FALL 2020

VOLUME 25 / ISSUE 3
EMDRIA.ORG

EMDR & RACIAL TRAUMA

 IN THIS ISSUE FALL 2020
VOLUME 25 / ISSUE 3

Contents EMDRIA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

PRESIDENT
FEATURES Carol Miles, MSW, LCSW

SECRETARY

6
Kriss Jarecki, LDCSW-R
EMDR & RACIAL TRAUMA: THE DIRECTORS
PATH TOWARDS ANTIRACIST Wendy Byrd, MA, LPC, LMFT
Candida Condor, Psy.D., LMFT
PSYCHOTHERAPY Marisol Erlacher, MA, LPC
Lori Kucharski, LMFT, LPC
Tamra Hughes, MA, LPC
22 ADDRESSING RACIALIZED TRAUMA UTILIZING Sharon Rollins, MS-LPC, NCC
EMDR AND ANTIRACIST PSYCHOTHERAPY
PRACTICES
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Michael Bowers, MA
28 SPACEHOGS MAKE A DIFFERENCE [email protected]

EDITOR
34 ENGAGE IN THE CONVERSATION OF RACE Kim Howard, CAE
AND RACISM WITH “HOT CHOCOLATE AND [email protected]
CHEESE:” AN IDEA YOU CAN IMPLEMENT ASSISTANT EDITOR
Susanna Kaufman

PROOFREADER
Apryl Motley, CAE

ART DIRECTOR
Chris Duncan

“Go With That” is the quarterly magazine of

the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA),
and is copyrighted by EMDRIA. No reproduc-
tion, republication, or other use of the content
DEPARTMENTS herein is authorized without explicit permission
from EMDRIA. For permission, please write the
3 NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS Editor at [email protected].
Letters to the Editor should be addressed to
30 COUNSELOR’S CORNER the Editor. Any letters submitted are subject
to review and approval by EMDRIA and will be
published at EMDRIA’s sole discretion. Letters
to the Editor should not exceed 250 words.
The views expressed in this publication do not
On the Cover necessarily represent the official positions or
views of EMDRIA and should not be construed
Tragic deaths of our Black brothers and sisters that made the news as such.
this past summer have created a societal tipping point as we begin
to have our collective eyes opened to the systemic oppression and © 2020 EMDR International Association
silence that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Ameri-
cans have faced for centuries at the hands of White Americans.
Although it feels overwhelming to make a difference against this
ISTOCKPHOTO

system, that is what many of you as trauma therapists signed up

to do. We look to see how EMDR can mend divides to heal trauma,
raise awareness, and advocate for those who need it most.

2 GO WITH THAT | FALL 2020

 NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Letter from the Executive Director

MICHAEL BOWERS, MA; EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, EMDRIA

Dear Colleagues: printed copy of the Journal.

We will not raise dues in 2021. How-
I’m writing to let you know about some ever, beginning with the first issue in
changes coming in 2021 regarding the 2021, any member who wishes to re-
Journal of EMDR Practice and Research ceive a printed copy of the Journal will
(JEMDR). need to purchase a print copy subscrip-
For years EMDRIA members have tion. The cost will be $20 ($5/issue) for
been able to choose to have a printed an annual printed copy subscription.
copy of the JEMDR if they wished, If you are receiving a printed copy
in addition to online access to the of the JEMDR in the mail and wish
Journal. In the last decade, there have to continue to do so, you will need to
been increases in costs associated with purchase a printed copy subscription
printing, mailing, and administrative before January 31, 2021. This will Thanks for your continued member-
overhead that EMDRIA has absorbed also be the case if you have had online ship. EMDRIA will do everything in its
to make these printed copies available. access only and now wish to begin re- power to keep costs low and continue
Simultaneously, increases in dues in ceiving a printed copy of JEMDR. And to improve our services and the value
the last decade and more have not kept please remember that everyone will of membership. We wish you the best
pace with inflation and an overall rise still receive online access to the JEMDR in this season. Please take care and
in costs for these and other items. as part of your membership dues, re- stay vigilant with the virus spread. We
EMDRIA remains committed to gardless of whether they purchase a hope you can practice good self-care
keeping membership dues as low as printed copy subscription. and stay resilient as we all work to help
possible while still providing relevant We wanted to give you notice of others.
and valuable services. The online this change as early as possible. Spe-
access to the JEMDR will always cific instructions for how to purchase Sincerely,
remain available to members. Still, a printed copy subscription of JEMDR
we now need to institute a fee for will be coming to you soon in another Michael Bowers, MA
the costs associated with receiving a email and through the E-News. Executive Director, EMDRIA

EMDRIA Website Now Translated into 100 Languages

E MDRIA now offers its website in
almost 100 languages. You can
translate any EMDRIA page you are
language. However, please note that
once you sign in to your member ac-
count and visit Impexium (associa-
ties pages, you cannot translate
the discussion groups either since
the Communities pages are hosted
on into the language of your choice. tion management system/database) on the Higher Logic website. Visit
Language translation is also a fan- for invoices, member dues, etc., you www.emdria.org and choose the
tastic option for your potential pa- will not be able to translate this “Select Language” dropdown box on
tients who might need EMDR infor- website into another language. Also, the website’s top right navigation
mation translated into their native when you log in to the Communi- bar to see all language choices.

EMDRIA .ORG 3
NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

EMDRIA Has a New Address

A
s we’ve reported before, EMDRIA’s
office staff started working remotely
in the spring because of the global
pandemic. The association decided not to
renew its office lease that expired at the end of
November as the team will continue to work
OnDemand Gets a Makeover remotely. We do have a new flexible office
space with Regus. The new address for mail

O ur OnDemand portion of the website is now revised and

open. We moved to a provider that offers a more enhanced
experience for our members. OnDemand reopens with new
and package delivery is:
7000 North Mopac Expressway,
Suite 200,
content. We have added presentations from the 2019 and 2018
Austin, Texas, 78731-3013
Annual Conferences. Visit this landing page www.emdria.org/
emdr-training-education/continuing-education/emdria-on- The phone number and website address
demand and log in to view the content. remain the same.

MEMBER TIP
Therapist Directory Page
A re you wondering why your listing does not show up on
the therapist directory page? Please make sure that you
have checked the box for “Show in the Directory” here:
Log in to EMDRIA website > visit My Account on top right >
on My Account page > select Account tab > select Personal
Information > (shown top right)
If that is already done, then please make sure that you have
a valid Work address associated with your account. If not,
please add one here:
Log in to EMDRIA website > visit My Account on top right >
on My Account page > select Account tab > select Contact
Information > (shown bottom right)
And after adding one Work address or changing the existing
Home or Other address as your Work address, please wait for
24-48 hours and then check back on our directory page.

4 GO WITH THAT | FALL 2020

 NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

U P D AT E

Special Interest Group

Gets New Name
T he new Diversity, Community, and Culture SIG, formerly
the EMDR and Public Practice and Diversity SIG, provides
a forum for dedicated discussions regarding intersectional
clinical issues of interest relevant to communities of color and
LGBTQ communities. The membership invites clinicians who
are working with (or who are interested in working with) these
issues in underserved and diverse communities, especially in
community mental health to participate. We also desire to
promote the advancement of clinicians from these communities
through the process of becoming consultants and trainers. The
SIG practices and embraces anti- racism, cultural humility, and
social justice. Visit https://www.emdria.org/emdria-community
and see all of our SIGs and other communities.

EMDRIA .ORG 5
COVER STORY

6 GO WITH THAT | FALL 2020

RACIAL TRAUMA,
NEURONS, AND
EMDR: THE PATH
TOWARDS ANTIRACIST
PSYCHOTHERAPY
BY DAVID ARCHER, MSW, MFT

S
ociety has a problem with the movement; the protests by people of all
concept of race. This concept is races sparked around the world due to
both remarkable and disturbing. the murders of African American men
It drives and maintains so much and women at the hands of White police
suffering yet is a highly malleable con- officers. Much like COVID, we cannot
struction based on social policies and po- predict the scale that this trauma will
litical opinions. Race impacts our psycho- have on later generations. But regardless
therapy. It is much more than skin deep, of any individual’s race, because of the
being that it permeates the life of the in- scale and exposure to the repeated vid-
dividual who seeks help and the one who eos of police violence, we have all been
provides it. The client and therapist are touched by this second viral pandemic,
both caught in a world where decisions the trauma of Anti-Black racism. Taking
regarding whether their lives matter are this into account, these issues are espe-
based not so much on their contribution to cially important for EMDR practitioners.
the world but on the world’s attribution of Mark Nickerson (2017) introduces his
their life’s value based on their skin color. text on cultural competence by citing a re-
Race has an exceptionally strong impact searcher named Ridley (2005), explaining
on our emotional, physical, and economic there are over 80 studies that demonstrate
wellbeing. It also affects our trauma his- that psychotherapists engage in discrimi-
tories. Despite the fact that as a general nation during their practice. Nickerson
concept, race is fake. It’s not real; it’s a goes on to list how discrimination af-
social construction (Rutherford, 2020). fects every clinical activity we undertake:
But for clients who are either White (or treatment planning, diagnosing patients,
“racialized” into privilege), or BIPOC (“ra- seeking consultation, and managing our
cialized” into disadvantage), these fake countertransference.
realities create real consequences. Francine Shapiro (2002), the founder
History will remember the year 2020 of the EMDR International Association,
for the impact that COVID-19 has had wrote that the practice of psychotherapy
on the global population. We will also must occur with an understanding of
remember it for the #BlackLivesMatter the interlocking systems that a client is

EMDRIA .ORG 7
a part of and an acknowledgement
of their cultural context. Based on
Despite not being on the daily activities of those who are
labeled as being BIPOC (Black, Indig-
the current sociopolitical context, if scientifically valid enous, People of Colour). Despite not
psychotherapists are to properly serve being scientifically valid categoriza-
the public, which has also been af- categorizations, tions, the pseudoscientific categories
fected by the trauma of racism, it
is in their best interest to familiarize
the pseudoscientific of “Black“or “White” have significant
consequences. People generally see
and increase the level of their racial categories of the color Black from a negative per-
consciousness. Professionals must be spective of “darkness” and the word
aware of the vital consequences that “Black“or “White” White as reflecting “light” or neutral-
racial trauma places on the public and
the next generation of psychothera-
have significant ity. Mohammed and Smith (1999)
explain that “Black” people may then
pists. But something must change in consequences. come to see themselves as “Black”
the approach. in addition to seeing themselves as
Previous diversity training models People generally people. Generally speaking, the color
are insufficient for managing the so-
cial problem of racism as it exists in
see the color Black Black has largely negative conno-
tations as opposed to White, which
society. An approach based on the te- from a negative naturally will lead to a different lived
nets of critical race theory (CRT) and experience depending on whether
anti-oppression may help to shed light perspective of one considers themselves to be Black.
on racial issues in our countries, and
one day may be able to assist psycho- “darkness” and Conversely, White people often do not
connect their race to their everyday
therapy practices so that clinicians can the word White as experiences (Mohammed and Smith,
finally treat racial trauma at its core. 1999) or their identity (Todd and
This article is composed of four reflecting “light” or Abrams, 2011). For this and many
main sections. The first section relates other reasons, in North America, ra-
to a discussion on CRT and the social neutrality. cial minorities may see themselves
construction of race; Secondly, dif- as exceptionally different from those
ferential factors commonly observed considered the racial majority.
between Black and White clientele will If society acknowledges that sys-
be highlighted followed by Young’s five temic racism is real, it means that
categories of social oppression; thirdly, there is a benefit in a social and politi-
the concepts of racial trauma, neu- cal system that privileges Whiteness
rological aspect related to PTSD, and over Blackness. The term White Su-
the process of allostatic load will be premacy implies that there are prefer-
explored; and finally a critique of cul- ences and advantages for Whiteness
tural competence will be presented, in our society. This implies that there
accompanied by recommendations for is a disadvantage to being Black. The
cultivating an antiracist approach to polarity of colors and their people is
psychotherapy. thus maintained; it can be argued
that White Supremacy is therefore
PART ONE: contingent on Black suffering, which
Critical Race Theory and the creates homeostasis in social systems.
Social Construction of Race Both White Supremacy and Black suf-
fering are normalized and generally
Although race is largely seen as a so- accepted around the world.
cial construction and racial designa- Although Whiteness carries privi-
tions are non-scientific (Rutherford, leges and advantages in societies that
2020), race has significant impacts see Black as being generally disfa-

8 GO WITH THAT | FALL 2020

vored and undesired, there are still ing for those who are affected by it, racism in North America.
costs incurred when one is in a situ- even having a higher mortality rate Delgado and Stefancic (2012) ex-
ation where they are meant to be the than several other psychiatric disor- plain that there are six basic tenets:
ideal. Of course, White people suffer ders (Arcelus et. al, 2011), symp-
as well in this destructive homeostat- toms become especially prevalent 1. Racism Is Ordinary
ic pattern. White Americans com- when women subscribe to so-called The experience and the influence of
plete suicides at a substantially high- “mainstream” White body ideals (e.g. racism are common and widespread
er rate than Black Americans. In 15 thinness). Adhereing to these ideals throughout the world. Its influence
years Ivey-Stevenson and colleagues increases the chance of developing and impact stretches throughout vari-
(2017) found that the total amount symptoms of this terrible disorder re- ous fields of study and institutions.
of recorded suicides for White Ameri- gardless of one’s racial categorization Racism is not just limited to specific
cans between 2000-2015 was over (Gordon et.al, 2010). occupations or individuals. All people
450,000, while in that same peri- To appropriately address issues are susceptible and have all normal-
od, it was roughly 31,000 for Black relating to race, clinicians must re- ized some aspects of racism.
Americans. view tenets that have already been
Alexander, Barbieri, and Kiang widely discussed from the lens of 2. Racism Serves a Purpose
(2017) found that regarding sub- Critical Race Theory (CRT). Derrick Granting a privilege of Whiteness over
stance abuse, specifically related to Bell and his colleagues, who were other racial identifiers serves a func-
opioid mortality rates, the White in the field of legal studies, origi- tion in our society. Based on what the
American population appears to have nally developed the theory and the authors consider as “interest conver-
approximately double the rate of following tenets (Delgado & Ste- gence,” White people gain both ma-
death compared to Black populations. fancic, 2012). Understanding these terial and psychic benefit from Anti-
For anorexia nervosa as well, there principles will promote a common Black racism. For example, rich White
may be racial disparities. Although vocabulary and improve compre- people benefit economically, and more
this disorder is especially challeng- hension when discussing race and impoverished White people benefit

EMDRIA .ORG 9
psychologically. For the former, creat-
ing a caste-based system can facilitate
There is both an kimberle-crenshaw-intersectionality)
No individual has one unitary identity.
exploitation and strategies for finan- impact at the micro A White feminist can be Jewish. A
cial gain. For the latter, there is a false Latinx lesbian can be an atheist.
sense of security, knowing that there and macro levels; There is no monolith. All people have
is a group of individuals who may be
“worse off.”
more than just the varying overlapping identities.

impact on one’s 6. Unique Voice of Color

3. Race Is a Social Construction Because of the diverse realities of in-
As has been previously mentioned, mental and physical dividuals from different racial groups,
race holds minimal biological, ge-
netic, or scientific merit (Rutherford,
health, systemic we all gain from hearing from the
experiences of other racial groups.
2020) as a concept. Race as a con- racism also impacts The perspective of the Latinx indi-
cept is pseudoscientific in that while vidual differs from that of the Indian.
there are certain physical charac- an individual’s As a Black psychotherapist, there are
teristics which may vary between
groups, higher-order traits related to
capacity for events that I can relay and experience
that a White psychotherapist cannot
personality, intelligence, and creativ- upward mobility see and experience and vice-versa.
ity are universal. Still, racial stereo- While this article will mainly focus
types frequently disregard the uni- and financial on the effects of Anti-Black racism
versality of human experience and
commonality. People often empha- security. from a North American perspective,
we still would need to hear from mem-
size the differences between groups bers of our diverse and global EMDR
rather than the similarities. communities of color to get the full
spectrum of the challenges that we
4. Differential Racialization are all facing.
The process of racialization is different
for each racial group and can also dif- PART TWO:
fer with time. African Americans may Differential Factors and Young’s
have a different experience from Af- Five Faces of Oppression
rican Canadians. Chinese Americans
may have a different experience from Black (potential) clients do not seek
Latin Americans. Additionally, stereo- out therapists at the same frequency
types about specific racial groups can as White clients for various reasons.
change with time. Racial categoriza- It can be due to various systemic bar-
tions carry a function and can change riers and discrimination (Beach et al.,
depending on the economic and social 2011; Barton et al., 2016). Addition-
goals of a country. ally, there are cultural perceptions that
Black people do not feel as much pain
5. Intersectionality as White people— such as numerous
Kimberlé Crenshaw popularized reports that Black women are provid-
this term where she explains that ed epidurals at a lower rate than White
“various forms of inequality often women during pregnancies (Glance
operate together and exacerbate et al. 2007). Furthermore, there is a
each other... What’s often missing is general cultural distrust from Black
how some people are subject to all of people toward White institutions
these [forms of inequality], and the (Dempsey, Butler, & Gaither, 2016).
experience is not just the sum of its One of the most frequently cited rea-
parts.” (https://time.com/5786710/ sons for this cultural distrust is the

10 GO WITH THAT | FALL 2020

Tuskegee Syphillis Study (Freimuth et than White counterparts. Black when compared to White people.
al. 2001). people generally have higher rates of Taking into account all of the above,
Despite these differences, Dempsey, unemployment and higher rates of it is clear that Black people experience
Butler and Gaither (2016) explain that poverty (Kelly et al., 2013). a different reality and an environ-
there are several differential outcomes Many people are well aware of these ment that is hostile (Phelan & Link,
experienced by Black people which dif- disparities in part because racism is 2015). But it is necessary to consider
fer from White people. African Ameri- ordinary. Racism is also systemic be- the impacts of the economic system,
cans experience higher rates of severe cause its consequences and effects are namely the impact of socioeconomic
mental illness, inpatient admissions, multi-dimensional. There is both an status (SES), and what role it plays in
misdiagnosis rates, depression, PTSD impact at the micro and macro levels; one’s life. SES has often been shown
diagnoses, and dual diagnosis comor- more than just the impact on one’s to be implicated in multiple health
bidity. Despite these discrepancies, mental and physical health, systemic disparities between populations.
there are still lower rates of receiving racism also impacts an individual’s (Dempsey, Butler, & Gaither, 2016;
mental health care treatment. capacity for upward mobility and fi- Kelly at al., 2013). Researchers have
Additionally, researchers have gen- nancial security. Any discussion about also found that lower SES status ap-
erally found that there are lower rates racism must include this analysis of pears linked to higher incidences of
of health-related services for Black difference and dichotomy, which illus- adverse childhood experiences (Met-
people, lower rates of couple satisfac- trates the interplay of White Suprem- zler et al., 2017). Still on the topic of
tion, and higher rates of marriage acy and Black Suffering, but must also SES, Reeves, Rodrigue, and Kneebone
dissolution (Beach et al, 2011). Com- include another form of categoriza- (2016) discussed a number of ways
pared to White respondents, Black tion: Capitalism’s economic system. that poverty impacts our communi-
youth and students have compara- There is a confluence between the eco- ties. They categorized it as the “five
tively lower success in high school, nomic and social system, which plays evils of poverty,” which are:
lower levels of university participa- an enormous responsibility in the dis- 1. low income,
tion, and lower rates of achievement parities experienced by Black people 2. lack of education,

EMDRIA .ORG 11
 3. no health insurance, the more they become predisposed to requiring more time off from work.
4. living in a poor environment, additional mental health challenges. Exposure to police killings of un-
and Bor and colleagues (2018) studied armed Black victims did not cause this
5. having no members in the fami- the effects of police killings on the same mental health burden on White
ly with a source of employment. general public, depending on the vic- Americans, and neither did exposure
tim’s race. They specifically measured to police killings of White victims. The
The authors found that these five the impact that it would have on authors explain that it is then not only
categories of disadvantages clus- White and Black Americans, depend- the act itself, but the meaning ascribed
tered around race and were con- ing on whether the victim was White to these killings—the historical and
sistently higher in both Hispanic or Black. The authors explain that social components of it, which ap-
and Black respondents compared to there are present-day racial dispari- pears to carry an unseen impact.
White respondents. ties that are still concerning. They The authors summarize their find-
Poverty and inequity are forms of found that mortality due to police ings by suggesting that the results
structural violence and are integral force may be higher than statistics align with other racial disparities in
components for the maintenance of
the system of racism. While there are
limitless means of enacting structur- The authors explained that at the time of
al violence and oppression, Young’s writing their article, Black Americans were
(2014) Five Faces of Oppression are
widely cited and discussed in social nearly three times more likely than White
work circles. The Five Faces of Op-
pression are categories that help to
Americans to be killed by police, with the
conceptualize oppression across the disparity more considerable for those who
social and political landscape.
are unarmed at the time of the event.
PART THREE:
Racial Trauma & Allostatic Load suggest. Additionally, the authors ex- the United States. They decry the lack
plained that at the time of writing of accountability and history of vio-
Racial Trauma their article that Black Americans lence directed toward Black Ameri-
Comas Diaz, Hall and Neville (2019) were nearly three times more likely cans through law-enforcement,
introduce their article by explaining than White Americans to be killed by state-sanctioned violence, and Black
that racism is responsible for multiple police, with the disparity more con- genocide. All of this contributes to le-
social and racial health disparities, siderable for those who are unarmed gitimizing Anti-Black racism and also
that racial microaggressions affect at the time of the event. points toward reduced public opinion
physical and mental health, and that The study was quasi-experimental, toward Black people and the value of
African Americans are exposed to meaning that the results allowed for their lives.
racial discrimination more than any a larger causal inference degree than What is especially important is that
other group. other studies. The authors found that many White people cannot experi-
The authors explain that racial whenever police would kill unarmed ence this in the same way as the Black
trauma, or race-based stress, refers Black Americans, this would be as- population. Hence it is likely that in a
to the events of danger related to real sociated with worse mental health system that sees itself as White and
or perceived experience of racial dis- for Black Americans than for White unaffected, there may be an underes-
crimination. (p.1) Americans. The authors also dis- timation as to the true significance of
The authors explain that this type cussed that in addition to the killings, the traumatic impact police killings or
of trauma is unique in that it attacks there was an additional impact from other forms of racial trauma may have
not only the individual and their sense the repeated viewings on television, on its population and group member-
of self but also the community to social media, and other sources. Con- ship. Therefore, when describing ra-
which they belong. Additionally, the stant exposure exacerbated the men- cial trauma it is especially important
more people experience racial trauma, tal health burden causing distress and to understand that is triple-pronged:

12 GO WITH THAT | FALL 2020

SIDEBAR

The Five Faces of Oppression

Cultural Imperialism Marginalization
Young conceptualizes cultural imperialism as the uni- Young considers marginalization as the most danger-
versalization of a dominating group’s perspective and ous of the faces of oppression. Large groups of people,
experience above other groups. In a social context that through labeling, can be excluded from participating in
privileges Whiteness, Whiteness becomes the standard, society, thus having little to no impact on their self-deter-
and other groups can become stereotyped and labeled mination or survival. Marginalization presents itself in
as “other.” An example of this relates to how we teach academic circles with regards to underrepresentation of
through a Eurocentric perspective (Williams, 2019) and Black and Hispanic groups as faculty members in higher
how other perspectives are not seen as the “default.” education (Williams, 2017). Marginalization leads cer-
Gilbert (2006) talks about how psychotheraptists base tain groups to become both invisible and stereotyped,
many counseling orientations on conceptions of human yet also prevents them from participating by offering an
nature, which are based on cultural assumptions of the explanation or rebuttal for their mistreatment.
“self” from a Westernized perspective. Additionally, our
conceptualization of mental illness and diagnosis can Violence
differ depending on the cultural context of the client Violence is widespread in the media and the history of
(Hinton & Simon, 2015). the formation of North America. But violence is not lim-
ited to just events which transpire at the physical level.
Exploitation Black people are also subjected to damage from racial
This refers to a powerful group’s ability to use the labor microaggressions (Williams et al., 2016) and other acts
and energy of an oppressed group for the benefit of of perceived discrimination (Adam et al., 2015). It is
the more powerful and usually to the detriment of the then not only the act but also the context that the action
laborer. This dynamic, in a way, denotes class privilege. occurs in. Young explains that violence becomes espe-
Examples within the therapy field of exploitation can, cially problematic when it occurs in a social context that
in some cases, be related to unpaid internships, which accepts and permits it. The normalization of violence
often are prevalent in female-dominated fields (Shade, & toward specific groups causes it to become both a social
Jacobson, 2015; McHugh, 2017). injustice and a social practice.

Powerlessness These categories widen our perspectives on how

Powerlessness is often represented as circumstances racism, which operates under various faces of oppres-
where there is a clear imbalance of power or influence, sion, is not limited to name-calling. It can also be multi-
which can occur either through action or through a faceted and complex. Williams’ (2019) explains that
title. Hierarchical imbalances are often present in em- racism is based on (both micro and macro) attitudes
ployer versus employee relationships. Young explains and behaviors that disadvantage individuals or groups
that the powerless are more often relegated to a position because of their group affiliation. When talking about
only to receive instructions but rarely capable of giving Anti-Blackness and systemic racism, the crucial aspect
them. Even in academic contexts, regarding instances to consider is that these concepts are embedded into our
of sexual harassment, the more marginalized one’s institutions, social systems, and policies to benefit White
social identity, the more at risk they are of becoming vic- people at the expense of non-White people. Individual
timized (Herbenick et al., 2019). Gender and power are and systemic racism feed into one another and support
vital aspects which concern professional misconduct in one another. There are many heads to this hydra, and
the psychotherapy field (Capawana, 2016). each manifestation can be as dangerous as the next.

EMDRIA .ORG 13
1. influenced by past historical creased activity in the amygdala with higher rates of developing PTSD and
events, a combination of hypo-activation in depression; that mothers who had
2. re-occurring and retraumatiz- the cortical midline structures, which PTSD had a higher chance of raising
ing by presentevents, and includes the medial prefrontal cortex, children who were more vulnerable to
3. impacts the future perceptions rostral anterior cingulate cortex, and mental health issues once becoming
that others have on the group. orbitofrontal cortex (Boyd, Lanius, & adults; that there was not only this
McKinnon, 2018). vulnerability which was transferred
The question to be posed is what are It is especially important to discuss but also that the offspring would also
some of the neurobiological ramifica- the multigenerational aspects of trau- inherit alterations to the Hypothalam-
tions of racial trauma? ma particularly when it affects spe- ic Pituitary Adrenal Axis (HPA Axis);
While racial trauma is not as of cific groups of people on a large scale. and that genetic changes occurred in
this time of writing, a “clinical diag- After the 9/11 World Trade Centre both the traumatized mothers and the
nosis,” the effects of racial trauma attacks, there was a study by Yehuda unborn children.
are similar to post-traumatic stress and colleagues (2005) investigating And finally, Yehuda and colleagues
disorder (PTSD). Although it is not a the effects on pregnant women who (2016) also made a landmark study
diagnosis in its own right, Williams were exposed to this terrorist attack relating to parental exposure to the
Holocaust. While building on the pre-
vious studies, this was also important
While racial trauma is not as of this time of because it was the first study to dem-
writing, a “clinical diagnosis,” the effects onstrate that stressors that occurred
before conception could also lead to
of racial trauma are similar to post-traumatic epigenetic changes in both parents
stress disorder (PTSD). Although it is not and offspring. The researchers also
reported seeing an “intergeneration-
a diagnosis in its own right, Williams and al epigenetic priming” effect in the
offspring of people who were highly
colleagues (2019) suggest that racial trauma traumatized. Once again, these ge-
can merit a DSM-5 diagnosis of PTSD in netic changes may be long-lasting,
and it is unclear how far through the
certain conditions, as well as when certain genealogy they can be passed down.
ICD-10 criteria are taken into account. It may now be necessary to dis-
cuss some aspects relating to the HPA
Axis and its relation to cortisol. Adam
and colleagues (2019) suggest that and had a PTSD diagnosis. A process and colleagues (2017) discuss that the
racial trauma can merit a DSM-5 diag- called glucocorticoid programming HPA Axis is primarily responsible for
nosis of PTSD in certain conditions, as appeared to occur where alterations in responding to our internal system’s
well as when certain ICD-10 criteria the pregnant mother’s glucocorticoid stress/challenges. A primary product
are taken into account. (https://www. response appeared to cause changes in of the HPA Axis is the glucocorticoid
apa.org/pubs/highlights/spotlight/ fetal brain development during gesta- hormone called cortisol. Sometimes
issue-128). PTSD is associated with tion for the developing child. the HPA Axis can respond as it should
thought intrusions, avoidance, nega- With regards to the Rwandan geno- to stress, or habituate to it, and some-
tive alterations in mood or cognitions, cide, researchers also found evidence times it cannot or will not, and thus
and hypervigilance (American Psy- for the multigenerational transmis- we introduce allostatic load.
chological Association, 2013). From sion of neurobiological changes. Juster, McEwen, and Lupien (2010)
a neurological basis, PTSD is seen as Perroud and colleagues (2014) also explain that allostatic load represents
a loss of top-down inhibition over the studied pregnant women and their the wear and tear on our biological
limbic area. Researchers have shown offspring. They found several findings: systems caused by an imbalance of
that people who have PTSD commonly that women who were pregnant while repeated allostatic responses from
appear to have hyper-activation or in- being exposed to the genocide had stress. It is essential to understand

14 GO WITH THAT | FALL 2020

SIDEBAR

Five Faces of Oppression

with Potential Solutions

1.
To oppose cultural imperialism, psychotherapists care and therapy. It is not a problem to realize that even
can make a perspective shift toward decoloniza- clinicians may have ableist beliefs, homophobic tendencies,
tion. Recognize that racism is ordinary. Nicker- and racist preoccupations. It is only a problem if psycho-
son (2017) recommends being curious and genuine in therapists ignore them and decide to remain “neutral.”
trying to understand others. It is imperative to avoid micro- Practice what we preach and get well so we can help oth-
aggressions in therapy. Outside of sessions, challenge the ers to get well. In a system that prioritizes racial oppression
culture of Whiteness and seek cultural consultation when and assigns judgments of our complexions against one
in doubt. Speak up about White Supremacy and acknowl- another, it is an act of resistance to cultivate self-love and
edge the impact of racial trauma. Silence is complicity, but acceptance.
being brave enough to name it may be able to change it.

4.
Instead of marginalization use elevation. Outside

2.
To challenge exploitation, seek equity. In thera- of sessions, promote unique voices of colour and
py sessions, encourage independence by either encourage all people to have affinity spaces and
using the client’s resource development cultural endorse BIPOC only training spaces. If people are truly
imagery, or by identifying community resources to draw marginalized, then permit them to have spaces where they
strength from. Clients must have resources beyond just can take center stage. Affinity training spaces for LGBTQ+
the therapist. Avoid gas-lighting or trying to get clients groups can get more work done if they do not need to stop
to explain racism. This is not the client’s responsibility; it every five minutes to explain to cis-gendered, straight peo-
is up to the psychotherapists to do their work. Outside of ple throughout their whole process. And during therapy
sessions, acknowledge that there is a history of underpay- sessions, remember that in some instances: whatever we
ing or exploiting people of color. Seek to pay equitably don’t discuss is what the client won’t discuss. Please do
for services even when those doing the work come from your own work so that the client can feel safe to discuss
groups that are different. Additionally, oppose policies race, gender, and sexuality without needing to manage the
that threaten wildlife and our climate. Support the protests feelings of the therapist.
of Indigenous people who have always protested policies

5.
which exacerbate climate change and the systems which And finally instead of violence, embrace compas-
value profit over people. sion. In mindfulness circles a common expres-
sion is that the first victim of anger is ourselves.

3.
To counter powerlessness, encourage empower- Even if our frustration will be directed toward someone
ment. In sessions, merely checking for pronouns else, we still feel it; our HPA axis does not tell the difference
can make a world of difference for non-binary, all that well. Those repeated cortisol increases cause us
gender non-conforming people. Allow space for clients to harm. Be compassionate and realize that #BlackLivesMat-
choose RDI targets from their infinite cultural creativity, ter is a reasonable argument and recognize where the feel-
avoid imposing our cultural values on them. The other ings that relate to political backlash against it are coming
day I had clients who used scenes from the “Black Pan- from. As best as possible, do not succumb to causing more
ther” movie as a source of strength. Another client used violence through silencing, microaggression and denial of
a memory from a meal their deceased grandmother used racism. If we truly do recognize systemic racism, recognize
to prepare for them. Encourage people to tap into their that it is not only in the “other” professions or disciplines.
culturally relevant sources of strength and celebrate that. Be courageous, by being self-reflective and antiracist, by
Also, if while reading this article, you may have noticed working toward the path of building more compassionate
certain feelings of anger or frustration, invest in your self- therapists, institutions, and a future for everyone.

EMDRIA .ORG 15
that regardless of whether a stressor system. Allostatic overload worsens competence on its own is insufficient
is real or perceived, the body still treats and jeopardizes physical and mental for solving the problem of racism.
it if it is an actual stressor. It is the health across the board. Pon (2009) considers cultural com-
over-activation of the stress response Chronic stress, which is implicated petence as a means of encouraging
systems that causes different systems in PTSD and other disorders, can “new racism.” Whereas older con-
to overcompensate and collapse onto cause neuronal changes. The hip- ceptions of racism attempted to offer
themselves. Chronic stress impacts pocampus plays a role in memory biological pseudoscientific argu-
our mental and physical health. The and with managing the excitatory ments for racial inferiority, cultural
chronic, overexposure to stress, and response of the HPA Axis. When competence inadvertently attempts
the nervous system’s difficulty in man- stress becomes chronic, lasting many the same by involving culture. Pon
aging or habituating, to it is precisely months or years, dendrites of the criticizes cultural competence in
what allostatic load is concerned with. hippocampus begin to atrophy. Neu- that it fails to examine “whiteness.”
McEwen (2006) describes the al- rons in the prefrontal cortex can also An example of this is that one can
lostatic load model as the following: atrophy. The amygdala hypertrophies technically be culturally competent
prolonged secretion of stress hor- and later degenerates as well. Stress about “Black people” or “Indigenous
mones, while adaptive during acute not only makes us sick, it also kills people,” but no one can really be said
scenarios, can end up damaging the our neurons. Chronic stress alters to be culturally competent about
brain and the body over time. When the volume of the brain, and this “White people.”
we talk about chronic repetitive has been demonstrated through MRI Pon quotes Sue (2006) explaining
stresses, different systems in the bio- scans (McEwen, 2006). that Whiteness is the “default standard
logical system make efforts to com- … [f]rom this color standard, racial/
pensate for the imbalances and alter PART FOUR: ethnic minorities are valuated, judged
their operating ranges and capabili- Critique of Cultural Competence and often found to be lacking, inferior,
ties, eventually leading to allostatic and the Path Toward Antiracism deviant or abnormal” (p.16). Cultural
overload. Allostatic overload is what competence frequently uses stereo-
leads to physiological dysregulation, Knowing that racial trauma has types and represents groups of people
disease, disorder, and other neuro- such a critical impact on our physi- as monoliths. While meaning well, it
biological challenges. Generally cal, mental, and even neurological inadvertently uses a process of “other-
speaking, allostatic overload causes health, it is important for psycho- ing” and fails to analyze power either in
dysfunction throughout the central therapists to consider how to make the dynamic between individuals or in
nervous system, metabolic system, a difference. While cultural com- the individual who may themselves as-
cardiovascular system, and immune petence has its strengths, cultural sert “competence” of a cultural group.

16 GO WITH THAT | FALL 2020

Pon argues that because our helping engage with the above, cultural be effective and self-reflective. Mind-
fields are built on Whiteness, this also competence potentially reinforces fulness, as a general concept, can be
means that fields such as social work, and maintains racism. understood as being aware of events
counseling, or psychotherapy must ex- Abrams and Moio (2009) de- as they come to pass. Being mindful
amine themselves. scribe the need to move from cul- involves identifying with the current
The focus on skill acquisition, lack tural competence toward a critical moment without being influenced
of self-analysis, and the lack of criti- race informed perspective. Cultural by our past experiences or future
cal analysis of the power dynamic competence often focuses on the expectations. The intended result is
is meant, as Pon maintains, to pre- individual and does not consider to achieve a state where we can ex-
serve “benevolence and innocence” the interlocking systems affecting perience reality as it is, rather than
among White clinicians. Western the individual. Cultural competence experiencing a reality that is dictat-
psychotherapists exists in a context also suggests that all races belong ed by our unconscious fears or mis-
where they come from countries under the same “multi-cultural um- conceptions. Kabat-Zinn (2003) de-
that have colonized, exploited, and brella,” and while cultural sensitiv- scribes mindfulness as “the aware-
have been great purveyors of the ity targets change at the level of our ness that emerges through paying
same multigenerational trauma personal beliefs and agency, a model attention on purpose, in the present
that they are requisitioned to treat. that is based on anti-oppression and moment, and nonjudgmentally to
Cultural competence can then be critical race theory works toward the unfolding of experience moment
employed as a means of denying acknowledging the need for change by moment” (p.145). Being mind-
and distancing from the historical at the level of the individual. ful can be cultivated by an ongoing
realities of oppression that the West Clinicians should implement prac- practice that the clinician makes
has benefitted from. Because cul- tices that are antiracist. Anti-Racism an effort to maintain. Rather than
tural competence does not actively must follow tenets of mindfulness to involuntarily projecting toxic beliefs
about others that may pervade our

This journey involves reflecting on the unconscious, mindfulness is seen as

a way to mitigate the threat of dam-
interlocking systems and being devoted to aging the therapeutic process.
It is crucial to consider antiracism
making a substantive change in the world, not as a practice rather than being a
just for the individual client but for the society technique. Despite many misunder-
standings of it, mindfulness, was not
that both client and therapist are a part of. originally meant to be a mere relax-

EMDRIA .ORG 17
SIDEBAR ercise that may cultivate “intercul-
tural competence” has been for clini-

10 Main Takeaways
cians to make their genograms, not
for the client, but themselves (Paine,
Jankowski, & Sandage, 2016). Not
1. In lieu of traditional models, such as cultural competence, move toward only does this foster a psychothera-
active models such as anti-racism to promote social change. pist’s capacity for differentiation of
self and an awareness of our legacies
2. Be open to learning about our legacies of trauma. All people are “racial- of suffering which may have been
ized” (White people included), and all people carry histories of trauma passed down through the bloodline,
in our bodies. White clinicians may also come to see
3. Anti-racism is more of a practice than just a technique. Rather than themselves as also having a “culture.”
virtue signaling or skill acquisition, make time for self-reflection and our One can gain insight when we can
capacity to be more compassionate. see we are all immigrants somewhere
4. Race is a social construction. It is unscientific but still carries real con- down the line, if you’re not already
sequences. Racism is ordinary. While it may be deplorable, it is deeply Indigenous, that is.
established in many families, institutions, and communities. Nickerson’s (2017) writings on
Cultural Competence and Healing Cul-
5. We are either racist or antiracist, being non-racist is not possible. turally Based Trauma with EMDR
(Kendi, 2019) Therapy sets frameworks and strat-
6. Racial microaggressions (and perceived discrimination) causes real egies for being more aware of our
harm to both BIPOC clinicians and clients. blind spots and as a means for doing
work with people who have suf-
7. Racial trauma is historical, multigenerational, and reinforced through
fered from racial trauma. Protocols
implicit and explicit forms of discrimination and oppression.
are identified for addressing multi-
8. Allostatic load causes wear and tear on the entire organism. Chronic generational issues using what he
stress contributes to a state of allostatic overload, which compromises calls “Legacy Attuned EMDR.” He
biological systems. also introduces negative and posi-
9. In addition to preverbal traumatic events, using EMDR helps to target tive cognitions for collectives, rather
second-generation traumatic material. than just the individual, and covers
means of discussing and reprocess-
10. We can make a difference in the lives of our clients, but we must start
ing targets related to racial privilege
with our institutions, organizations, and ourselves.
and oppressive beliefs.
Dr. Maria Aparecida Junqueira
Zampieri has previously presented
ation technique, it was meant to be a systems and being devoted to making at EMDRIA and other EMDR con-
practice to eradicate suffering (Hart, a substantive change in the world, not ferences (2017a, 2017b, 2018).
2011). It is this level of commitment just for the individual client but for the Her theory is multigenerational and
that can change systems. Mindfulness society that both client and therapist suggests that trauma suffered by
is also a self-reflective process where are a part of. previous generations appears to be
self-analysis is imperative. It is pos- linked to the client’s current PTSD
sible to be both mindful and also anti- Recommendations for or complex PTSD symptoms. She
oppressive. Anti-oppression involves Antiracist EMDR posits that we must consider the
making “cognitive, affective, and Nickerson (2017) advocates primar- past in the present. She developed
action-oriented changes” (Abrams, ily for a practice of cultural humility the “Safety Platform Protocol” (In-
2009). Rather than being one step, when practicing EMDR. We need to ference Exercises and games) for use
anti-racism is an evolution of thought, recognize that we do not and can- with EMDR. She is currently devel-
a formative process. This journey in- not know all that there is about a oping a randomized study using this
volves reflecting on the interlocking given culture or racial group. An ex- novel approach.

18 GO WITH THAT | FALL 2020

Editor’s Note: This article was adapted ... & Peck, S. C. (2015). Developmental socially just practice. Cogent Psychology,
during one of Mr. Archer’s presenta- histories of perceived racial discrimination 3(1), 1194176.
tions the EMDRIA 2020 Virtual Con- and diurnal cortisol profiles in adulthood:
ference: “Racial Trauma, Neurons, and A 20-year prospective study. Psychoneu- Dempsey, K., Butler, S. K., & Gaither, L.
EMDR: The Path Towards an Antiracist roendocrinology, 62, 279-291. (2016). Black churches and mental health
Psycho-therapy.” professionals: Can this collaboration work?.
Adam, E. K., Quinn, M. E., Tavernier, R., Journal of Black Studies, 47(1), 73-87.
McQuillan, M. T., Dahlke, K. A., & Gil-
About the Author: bert, K. E. (2017). Diurnal cortisol slopes Freimuth, V. S., Quinn, S. C., Thomas, S. B.,
DAVID ARCHER, MSW, MFT, is an antiracist and mental and physical health outcomes: Cole, G., Zook, E., & Duncan, T. (2001).
psychotherapist from Montreal, Canada. In addition A systematic review and meta-analysis. African Ameri-cans’ views on research and
to being trained as a clinical social worker, he Psychoneuroendocrinology, 83, 25-41. the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. Social science
is also a registered couple and family therapist. & medicine, 52(5), 797-808.
Though mindfulness, intersectional feminism, and Alexander, M., Barbieri, M., & Kiang,
critical race theory inform his philosophic approach, M. (2017). Opioid deaths by race in the Gilbert, J. (2006). Cultural imperialism
he works full time in private practice using EMDR, United States, 2000-2015. revisited: Counselling and globalisation. In-
Brainspotting, EFT, and other mind-body strategies ternational Journal of Critical Psychol-
which utilize memory re-consolidation. Areas of Arcelus, J., Mitchell, A. J., Wales, J., & ogy, 17, 10-28.
interest relate to working with individuals who Nielsen, S. (2011). Mortality rates in
have suffered from PTSD, racial trauma, minority patients with anorexia nervosa and other Glance, L. G., Wissler, R., Glantz, C., Osler,
stress, addictions, and eating disorders. Mr. Archer eating disorders: a meta-analysis of 36 T. M., Mukamel, D. B., & Dick, A. W.
is an ally of LGBTQ, Black, Indigenous, and studies. Archives of general psychiatry, (2007). Racial dif-ferences in the use of
oppressed people of color around the world. 68(7), 724-731. epidural analgesia for labor. Anesthesiol-
ogy: The Journal of the American Soci-
Beach, S. R., Hurt, T. R., Fincham, F. D., ety of Anesthesiologists, 106(1), 19-25.
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EMDRIA .ORG 21
RACIALIZED TRAUMA

ADDRESSING RACIALIZED
TRAUMA UTILIZING
EMDR AND ANTIRACIST
PSYCHOTHERAPY PRACTICES
BY WENDY ASHLEY, PSY.D, LCSW & ALLEN LIPSCOMB, PSY.D, LCSW

T
he year 2020 has brought existing mental health conditions, important to note how race is (or is
about a dual pandemic, start- resulting in relapses of depression, not) addressed clinically frequently
ing with the COVID-19 out- anxiety, and panic attacks (Choi, parallels how society is addressing
break, quarantines, and stay et al. 2020; Rajkumar, 2020; Tsa- it. For much of America, the racial
at home orders followed by com- makis et al. 2020). The mental discourse has elicited discord, diffi-
prehensive media coverage of the
police killings of multiple unarmed
Black (The words Black and African
In the mental health community, we are
American will be used interchange- at the precipice of critical social,
psychological, and structural change.
ably in this article to describe the
racialized, Black bodied experi-
ence.) men and women. The global More than ever, African American people
reaction to this disease/civil unrest
dual pandemic has been one of need allyship, healing, and safety.
widespread destabilization of physi-
cal and mental health (Fiorillo & health community, which histori- cult conversations, and divisiveness
Gorwood, 2020; Rajkumar, 2020). cally has recognized race primarily (Sue & Constantine, 2007). How-
Psychological distress and fear through ethical standards of cul- ever, the savagery of the violent
about the virus and the violence tural competence, has been forced murders by numerous members of
promote anxiety, fear, loneliness, to acknowledge and be account- law enforcement appears to have a
trauma responses, and depression able for race disparities and racism global impact, leading to racial ten-
while triggering people with pre- within psychotherapy spaces. It is sion, global protests, and exhaus-

22 GO WITH THAT | FALL 2020

EMDRIA .ORG 23
tive media coverage (Dukes & Khan, pose racism individually, institution- discussing racism can present dis-
2017). Racial injustices committed ally, and structurally. For therapists comfort for clinicians and clients,
against African American/Black peo- wanting to shift from the passivity resulting in denial, deflection or
ple in the United States are both de- of identification as a not racist to avoidance. This can have a tremen-
plorable and inescapable; thus, it is no an antiracist stance, the question is dous impact on not only the psy-
longer acceptable for discourse and often how? When race-related con- chological safety of the therapeutic
exploration of race-related trauma tent enters into therapy spaces, cli- relationship with the client but may
to be optional. In the mental health nicians are often left feeling lost and also result in misdiagnoses, ineffec-
community, we are at the precipice overwhelmed not knowing how to tive treatment planning, and unsuc-
of critical social, psychological, and explicitly identify and address race cessful interventions.
structural change. More than ever, related issues (Sue & Constantine, For Black clients, psychological
African American people need ally- 2007). Identifying, exploring, and mistrust and feeling unsafe with
ship, healing, and safety.
Many Black clients are reluctant to seek
Moving from Passivity to Activity
Dr. Ibram X. Kendi (2019) penned treatment due to mistrust in large medical
a manifesto on being an antiracist,
encouraging us to consider the dif-
care facilities and settings, originating
ference between not racist and anti- from historical experiences of racist,
racist. Kendi (2019) describes anti-
racist positionality as active, taking
unethical, deceitful, and oppressive
steps to identify, challenge, and op- treatment services.
treatment providers has historical
roots. Many Black clients are re-
luctant to seek treatment due to
mistrust in large medical care facili-
ties and settings, originating from
historical experiences of racist, un-
ethical, deceitful, and oppressive
treatment services. Systemically,
this type of violence has been per-
petuated through trans-Atlantic
slave trade, abusive detainment,
sexual assault, murder, brutality,
family separation, forced assimila-
tion, denial of rights and resource
access, and mass incarceration of
Black people (Pieterse et al., 2012).
Therapists providing mental health
services to African American clients
must understand the historical in-
justices and the impact of systemic
inequities for people of color.
Lived experiences of managing mi-
croaggressions, racist interactions, sys-
temic oppression, and graphic media
coverage of police lynchings is per-
ceived by many Black and Indigenous

24 GO WITH THAT | FALL 2020

People of Color (BIPOC) as racial trauma. SIDEBAR
Racial trauma is defined as events of

Five recommendations
danger related to real or perceived expe-
riences of racial discrimination, which

for clinicians
include threats of harm or injury, humil-
iating or shaming events and witnessing
harm to other people of color (Bor, et al,
2018; Carter, 2007; Comas-Diaz, Hall 1. Clinicians should actively determine whether they wish to be
& Neville, 2019). Racial minorities may antiracist in their clinical approach with clients. Those who
be more negatively impacted by trauma identify as non-racist must take into consideration that the passiv-
due to repeated exposure from ongoing ity that comes with that designation externally appears like collu-
individual, interpersonal, institutional, sion with the systems of oppression that maintain racist policies,
and systemic racism that has transpired practices, and structures.
throughout history.
Eye Movement Desensitization and 2. Trust is not automatic. There are hundreds of years of reasons
Reprocessing (EMDR) is an effective why Black clients are distrustful of treatment providers. Clinicians
trauma treatment approach. However, must be curious about how their clients self-identify, encourage
despite EMDR’s efficacy, there are mini- clients to share their intersectional identities, and talk in therapy
mal references to diversity, culture, or about the differences between themselves and clients. Failure to
intersectionality in EMDR training or discuss differences in social location can significantly derail the
research. Without protocol adaptations development of a therapeutic rapport.
for African American clients, there is an
expectation of an antiquated, one size 3. The experience of racism (whether direct or indirect) has a
fits all orientation. Culturally relevant profound impact on Black individuals in a deeply significant
treatment with this population includes and wounding way. Frequently, the more intersectional factors
consideration of the lived experiences of marginalization create additional factors for nuanced wound-
and context of Black Americans, ac- ing. However, clinicians who may not have the same intersectional
knowledgment of historical trauma and identity factors may miss the magnitude of the racialized traumat-
reluctance, stigma and shame regard- ic experience(s). As a result, careful assessment of both traumas
ing help seeking and treatment. Failure and racial traumas are critical.
to include these racialized concepts ob-
4. The clinician must be consistent in how they are showing
scures the relevance of identity, power,
up as an antiracist therapist. This must be done throughout the
privilege, and inclusion in mental health
course of EMDR treatment (regardless of protocol phase) and can
treatment. In 2020, this is no longer an
manifest through race related inquiry, culturally relevant cogni-
option if we intend to be effective with
tive interweaves, or awareness that successful desensitization may
clients of color.
involve a higher subjective units of distress (SUDS) level due to
ongoing threats related to racism.
Integrating EMDR into Racial
Trauma Therapy 5. Therapists must maintain awareness of their reactions to
Racial trauma is likely to have nu- race related content. Managing default response behaviors (spe-
anced, enmeshed connections with cifically, this refers to an internal awareness of where clinicians
more traditional trauma experiences. typically go when race related content is presented and explored) is
As a result, EMDR can potentially acti- of the utmost clinical importance. Where clinicians default when
vate the powerlessness associated with uncomfortable halts critical reprocessing content, and ultimately,
race, trauma, and oppression. Criti- successful desensitization and reprocessing.
cal consciousness and discourse about
the socio-political underpinnings that
pervade the treatment process are
necessary to ensure that clients re-

EMDRIA .ORG 25
ceiving EMDR are psychologically research, and healing: Introduction to the
and emotionally safe—beyond the special issue. American Psychologist, About the Authors:
time they are physically present in 74(1), 1.
WENDY ASHLEY, Psy.D., LCSW is a Professor and
therapy spaces. Additionally, Afri-
the Associate Chair of the California State University
can American and other BIPOC cli- Dukes, K. N., & Kahn, K. B. (2017).
at Northridge’s Masters of Social Work (MSW)
ents may benefit from adaptations What social science research says about
program. Dr. Ashley received her doctorate in clinical
that support culturally relevant, police violence against racial and ethnic
psychology (Psy.D.) from Ryokan College and her
effective EMDR intervention. Cau- minorities: Understanding the antecedents
tious, curious exploration of the and consequences—an introduction. Jour- MSW from the University of Southern California.
clients’ intersectional identities, ex- nal of Social Issues, 73(4), 690-700. She has been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker
periences with racism/racialization since 1998 and has more than 20 years of social
and therapist transparency (regard- Fiorillo, A. & Gorwood, P. (2020). The work experience in the areas of community mental
ing their own identity, power, and consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic health, child welfare, and addiction recovery. Dr.
privilege) are powerful tools that on mental health and implications for Ashley is the author of multiple publications, speaks
promote cultural humility and psy- clinical practice. European Psychiatry, at conferences nationwide and internationally,
chological visibility. 63(1), 1-2. maintains a private practice, and provides training
There is no universal template in for multiple community agencies. Research
integrating concepts of intersection- Kendi, I. X. (2019). How to Be an An- interests include treatment models for working with
ality, cultural humility, and privilege tiracist. One world. African American and transgender clients, creative
in antiracist therapy practice. How- engagement of involuntary clients, the impact of
ever, some key adaptations can sup- Pieterse, A. L., Carter, R. T., Evans, S. A., power and privilege on macro and micro practice,
port clinicians in enhancing their & Walter, R. A. (2010). An exploratory and child welfare. She is passionate about promoting
antiracist stance while providing examination of the associations among social justice and infuses an intersectionality lens in
effective EMDR. racial and ethnic discrimination, racial her teaching, training, practice, and research.
climate, and trauma-related symptoms
REFERENCES in a college student population. Jour-
Bor, J., Venkataramani, A. S., Williams, nal of Counseling Psychology, 57(3), ALLEN EUGENE LIPSCOMB, PsyD, LCSW, is an
D. R., & Tsai, A. C. (2018). Police kill- 255-263. Associate Professor in the social work department
ings and their spillover effects on the at California State University Northridge. Dr.
mental health of Black Americans: a pop- Rajkumar, R. P. (2020). COVID-19 and Lipscomb is a clinical psychologist by highest degree
ulation-based, quasi-experimental study. mental health: A review of the existing obtained and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in
The Lancet, 392(10144), 302-310. literature. Asian Journal of Psychiatry, the state of California. Dr. Lipscomb double majored
102066. in psychology and Black studies at UC Santa
Carter, R. T. (2007). Racism and psy- Barbara. He also earned his Master of Social Work
chological and emotional injury: Rec- Sue, D. W., & Constantine, M. G. (MSW) from the University of Southern California.
ognizing and assessing race-based trau- (2007). Racial microaggressions as in- In addition, Dr. Lipscomb received his doctorate
matic stress. Counseling Psychologist, stigators of difficult dialogues on race: in Psychology (Psy.D.) with a clinical emphasis
35(1), 13-105. Implications for student affairs educators in marriage, family, and child psychotherapy
and students. College Student Affairs from Ryokan College. His areas of research are
Choi, K.R., Heilemann, M.V., Fauer, A., Journal, 26(2), 136-143. centered around the psychiatric epidemiology
& Mead, M. (2020). A second pan- among racialized and marginalized individuals who
demic: Mental health spillover from Tsamakis, K., Rizos, E., Manolis, A. J., have experienced trauma (i.e. complex trauma,
the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Chaidou, S., Kympouropoulos, S., Spar- traumatic-grief and race-based trauma). Specifically,
Journal of the American Psychiat- talis, E., Spandidos, D. A., Tsiptsios, D. Dr. Lipscomb has conducted numerous qualitative
ric Nurses Association, 1(4). DOI: & Triantafyllis, A. S. (2020). COVID- research studies on racialized Black identified men
10.1177/1078390320919803. 19 pandemic and its impact on men-
across the Black/African Diaspora in the United
tal health of healthcare professionals.
States exploring their grief, loss, and complex-trauma
Comas-Díaz, L., Hall, G. N., & Neville, Experimental and Therapeutic Medi-
experiences.
H. A. (2019). Racial trauma: Theory, cine, 19, 3451-3453.

26 GO WITH THAT | FALL 2020

THANK
YOU.
Here are five reasons
to renew your membership*:
• Referrals from our Find an EMDR
Therapist Online Directory

Thank you for belonging to EMDRIA. HOUSE AD?

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EMDRIA .ORG 27
 SPACEHOGS

28 GO WITH THAT | FALL 2020

SPACEHOGS MAKE
A DIFFERENCE
BY CÍO HERNÁNDEZ, PH.D., LMFT, LPCC

I
taught human diversity and com- row box of skin color to the many
munity mental health for near- things that make us different from
ly 10 years. One of my assign- one another. I hoped that my students
ments was to have people intro- would consider it when joining with
duce themselves by the cultures with clients and approaching treatment
which they associate. They were to plans. I had been using a structure
provide food, rituals, and traditions for diversity that the Board of Behav-
that represented their cultures. I al- ioral Sciences used. Over time, I have
ways went first in the spirit of fairness expanded the acronym to be more
and inclusion. Most of my students inclusive of privilege and space where
were white women. Often, in the first we find ourselves to, SPACEHOGS. Al-
class, someone would say, “But, I’m though there are plenty of categories

Although there are plenty of categories

that make us different, this structure just
reminds us that we must consider our clients
[based on] more than what we can see.
white, I don’t have a culture as you that make us different, this structure
do.” I probed for traditions that their just reminds us that we must consider
families had for holidays, mealtimes, our clients, more than what we can
activities, and more. We all breathed see. It also inherently begs providers
a sigh of relief. to look more critically about these dif-
This assignment was the perfect ferent spaces both from our positions
opportunity to expand the traditional of privilege and where we may be able
biases about diversity from the nar- to have a voice to make a difference.

EMDRIA .ORG 29
 SOCIOECONOMICS Some people
are discriminated at both ends of Privilege and profession often go hand in
the money spectrum. Still, we also hand as a conduit to social class, but not
know some stories go with what it
takes to achieve or even maintain the always. Education, titles, perceived power,
middle. This experience may impact
where we choose to refer clients and
the ability to speak the dominant language,
assumptions as to collateral resources relationships with those who have power
that may not seem welcoming to all
clients. at different levels, and assumptions made
just by looking at someone are essential
PRIVILEGE and profession often go
hand in hand as a conduit to social aspects of privilege.
class, but not always. Education, titles,
perceived power, the ability to speak
the dominant language, relationships aspects of privilege. I have had the in low-income communities that
with those who have power at different privilege to walk in neighborhoods may not have historically welcomed
levels, and assumptions made just of high wealth and the middle class. I people who represented institutions
by looking at someone are essential have built relationships to be welcome as I have.

SIDEBAR

How EMDR Clinicians Can Prevent Racialized Trauma

1. MAKE IT PERSONAL 4. BE VULNERABLE
Put a loved one’s face to Black Lives Matter, like my son’s best friend and life Make mistakes while striving to be culturally humble. Vulnerabilityis probably
brother from kindergarten, Nicholas. His life is important. All lives still matter; it the most vital part of this work. I make mistakes with clients all the time. Most
just means that I understand that even though the socioeconomic conditions are of the time, we can walk through the mistakes with kindness, and forgiveness
the same, it is more likely that Nicholas will have barriers to success, health, comes quickly. Cultural humility assumes you will be willing to stumble and learn
safety, and more, just because of the color of his skin. as we grow together. Educate yourself about human diversity areas different than
your own. Challenge yourself to bias tests like Harvard’s Project Implicit (https://
2. BE WILLING TO BE A BRIDGE implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html) to see areas of potential growth.
My son-in-law, Lucas, was killed in the line of duty as he chased a Latino man
who had stolen a motorcycle. He had no intention of killing someone that day. 5. MAKE IT BIGGER THAN THE THERAPY ROOM
My husband has also been in law enforcement for over 36 years and openly Use tools like the Prevention Institute’s Spectrum of Prevention to go from the
shares disgust about police brutality. Most all of law enforcement is against police therapy room to mobilizing communities, fostering networks and coalitions like
brutality. EMDR clinicians have the educational privilege to be bridges to find
solutions that hold community-level trauma and promote solutions to end racism. SPECTRUM OF PREVENTION

INFLUENCING POLICY & LEGISLATION

3. BRING IT TO YOUR EMDR THERAPY
Ask direct questions to your clients about diversity, -isms trauma, and if they CHANGING ORGANIZATIONAL PRACTICES

can trust you. This is crucial both if you are perceived as the same ethnicity and FOSTERING COALITIONS & NETWORKS
if you have different experiences or look different. Please beware of the term
colorblindness as it can make clients feel like you do not see them, nor the EDUCATING PROVIDERS

stories they carry. Harvard Business shares the business case against a colorblind PROMOTING COMMUNITY EDUCATION
organization, which often tends to have more biased outcomes (https://hbswk.
hbs.edu/item/the-case-against-racial-colorblindness). STENGTHENING INDIVIDUAL KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

30 GO WITH THAT | FALL 2020

AGE is a critical diversity indicator or not. I get to be a part of the skin and last name, but it may not
that we cannot overlook. In educated women of color culture, be obvious that I was born in Texas.
communities where generativity is therapist culture, EMDR culture, I consider myself Tex-Mex, as I was
the dominant value, some people mother, and blended family culture. I raised bilingually in an area where
judge those who seem too young and got to be a part of the HIV culture as a fluidly interchanging language, is
those who seem too old to be able to member of the HIV Care Council, an common.
work as hard as a younger employee. HIV test counselor, and an instructor
When combined with other diversity for Counseling those Affected by HIV. I HEALTH and Housing seem sepa-
categories, age stands out even more. am not HIV+; however, many others rate, and are in some sense; how-
For example, when two young Black in the HIV culture may not have ever, access to health care and hous-
or Latino men are together in a park, chosen to be a part of the culture if ing helps us better understand the
some people perceive the situation they had not received an HIV+ test. wealth health gradient, including
differently from two older white mental health and well-being. Sup-
women visiting on the same bench. ETHNICITY is how people choose pose someone has a diagnosis, dis-
to identify themselves often by ability, or access and functional need.
CULTURES that we associate with geographic origin but may also be In that case, it can be beneficial to
go beyond skin color. These are the by a set of traditions or history that understand how that may impact our
people and groups which we are cannot be assumed. People expect treatment planning, or how we might
associated whether we choose them that I am Latina based on my brown need to modify the standard protocol

EMDRIA’s diversity and inclusion committee, changing organizational practices like 9. OFFER MORE ACCESS POINTS TO EMD/EMDR,
including race trauma in EMDRIA communications, trainings, vision, hiring, and and other trauma-informed approaches at free or low cost, in different
influencing policy-making that promotes trauma-informed care for all. languages, and online or in geographically accessible areas. The private practice
office or office-based visit is a narrow model that can feel exclusive to those
6. INCREASE UNIFIED MENTAL HEALTH VOICES who may need a provider the most. There is plenty of room for innovation
We can maximize EMDRIA’s membership, which has members from nearly all U.S. to provide larger opportunities for those who may not have access care in
and some international mental health organizations and licensure. Our unified traditional ways.
voice puts EMDR clinicians in a unique place to have more strength in advocacy
and bridging across membership organizations. 10. KEEP SHOWING UP. DON’T GIVE UP
This work is hard. Ending racism is hard, but not impossible. You will
7. REQUIRE EMDR LEVEL I TRAINING be knocked down. Please do not get disheartened when you think you
IN ALL CLINICAL PROGRAMS understand and get put in your place by clients, community, businesses,
This strategy takes trauma-informed care to the masses. Even if people choose not government, or beyond. You may be the first provider to make it safe to
to continue the training, there will already be an Adaptive Information Processing express the reality of the impact of -isms. If you do not get knocked down by
understanding as clinicians continue to develop their training. institutions, you are likely not showing up loud enough. It has taken me over
20 years to start to move the needle for equity in the organizational systems
8. ACTIVELY RECRUIT YOUTH OF COLOR that I have been able to work and play. Small steps are still considerable
INTO MENTAL HEALTH FIELDS AND EMDR strides in the equity arena.
Accessibility to EMDR is challenging for communities of color, especially as clients
attempt to find providers they believe may be able to understand their lived There are so many places EMDR clinicians can make a difference to end
experience. Although I believe we all can come from a place of understanding, -isms, starting with racism. This short structure for diversity and list of things
diversifying EMDR provider membership starts to send a message that EMDR we can do is just a comfortable place to commit to sharing our spaces of
therapy is for everyone and that communities of color are welcome. privilege with broader audiences.

EMDRIA .ORG 31
for EMDR Therapy. I have had many
clients with limited vision, motor
Understanding housing conditions also
problems, or are in wheelchairs. We lets providers know whether there is
rethink how to engage in bilateral
stimulation and adapt EMDR 2.0 safety at home, whether the patient can
protocols to be more accessible to
a broader variety of needs. Under-
presume confidentiality, or homes are
standing housing conditions also so large clients are isolated from other
lets providers know whether there
is safety at home, whether the pa-
family members or neglected.
tient can presume confidentiality,
or homes are so large clients are • may not be able to afford a fu- holds. It may be that siblings play
isolated from other family members neral; out different roles, depending on the
or neglected. • may have death traditions and family needs regardless of gender. A
rituals they follow; clinician cannot assume traditional
OTHER and opportunity remind us • may change gender roles for gender roles and risks being othered
that once we go through the struc- those left behind; or if a client does not feel safe to iden-
ture, there will always be aspects that • may challenge assumptions tify outside a heteronormative or
make us different from others and about death when a young per- gender binary expectation. We can
areas where some will have access son dies. often be more welcoming by chang-
and others will not. The other catego- ing our intake forms and being care-
ry is often an area that touches every GENDER, orientation, and expres- ful to ask about pronouns or other
other category as well. For example, sion also include the rules and roles identifiers.
someone who has lost a loved one: that individuals play in their house-

32 GO WITH THAT | FALL 2020

SPIRITUALITY includes religion that has recently had negative media culture for wealthy clients of color.
but is not limited to organized coverage. In that case, it may be Even if they say nothing, at least it is
structures. It is about how someone relieving when asked about how it clear that I am trying to understand
makes sense of the world. It could has impacted them, or it may be seen their story’s cultural experiences.
be that someone sees themselves in as further judgment.
the context of the environment’s Each of these categories combined About the Author:
power rather than an institution. offers an overview of client experi-
ROCIO (CIO) HERNÁNDEZ, Ph.D., MFT, LPCC,
Whatever the belief, spirituality can ence to inform an EMDR clinician in
better historytaking, understanding is a Marriage & Family Therapist in California,
be extremely helpful in resourcing,
interweaves, and future templating. targets, resourcing, creating cogni- Texas, and Hawaii. She specializes in immigration
Someone can bring their faith or tive interweaves, and beyond. This evaluations, violence prevention, and offers
beliefs into future templates or into approach is important to address our EMDR Therapy and LENS Neurofeedback across
strengths. Spiritual affiliation may personal biases about the clients who diversity. She teaches Law & Ethics, Human
also increase happiness and health as give us the honor to see them. Diversity, Childhood Trauma, and more. Her
Pew Research Center finds. (https:// Having a structure may also offer systems approach to community capacity building
www.pewforum.org/2019/01/31/ other conditions that may have con- and health equity has been internationally
religions-relationship-to-happiness- tributed to trauma in our clients. For recognized. Cio is the co-founder of the Marin
civic-engagement-and-health-around- my white clients who tell me that Latino Health Policy Partnership. She served as a
the-world/). We also see religious their mothers sold themselves or sold Public Information Officer for Marin County Office
groups continue to be persecuted drugs to put money on the table, I of Emergency Services. Cio received her doctorate
or discriminated against as well. ask how they were kept safe or if they from UC Davis in Health Care Leadership where she
Suppose someone identifies in a were. I often ask what price they had studied her app to increase EMDR access.
marginalized group or in a group to pay to succeed in the dominant

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EMDRIA .ORG 33
HOT CHOCOLATE & CHEESE

ENGAGE IN THE
CONVERSATION OF
RACE AND RACISM WITH
“HOT CHOCOLATE AND
CHEESE:” AN IDEA YOU
CAN IMPLEMENT
BY VIVIANA URDANETA

C
olombians have a tradi- Engaging in Difficult experience. It is never a joke. It is al-
tion of drinking hot choc- Conversations ways harmful, independently of the
olate and putting cheese I want to engage the conversation intention of the aggressor. It takes
inside it to melt, especially about racism with the same curios- a toll on people. It becomes like a
during cold days to warm one’s body. ity, exploration, and sometimes disgust rock inside of your shoe, and you are
It is so delicious that it warms the that we do when we talk about cultural forced to keep walking with it.
soul, too. As the cheese melts, you traditions different than ours. I know For people who have grown up
eat it with a spoon. It sounds strange, that racism does not have a positive benefiting from white supremacy,
but it is wonderful. connotation like hot chocolate and thinking about racism sometimes
Every time that I talk about this cheese. I know it is not the same. I feels foreign and threatening because
tradition to friends born in other coun- know racism and hot chocolate and they have not been forced to think
tries, they look at me with curiosity, cheese are different. I am not minimiz- about it. They are so comfortable with
with admiration, and sometimes with ing or glorifying racism. I just want to their benefits that their superiority is
disgust. Some ask me: “What kind of engage in conversation about this topic taken for granted—like it is natural
cheese? What kind of chocolate? Does not from the perspective of shame and or deserved somehow. Racism does
it have to be hot, or could it be cold? guilt but with an emphasis on commit- not seem to be part of their world. It
Is it only for cold days, or could it be ment, curiosity, and vulnerability. appears to be something from the past
any day? Can you give me the recipe?” For people who has grown up ex- that changed a long time ago because
Usually, they would like to try it and periencing racism, it is so familiar that supposedly: “The law said so. We do
ask me if we can do so together. The it is not strange anymore. It is like hot not have any slavery or racism today.
tradition of hot chocolate and cheese chocolate and cheese in Colombia— Everything changed with the civil
appears so foreign that it raises many extremely common. However, the big rights movement, right?” Racism is
questions and opens conversations. difference is that it is not a pleasant as strange as the combination of hot

34 GO WITH THAT | FALL 2020

EMDRIA .ORG 35
chocolate and cheese. Is it even pos- gling to respond. We brainstormed racism and anti-blackness in my own
sible? Does it still happen? “I thought ideas about how to react as therapists, culture and upbringing. However, it
that it was a matter of the past.” but there was not enough time to talk was not only the beginning of a per-
Talking about race and racism about it. One of my colleagues (Shan- sonal journey. It was also a commu-
becomes uncomfortable because ta Jambotkar, LCSW) spoke about hav- nal experience where we, as a group
we have been taught that it is only ing space specifically designed to dis- of colleagues, began to meet and talk
for “certain people.” It just applies cuss those personal reactions toward about our experiences with race and
to “some communities.” When we racist comments and their impact on racism and their impact on us as hu-
talk about cultural considerations our identities and communities. The mans and therapists.
and EMDR therapy, it is usually the
last topic, in the last presentation, When are we going to take a breath and
at the last minute of the conference
or the training, if it is even on the engage one another differently?
agenda. And the conversation about
race and EMDR therapy was almost proposal was to have a space to talk In the first meeting, I shared my
non-existent until recently. Many about the current situation after the desire to talk about racism with the
white people think about racism and killing of George Floyd and how it left same curiosity that we have when
say: “That does not apply to me. I am us all questioning when is this anti- talking about hot chocolate and
an ally. I am one of the ‘good’ ones. blackness going to end? When are we cheese. Of course, I have already
I have many BIPOC friends.” How- going to take a breath and engage one introduced the Colombian tradi-
ever, “White supremacy is an ideol- another differently? tion to my colleagues. So, before the
ogy based upon the belief that white After this, I had a conversation COVID19 pandemic , it was common
people are superior in many ways with my supervisor (Tobirus Newby, to have hot chocolate and cheese as
to people from other races” (Saad, LCSW) about the Black Lives Matter one of the snacks for our meetings.
2020) and we all, like it or not, live movement. I asked questions, and he So, we decided to call the group to
in a white supremacy society where listened and challenged my thoughts explore the impact of racism, the Hot
racism and anti-blackness are alive. about racism and white supremacy. I Chocolate and Cheese group (HC&C).
began to ask those around me their
Cultivating Nonjudgmental thoughts and experiences about it. Creating a Hot Chocolate
Curiosity Those meetings and my colleagues’ and Cheese-Like Group
So, how do we engage in the conver- discussions started a personal jour- What is the Hot Chocolate and Cheese
sation about racism with a similar ney for me, where I began to explore Group? It is a group of colleagues that
attitude than we have when we talk
about hot chocolate and cheese? How
do we cultivate a “nonjudgmental
curiosity” about the impacts of rac-
ism on us, on our communities, and
our jobs? Annalise A. Singh in the
“Racial Healing Handbook” (2019),
talks about the importance of “non-
judgmental curiosity” because “being
curious means to question your old
ideas, remain open to new ones, and
see what best fits you.”
During one of the regular meetings
that we have in my job, we discussed
a case where the client was talking
about some implicit bias and some
straightforward anti-blackness com-
ments, and the therapist was strug-

36 GO WITH THAT | FALL 2020

meet once a month to talk about the notice my reactions. I have chosen to
impact of racism in themselves and hear the stories of BIPOC and reflect
their personal and professional lives. I hope that we on it. I hope that HC&C helps all its
The idea is to explore how our com-
munity, our work, and our identities
engage in more participants and me engage in an ac-
tive role to be aware and reflect on
are shaped by implicit bias and anti- individual and the pervasiveness of anti-blackness
blackness. We created shared agree- and white supremacy on our personal
ments for space including: community activism and professional lives. I hope that we
• a nonjudgmental position,
• using I-messages, with commitment, arrive at an understanding that it is
ok to be different and that one race
• assume best intention, curiosity, and is not better than the other because
• be ok with silence, at the end of the day, we are only one
• request feedback if you would like vulnerability. human race. I hope that we engage
so, in more individual and community
• and be committed to check-in with activism with commitment, curios-
one another about the process. ity, and vulnerability. I hope to talk in
the HC&C group about EMDR therapy
We agreed on what to do if and practical ways to support people
someone experiences microaggres- in their journey of healing from rac-
sions and decided that participation ism. I hope to enjoy the savory and
is completely voluntary. We talked the sweetness of a hot chocolate and
about using “call in and callouts” cheese while we learn together to ap-
to call attention to any problematic preciate difference and unity in the
behavior or intervention. “Call out” human race. Anyone want to have
means to name instances or pat- some hot chocolate and cheese?
terns of oppressive behaviors or lan-
guage publicly. “Call in” means to REFERENCES
speak privately with an individual Saad, L. (2020). Me and White Su-
who has done wrong to address the premacy. Naperville, IL. Sourcebooks.
behavior (Saad, 2020). We agreed
to use questions to prompt and en- Singh, A. (2019). The Racial Healing
gage in the conversation about rac- Handbook. Oakland, CA. New Harbin-
ism and to have an open attitude to ger Publications, Inc.
talk about this topic.

Hope Springs About the Author:

What is my hope with HC&C group?
VIVIANA URDANETA, LCSW, is an EMDR Certified
I hope that we can be vulnerable in
community. I hope to explore our in- Therapist and Approved Consultant. She has her
ternal dialogues about racism and be private practice and works at the University of
together in our process of liberation California at Berkeley. She specializes in counseling
from white supremacy. I hope that for survivors of trauma, intimate partner violence,
we can learn to appreciate diversity and sexual assault. Viviana is from Colombia, South-
and intersectionality. Since the begin- America and considers herself bilingual and bicultural.
ning of my journey about anti-racism Viviana has worked consistently to promote the
practices in my personal and profes- utilization of EMDR therapy in different settings.
sional life, I have begun to analyze Viviana is committed to increase awareness around
the day-to-day things that influence the challenges and strengths of working with diverse
one’s anti-blackness. I have started populations and their intersection of identities.
to educate myself about racism and

EMDRIA .ORG 37
COUNSELOR’S CORNER

Counselor’s Corner

T
his is a new section in the magazine to bring awareness aware of all of the ways in which I
to vital topics being discussed in our online communi- am trying to keep them safe. I con-
sidered a plexiglass barrier but did
ties. The answers here are a sampling of replies. To view not feel that it would be needed and
the entire discussion, create your profile or join one of truthfully did not feel it would be
our 19 online communities or Special Interest Groups as effective as wearing the masks
(SIGs), please visit www.emdria.org/emdria-community. themselves, but I keep it as an option
if the rates of COVID-19 go back up
significantly. I do not know any medi-
Question: I am wondering if anyone may also have their temperatures cal provider who would ever consider
who is offering face-to-face sessions taken if I feel it is needed. I would not just using a face shield without a
has purchased a plexiglass room di- feel safe just using the plexiglass be- mask, so I would not do the same
vider? How has it helped/hindered cause I feel it puts the clients at risk with just a plexiglass. I remain nega-
your sessions? I currently have a since I would be having a client come tive for COVID-19 and for antibodies,
HEPA filtration unit, window open, and sit in a space that had just been and I know for a fact I have been
6 feet apart while sitting, masks on occupied by a prior client who, if not exposed to people who have been
entering and leaving the office. There wearing a mask, would be leaving positive. My partner is a chiropractor,
are some clients who won’t feel com- particles potentially in the air for the and with the exception of not being
fortable with Zoom, so my caseload is next person to sit in. able to maintain 6 feet of distance,
now half Doxy, and half face-to-face. Additionally, I was informed by a he has used the same protocols as
COVID-19 researcher that if two me and also remains negative, al-
– Trish Garrison, LICSW, ASCH people are wearing masks though he sees fewer people
Certified in Clinical Hypnosis, Cer- and one is positive, the than he used to in order to
tified in EMDR other person, if they are have more time in between
negative, only has a 1 for cleaning and getting a
Answers: I have been seeing clients percent chance of get- break from his mask.
in office for several months now but ting infected, whereas if My main challenge is
always with masks. I use clear face the person who is infect- the amount of time I am in
masks to allow for the clients to see ed is not wearing a mask a mask daily, so I schedule
facial expression, and I also give the non-infected per- webcam sessions in
them the option to wear their own son’s chance of get- between in-person
masks, or I give them a clear face ting infected goes sessions to give
mask to wear if desired. I maintain 6 up to 30 percent. myself a break.
feet of distance along with air purifi- As an additional My clients have
er equipped to catch COVID size par- safeguard, I also been apprecia-
ticles. Additionally, I wipe surfaces get tested regu- tive of all my ef-
down with cleaners in between ses- larly and so forts and have
sions and clients are given the option do my clients. rarely com-
of wearing gloves if desired (most They all sign a plained. I work
do not). All are asked to wash their detailed consent using EMDR, SE,
hands upon entering the office and form, so they are DBT, MBIs, Parts

38 GO WITH THAT | FALL 2020

 CUT SHEET HERE
work and psychodrama and special-
ize in complex trauma and addiction
with people with global high intensity
activation in their nervous systems
and have found that there are those
who feel safest in the office and those
who prefer webcam. We always weigh
the pros and cons first before deciding
which option to choose, and we know
that we may need to switch up what
we are doing or do a hybrid version of
in-office and webcam depending on
many factors, including if they have
traveled, have any symptoms or have
been exposed to someone sick, or are
worried about the commute. I also
use multiple webcam platforms, so I
always have a fallback if one system
freezes up. Hope this helps.
Carolyn Licht, PHD
NY State Licensed Psychologist

Hello Trish,
I use a plexiglass barrier, and it has
helped greatly with older children
and adult clients, essentially anyone
who stays in one place during the
session. It has allowed for sessions
without masks and also provides an-
other barrier when there are tears,
nose blowing due to tears, tissues
etc......We have sanitizers on either
side, along with individually pack-
aged supplies such as markers, paper.
Also the pulsars extend the length
of the table, and the cords go under
the barrier. Overall, a great relief and
help for in-person sessions.
Anna Nuedling
EMDR Canada (Membership)
Huntsville ON

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