Understanding and Assessing Racial Trauma

Presented by Monnica T. Williams, PhD, ABPP on 02-23-2018 at 9 a.m. Pacific (noon Eastern) to 11 a.m. Pacific (2 p.m. Eastern)

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) describes the constellation of symptoms that may occur after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Survivors of violent acts or disasters, emergency responders, abuse victims, and combat veterans are often associated with the risk of developing PTSD and many clinicians are well-equipped to provide services for those populations. When trauma and PTSD are related to experiences involving racial discrimination and systemic racism, the mental health community is less prepared.

In this two-hour continuing education web conference, Dr. Monnica Williams will explain trauma that results from experiences of racism and how people of color can develop PTSD because of traumatic events, including:

  • police harassment 
  • workplace discrimination 
  • community violence 
  • distressing medical/childbirth experiences 
  • incarceration

She will provide an overview of the cultural factors relevant to African Americans and other stigmatized minority groups, with an emphasis on understanding and assessing PTSD caused by racial trauma. 

Dr. Williams will describe the various facets of racial trauma, including the experience of historical, cultural, and individual trauma, and how these may or may not fit into a DSM-5 framework. She will share case examples and explain techniques clinicians can use to assess race-based stress and trauma. She will also highlight the disparities in mental health treatment for people of color and how racial trauma can impact the therapeutic relationship. 

This intermediate instructional level web conference is designed to help clinicians:

  1. Define racial trauma and the cultural considerations in treating race-based PTSD.
  2. Describe how racial trauma may develop and be maintained.
  3. Utilize techniques to assess race-based stress and trauma.
  4. Identify the various facets of racial trauma, including the experience of historical, cultural, and individual trauma. 
  5. Discuss the impact of racial trauma on the therapeutic relationship.

If you have any questions or concerns about this web conference, or would like more information, please contact us here.

Continuing Education (CE) Information

Two CE contact hours will be provided by GoodTherapy.org for attending this web conference in its entirety. 

GoodTherapy.org is an Approved Education Provider by NAADAC, The Association for Addiction Professionals (provider #135463). Of the eight counselor skill groups ascribed to by NAADAC, this course is classified within Counseling Services. 

GoodTherapy.org is an NBCC-Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEPTM) and may offer NBCC-approved clock hours for events that meet NBCC requirements.

GoodTherapy.org, provider #1352, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. GoodTherapy.org maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 3/30/2022 – 3/30/2025. Social workers completing this course receive 2 continuing education credits.

GoodTherapy.org is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. GoodTherapy.org maintains responsibility for this program and its content. GoodTherapy.org received APA approval in May 2011. Events after 2011 may meet APA requirements for Continuing Education credits.

GoodTherapy.org, SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #0395.

GoodTherapy.org, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0022 and for licensed mental health counselors #MHC-0031.

To receive CE credit hours for an archived event, you will need to complete a survey as well as a 12 or 15-question exam, verifying that you listened to or watched the event in its entirety. Archived CE events generally are considered "homestudy" by licensing boards.

Registration Information

If the event is canceled by GoodTherapy, registrants who purchased the event will be notified and the charge for the event will be refunded

If you have any questions or would like information regarding disability accommodations, please contact us.

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Meet the Presenter

Monnica T. Williams, PhD, ABPP

Monnica T. Williams, PhD, ABPP

Monnica T. Williams, PhD, ABPP is a board-certified licensed clinical psychologist and Associate Professor at the University of Connecticut in the Department of Psychological Sciences and Department of Psychiatry. She is also Clinical Director of the Behavioral Wellness Clinic, where she provides supervision and training to clinicians for empirically-supported treatments.
 
Prior to her recent move to Connecticut, Dr. Williams served as the Director of the Center for Mental Health Disparities at the University of Louisville in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. Dr. Williams’ research focuses on African American mental health, culture, and psychopathology, and she has published over 90 scientific articles on these topics. Her current projects include the assessment of race-based trauma, unacceptable thoughts in OCD, improving cultural competence in the delivery of mental health care services, and interventions to reduce racism. Dr. Williams also gives diversity trainings nationally for clinical psychology programs, scientific conferences, and community organizations. 

Dr. Williams is a member of the American Psychological Association (APA), having served as the diversity delegate from Kentucky for the APA State Leadership Conference for two consecutive years. She is the African American SIG leader for Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT), and she serves as an associate editor of The Behavior Therapist. Dr. Williams also serves on the editorial board of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and the Journal of Obsessive Compulsive and Related Disorders. She is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the International OCD Foundation, and is also the co-chair of their Diversity Counsel. Dr. Williams’ work has been featured in several major media outlets, including NPR and the New York Times.

For more information about Dr. Williams and her work, please visit www.monnicawilliams.com.

Continuing Education Provider Approvals

  • aceGoodTherapy.org is Approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. GoodTherapy.org maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
  • Logo GoodTherapy.org has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6380. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. GoodTherapy.org is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
  • Logo This course has been approved by GoodTherapy.org, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #135463. GoodTherapy.org is responsible for all aspects of their programming.
  • aceGoodTherapy.org, provider #1352, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. GoodTherapy.org maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 03/30/2016 - 03/30/2019.
  • GoodTherapy.org, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0395.
  • GoodTherapy.org, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0022 and for licensed mental health counselors #MHC-0031.

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