Event overview
020 7919 7904
''When will I be able to live my life without having to think about being black?''
What does it take to face the challenge of addressing and processing the personal and social impact of racism? How do therapists voice the unbearable? Denial, silence and rage have been responses linked to the impact of racism on personal development and the psyche. These responses are sometimes apparent in both client material and therapist’s coping mechanisms. if this is the case, what support and encouragement is available to engage in this process, without further oppressing clients.
It is one thing to be aware, acknowledge and discuss racism in training and clinical supervision, but what happens when working with the impact of racism on a client’s experience and life history. Do therapists and supervisors consider that not taking action to encourage clients to process past hurts from racism can be viewed as unethical. Isha will discuss concepts such as ‘ancestral baggage’, ‘a black empathic approach’ and ‘recognition trauma’ that can be used as a framework for working with this challenge.
Dr Isha Mckenzie-Mavinga is a Published Writer/Poet and Integrative Transcultural Psychotherapist, Lecturer, trainer and supervisor. She taught for twenty-six years and is a fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She has published chapters in Working Interculturally in Counselling Settings [2002] The handbook of Transcultural Counselling and Psychotherapy [2011] and Making Research Matter.[2015]
Isha has worked in mental health, with women impacted by violence in relationships and as a student counsellor. Her approach facilitates dialogue and exploration of oppression, internalised oppression, stereotyping and power relationships. She is now semi-retired and facilitates online transcultural supervision and therapeutic support. She has created a series of workshops supporting her books Black Issues in the Therapeutic Process. Palgrave Macmillan Publishers [2009]. The Challenge of Racism in Therapeutic Practice. [2016]) http://www.ishamckenziemavinga.com
Cultural Awareness Project - a series of lectures and activities
This student-led initiative is supported by Goldsmiths Annual Fund.
It aims to create an intercultural space to enhance cultural awareness and stimulate debate through a series of workshops, seminars and discussions. Trainee art psychotherapists within the STaCS Department are committed to principles that respect cultural diversity and actively challenge discriminatory assumptions, stereotypes, and interpretations; these sessions strive to contextualise the impact of diversity, without shame and foster future self-reflective practices to deepen understanding of the wider socio-political influences for marginalised communities. These opportunities are focused for trainee art psychotherapists but are also open to interested Goldsmiths students.
Online registration through EventBrite here is essential
Dates & times
| Date | Time | Add to calendar |
|---|---|---|
| 7 Jun 2017 | 6:00pm - 7:30pm |
Accessibility
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