Working with post-traumatic slavery syndrome and understanding white privilege in the therapy room

LifeWorlds Training presents:

Working with post-traumatic slavery syndrome and understanding white privilege in the therapy room

Open your mind, expand your thinking, discover the unexpected and question the unquestionable.

Dr Yvonne Williams presents 'Working with post-traumatic slavery syndrome'

The aim of this workshop is to introduce and discuss PTSS using an experiential approach, illuminating the maladaptive behaviours, beliefs and actions that originate from the intergenerational trauma that Africans endured due to centuries of slavery. Followed by structural racism, racial hatred, prejudices and discrimination African descendants continue to experience.

As therapists, how can we help our black clients feel powerful rather than powerless, to feel in control of their lives rather than out of control, and feel free to express their feelings without fear of repercussions? Irrespective of race or cultural background, at any point in our lives we may experience those challenges. However, for many black people, men in particular, this can be an everyday lived experience being within mainstream society due to the legacy of slavery and intergenerational trauma.

During the workshop Yvonne will demonstrate using a performative approach, the black face with an invisible mask; the psychological lived experiences of a black person living within a white mainstream society.  

Patricia A. McGillicuddy presents 'Understanding white privilege'

Patricia’s focus will be to understand white privilege in the therapy room and what that means. For example, for those of us who are white, it is fundamental to our work that we begin to examine our white privilege. Foremost, what does it mean to be white? How is our lived experience different from people of colour, and mainly of Black African decent? Furthermore, how does their learned lifeworld experience differ from our own?

Patricia will introduce and discuss the manifestations of white privilege within the therapy room. Thereafter, Patricia introduces Intercultural Counselling as an approach that recognises Eurocentric thinking but places greater understanding on racial perspectives. Also, working relationally with clients from their lived cultural perspective, respecting how it differs from westernised thinking and processing.

Who is this workshop for?

This workshop is for counsellors, psychotherapists, counselling psychologists and students on counselling and psychotherapy programmes, which provides a space in which to learn from each other irrespective of one’s cultural background.

Only 15 attendees per workshop – do not miss out!

To book a place and for further information on this CPD workshop visit the website

www.lifeworldstraining.com or contact Dr Yvonne Williams on 07969 612008.