Black or African-American?”
*** Dr. Irene Bernard, Tennessee, USA – “I believe clients require education to help them understand the multiple layers influencing their most recent case, concern, or traumatic experience. These layers often include systemic racism, micro- and macro-level racism, and intercultural racism, experienced in every area of an African American person’s life. Every layer amplifies the next, creating a compounding effect. By examining this dynamic, we can shift from minimizing their impact to fully acknowledging and validating the complexity of emotions they evoke. If left unaddressed, like so often they are, these emotions will intensify and lead to a heightened emotional and, eventually, physical response. This process can be deeply healing when guided by a culturally sensitive clinician.”*** Joshualin Dean, LMHC, Florida, USA – “Black History Month often provides a space to reflect on not only where we have been, but also how we carry our history forward, including our bodies, communities, and professional spaces. As a BIPOC Clinician and EMDRIA Approved Consultant, there is intentionality in creating psychologically safe spaces that foster learning and growth, while holding space for important discussions about learning and providing culturally informed EMDR from a place of humility. EMDR on its own is a powerful treatment; however, culturally informed case conceptualization is crucial in providing care to historically marginalized populations. This careful consideration of history is not only limited to history taking as a clinician but also serves as an important consideration when providing consultation and creating spaces for learning. The intersecting identities of the learners in front of us are just as important to hold in mind. As we continue the journey toward creating safe spaces for individuals of all backgrounds, how do we teach this meaningful work in ways that do not replicate harm?”
*** Rudie Edwards-Ugiomoh, LICSW, Ohio, USA – “Culturally responsive EMDR case conceptualization for Black and African-American clients requires acknowledging that trauma exists within historical and systemic contexts. I assess for racial trauma, microaggressions, and intergenerational wounds alongside individual traumatic events—understanding that a client’s nervous system may carry responses shaped by collective experiences of racism and discrimination. Building trust is foundational. I create space for clients to define their own cultural identity and explore how spirituality, family systems, and community connection serve as sources of resilience. I avoid assumptions about what healing looks like. During the preparation phase, I collaboratively develop resourcing that honors culturally meaningful supports—whether that’s ancestral strength, faith traditions, or community bonds. Negative cognitions are examined through a lens that distinguishes internalized oppression from individual belief, ensuring we target the appropriate root. This approach validates lived experience while empowering clients to reprocess trauma authentically.”
*** Dr. Jenay Garrett, LPC, Virginia, USA (Note for subtitles on the videos, play the video and click on the ‘CC’ icon in the lower right-hand corner for closed captioning.)
*** Kionna Howell, LPC, Pennsylvania, USA
*** Renata Huewitt, LPC, LMHC, Virginia and Florida, USA
*** Dr. Arielle Jordan, LCPC, Maryland and Virginia, USA – “A culturally responsive EMDR case conceptualization for Black and African American clients starts with respecting the intelligence of the nervous system. Many clients are not reacting to a single traumatic event but to chronic racialized stress, cumulative loss, and moral injury shaped by history and present-day realities. Research shows repeated exposure to discrimination activates threat responses similar to acute trauma, often without a clear endpoint. Strong conceptualization tracks patterns rather than isolated memories. It asks when vigilance became necessary, when silence kept people safe, and when strength was the only viable option. Behaviors often mislabeled as resistance are understood as adaptive survival strategies that once worked very well. Evidence-based practice also requires clinician self-awareness. The therapist’s capacity to tolerate conversations about race, power, and mistrust directly affects nervous system safety. Cultural identity, faith, and collective resilience are integrated as active resources and targets. When culture is woven into beliefs, memories, and resourcing, EMDR supports not only symptom relief, but restored agency, dignity, and embodied safety.”
*** Jasmine Scott, LCPC, Maryland, USA – “Black people are not a monolith, and not every Black client will experience these terms as problematic, but given historical context and present-day systemic racism, many Black clients have never truly experienced safety, and similarly, the term containment may evoke associations with incarceration or reinforce the message that thoughts and feelings need to be off the table in order to survive. Ultimately, culturally responsive EMDR with Black clients requires clinicians to examine how standard interventions are delivered, to hold historical and systemic realities alongside individual trauma histories, and to mold the preparation phase so it is truly beneficial for the person sitting in front of them. Adaptation is not a deviation from EMDR; it is an ethical application of it. This flexibility becomes even more critical with the population I serve. I primarily work with women who experience vaginismus, uterine fibroids, and endometriosis.”
*** George Tabb, LCSW, North Carolina, USA
*** Latasha Thomas, LPC, Pennsylvania, USA – “In my opinion, one of the key factors for a culturally appropriate case conceptualization for BIPOC clients is lived experience: historically and current. The media would have one believe that all people of color come from the same environments, speak the same language, and behave the same way; but just like other folk, people of color are multidimensional. For instance those of us who live in the North have a very different lived experience than those from the South or any other region of the country. Yes, of course, there are many cultural overlaps, however, I find it paramount not to assume and to allow the client to disclose things about their experience that are unique. It’s these distinctive factors that most likely are at the root of some of the negative beliefs they hold regarding themselves and the world. “
*** Angela VanWright, LPC-S, Louisiana, USA – “Culturally responsive EMDR case conceptualization for clients who identify as Black or African-American begins with cultural humility and historical awareness. Trauma must be understood not only as single events, but as cumulative and intergenerational, shaped by systemic racism, racial stress, microaggressions, and ongoing inequities that impact the nervous system over time. Effective conceptualization requires clinicians to validate racialized experiences as legitimate trauma, while also remaining attentive to how negative cognitions related to safety, worth, power, and belonging may be culturally and historically informed. Equally important is identifying and integrating cultural strengths, such as spirituality, faith, family, community, resilience, and storytelling, as protective resources within EMDR phases. Finally, a strong therapeutic relationship—grounded in transparency, awareness of power dynamics, and openness to conversations about race—creates the safety necessary for meaningful processing and healing.
*** Rayvéne Whatley, LPC-S, Georgia, USA – “When conceptualizing EMDR with Black or African-American clients, cultural context isn’t an add-on, it’s central to how I understand their experiences and nervous system responses. I start by zooming out before I zoom in. I’m not just asking, “What happened?” I’m asking, “What context did this happen in?” Racial stress, chronic vigilance, code-switching, and unspoken pressure to stay strong all shape how the nervous system adapts. I pay close attention to what has been protective rather than pathologizing survival strategies. Emotional restraint, hyper-independence, or constant alertness often make sense given a client’s lived reality. Those patterns deserve respect before they’re challenged. Cultural humility is non-negotiable. I name power dynamics, check my assumptions, and let clients define what safety and healing look like for them. Preparation often takes longer, and that’s intentional. Building trust, strengthening culturally meaningful resources, and creating real safety sets the foundation for effective reprocessing, not delays it.
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Date
February 13, 2026
Topics
Racial Trauma
Client Population
Racial/Cultural/Ethnic Groups
Practice & Methods
Case Conceptualization, Your EMDR Practice
