We are acknowledging and celebrating EMDRIA members identifying as Black or with African American culture for Black History Month. We know that in therapy, our clients’ identity matters and that clients do best when the different aspects of their identity are encouraged and considered within the therapy relationship. Similarly, at EMDRIA, our members’ identity matters, and our goal is that EMDRIA members’ identities are considered, celebrated, and encouraged to be fully expressed and understood. We asked EMDRIA members and EMDR therapists to share 2-minute video clips responding to the following question.  

“Describe a bit about your experience as a member of the Black or African American community and how your identity has informed, strengthened, and/or challenged your EMDR practice.”

  *** Katrina Blair, LMFT   *** Latasha Burnett, LMFT-S   *** Jessica Crunkleton, LMFT, LCPC, LPC, LMHC   *** Beverly Everett, LCMHC   *** Lindsay A Love, LCSW   *** Janell McGruder, LCPC, LMHC   *** Dr. Chante Pantila, DBH, LPC   *** George Tabb, LCSW   *** Alicia Tetteh, LCSW   *** Evelyn Wright, LCSW *For closed captioning, play the video and click on the ‘CC’ icon in the lower right hand corner   

Resources

Anxiety & Depression Association of America. Black and African American Communities. https://adaa.org/find-help/by-demographics/black-african-american-communities American Counseling Association. BIPOC Mental Health Month. https://www.counseling.org/knowledge-center/mental-health-resources/bipoc-mental-health-month Archer, D. (2020, Fall). Racial trauma, neurons, and EMDR: The path towards antiracist psychotherapy. Go With That Magazine. Open access: www.emdria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/GWT.2020.Vol_.25.Issue_.3.RacialTrauma.ALL_.pdf Archer, D. (2021). Anti-Racist Psychotherapy: Confronting Systemic Racism and Healing Racial Trauma. Montreal, QC: Each One Teach One Publications. Ashley, W., & Lipscomb, A. (2020, Fall). Addressing racialized trauma utilizing EMDR and antiracist psychotherapy practices. Go With That Magazine. Open access: www.emdria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/GWT.2020.Vol_.25.Issue_.3.RacialTrauma.ALL_.pdf Clearly Clinical. (2022). Lifting Black Voices: Therapy, Trust, and Racial Trauma (Ep. 95). Podcast featuring La Shanda Sugg, LPC, Dr. Tiffany Crayton, LPC-S, and LJ Lumpkin, LMFT. https://courses.clearlyclinical.com/courses/free-ceu-racial-trauma-therapy  EMDRIA. Antiracism Resources. www.emdria.org/publications-resources/practice-resources/antiracism-resources/ EMDRIA. Black History, Racial Trauma, and EMDR. Focal Point Blog. https://www.emdria.org/public-resources/black-history-month/  EMDRIA. Diversity and Cultural Competence Association Policy. EMDRIA. EMDRIA Members Respond: How Can EMDR Therapists Increase Safety for BIPOC Clients? Focal Point Blog. https://www.emdria.org/public-resources/bipoc-mental-health/ EMDRIA. EMDRIA Members Respond: How Can the Field of EMDR Therapy Increase Access of Care for BIPOC Individuals? Focal Point Blog. https://www.emdria.org/public-resources/emdria-members-respond-how-can-the-field-of-emdr-therapy-increase-access-of-care-for-bipoc-individuals/ EMDRIA. EMDR and Diversity, Community, and Culture Online Community. EMDRIA. EMDR therapy and parents with Mercedes Samudio, LCSW. Let’s Talk EMDR Podcast Episode 3. https://www.emdria.org/letstalkemdrpodcast/ EMDRIA. EMDR therapy, PTSD and treating black men and adolescents with Dr. Allen Lipscomb. Let’s Talk EMDR Podcast Episode 2. https://www.emdria.org/letstalkemdrpodcast/ Hernandez, C. (2020, Fall). SPACEHOGS make a difference. Go With That Magazine. Open access:www.emdria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/GWT.2020.Vol_.25.Issue_.3.RacialTrauma.ALL_.pdf Levis, R. V. (2017). Placing Culture at the Heart of EMDR Therapy. In Nickerson, M. I. (Ed.), Cultural Competence and Healing Culturally-Based Trauma with EMDR Therapy: Innovative Strategies and Protocols (pp. 97-112). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Co. Levis, R. V., & Siniego, L. B. (2017). An Integrative Framework for EMDR Therapy as an Anti-Oppression Endeavor. In Nickerson, M. I. (Ed.), Cultural Competence and Healing Culturally Based Trauma with EMDR Therapy: Innovative Strategies and Protocols (pp. 79-96). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Co. Mental Health Alliance. Black and African American Communities and Mental Health. www.mhanational.org/issues/black-and-african-american-communities-and-mental-health National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Your Journey: Black/African American. www.nami.org/Your-Journey/Identity-and-Cultural-Dimensions/Black-African-American Nickerson, M. I. (2017). Cultural Competence and Healing Culturally Based Trauma with EMDR Therapy: Innovative Strategies and Protocols. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Co. Smith, L., Proctor, G., & Akondo, D. (2021). Confronting racism in counselling and therapy training – Three experiences of a seminar on racism and whiteness. Psychotherapy and Politics International, 19(2), e1579. Open access: https://doi.org/10.1002/ppi.1579 The Library of Congress. (n.d.). Black History Month. https://blackhistorymonth.gov/ Urdaneta, V. (2020, Fall). Engage in the conversation of race and racism with “Hot chocolate and cheese:” An idea you can implement. Go With That Magazine. Open access: www.emdria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/GWT.2020.Vol_.25.Issue_.3.RacialTrauma.ALL_.pdf Washington, J. T. (2020). Examining the historical and present-age impact of racism in the United States of American through the arts, aesthetic education, and transformative learning theory: Empowering social work students to effectively discuss racism and provide best practices with African Americans and other people of color (Publication No. 139) [Doctoral dissertation, University of Pennsylvania, School of Social Work]. https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations_sp2/139/  

EMDRIA Race, Culture, and Ethnicity OnDemand Education Opportunities

Archer, D. (2020). Racial Trauma, Neurons, and EMDR: The Path Towards an Anti-Racist Psychotherapy. [EMDRIA Conference session]. EMDRIA OnDemand. www.emdria.org/course/racial-trauma-neurons-and-emdr-the-path-towards-an-anti-racist-psychotherapy/ Archer, D., Ashley, W., Chaffers, Q., & Hernandez, R. (2020). The Elephant in the Room: Systemic Racism and Psychotherapy. [EMDRIA Conference session, panel discussion]. EMDRIA OnDemand. www.emdria.org/course/the-elephant-in-the-room-systemic-racism-and-psychotherapy/ Ashley, W., & Lipscomb, A. (2020). EMDR Therapy with an Afrocentric Critical Race Perspective. [EMDRIA Conference session]. EMDRIA OnDemand. www.emdria.org/course/emdr-therapy-with-an-afrocentric-critical-race-perspective/ Chaffers, Q., & Brown, K. (2020). Healing the Healer: EMDR-IGTP-OTS & Vicarious Trauma in Black Clinicians. [EMDRIA Conference session]. EMDRIA OnDemand. www.emdria.org/course/healing-the-healer-emdr-igtp-ots-vicarious-trauma-in-black-clinicians/ Hernandez, R. (2020). EMDR Diversity & The Spectrum of Trauma Prevention. [EMDRIA Conference session]. EMDRIA OnDemand. www.emdria.org/course/emdr-diversity-the-spectrum-of-trauma-prevention/ Nickerson, M. (2020). Social Trauma and Adversity: Restoring Connectedness and Resilience. EMDRIA OnDemand. www.emdria.org/course/social-trauma-and-adversity-restoring-connectedness-and-resilience/  

Back to Focal Point Blog Homepage

 

Additional Resources

If you are a therapist interested in the EMDR training: If you are EMDR trained: If you are an EMDRIA Member:

Date
February 6, 2023

Client Population
Racial/Cultural/Ethnic Groups

Practice & Methods
DEI/IDEA

Series
EMDRIA Members Respond

Audience
EMDR Therapists

Language
English

Content Type
Blog/Blog Post

Original Source
Focal Point Blog

Access Type
Open Access

Related Articles