Approved for 1.5 EMDRIA Credits

Using the lived experiences of the presenter as a Black woman and EMDR therapist, this presentation will focus on supporting practitioners in the development of critical consciousness, cultural humility, and courage to name, unpack and deconstruct racialized memories, narratives and traumas that may be linked to other trauma experiences. Clients of color may disclose experiences of trauma coupled with individual, interpersonal, systemic, and vicarious encounters of racial trauma, creating a complex, nuanced trauma presentation. Effective adaptations for clients of color necessitates consideration and acknowledgement of historical trauma, intersectional identities, stigma, power, privilege, and shame in clinical spaces. This presentation will provide a framework for clinicians to enhance their EMDR practices, highlight the significance of anti-racist positionality, and provide strategic recommendations for implementation of a culturally responsive approach in EMDR treatment.

Presenter: Wendy Ashley, Psy.D, LCSW