Course Description

Although race is a social construction, it carries great significance and dire consequences in our North American culture. This presentation by David Archer, MSW, MFTwill 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.

Learning Objectives

1. Participants will be able to list Young’s five faces of oppression.
2. Participants will be able to describe 3 key aspects which relate to racial trauma.
3. Participants will be able to explain how allostatic load impacts physical and mental health.
4. Participants will be able to identify three recommendations for conducting anti-racist EMDR therapy.

Presenter(s)

David Archer, MSW, MFT

David Archer, MSW, MFT, is an anti-racist psychotherapist from Montreal, Canada (Tiohtià:ke). He is an Approved EMDR consultant, works full time in private practice, and provides consulting services for organizations and other therapists. In addition to being trained as a clinical social worker, he is also a registered couple and family therapist. His philosophies are informed by mindfulness, intersectional feminism, and critical race theory. Mr. Archer is an ally of LGBTQ, Black, Indigenous, and oppressed people of color around the world. He is also the recent author of a book called Anti-Racist Psychotherapy: Confronting Systemic Racism and Healing Racial Trauma.