Whiteness in Psychotherapy
Personal and professional development for people in the mental health professions.
Race inequalities in the mental health system are now well documented and we know that a higher rate of harm is done in therapy to clients of colour. Studies on the possible origin and sources of these inequalities, as well as ways in which they can be addressed have also been published.
However, this knowledge, as well as the broader topics of racism and racial trauma are seldom explored in counselling and psychotherapy training courses. This means many practitioners are ill equipped to work with clients of colour in a safe and ethical way. Clients are left without spaces in which to process their experiences with racism and trauma. White clients are also denied the opportunity to explore their racial and ethnic identities within this socio-political context. Here at Race Reflections, we are convinced we can do better as a profession.
This course aim is to explore the body of work that has been produced on the topics of racism in therapy and to offer a space to reflect on our teachings and practice in relation to racism and oppression. It will also offer an opportunity to learn and explore strategies for the professional development of practitioners in order to create change. We believe this can be a key to preventing harm to clients and to increasing practitioners’ capacity to work with the issues faced by people of colour in a safe and ethical way.
The course is priced at £399 for non-members and £150 for Race Reflections members.
The course is suitable for counselling psychologists, psychotherapists, counsellors, including tutors and trainers, and other mental health professionals with an interest in developing an anti-racist practice.
Conceptualise the culture of whiteness in psychotherapy
Examine its impact on practitioners and clients
Explore tools, strategies and methods to reduce harm
Discover different approaches to working with racial trauma
Introduction
Approaching this Course & Self Care
Preparatory material
Whiteness: a definition
The Culture of Psychotherapy
Racism in Theory and Practice
Reflection Point
Racist Harm in Therapy
Microaggressions & Ruptures
Whiteness as a Barrier
Reflection Point
A Multicultural Model
White Racial Identity Development
Models for Cross-Racial Work
Reflection Point
Clinical Conceptualisation
Therapeutic Models
Social Action & Resistance
Reflections & Commitments