The Trust's commitment to prioritizing and supporting initiatives that promote equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging extends to the education and training we offer to our policyholders.

Introducing our Cultural Competency Forums, an update to our We Hold These Truths series. These Forums are designed to support psychologists in developing cultural competence—equipping them with the skills to effectively engage with diverse populations and create an inclusive work environment.  Additionally, the Forums emphasize the importance of cultural humility, encouraging a lifelong commitment to self-reflection and learning about one’s own biases and assumptions. By examining the historical and ongoing impact of societal issues related to race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, nationality, socioeconomic status, language, (dis)ability, age, religious commitment, and political perspective, our expert panel provides insights into how psychology can address these challenges. Psychologists will gain tools to enhance both their cultural competence in specific contexts and cultural humility as an ongoing practice of self-awareness and openness.

Trust policyholders can combine 6 or more CEs earned from each live or on-demand webinar and save 15% on their Trust Sponsored Professional Liability insurance policy for two consecutive renewal periods. Please submit your CE certificates when you renew your policy. **PLEASE NOTE: Part 8 was cancelled.**

Trust policyholders can access the LIVE Forums free of charge, and the ON-DEMAND versions for a nominal fee of $15 per CE. Descriptions and learning objectives are listed below. Both live and on-demand versions offer the number of CE. Please click on the live event date and time to register. Each live event must be registered for separately. To view the on-demand version, simply click on the part number below.

Part 1: Intersectional Perspectives on the Pandemic, Cultural Fissures and Calls for Change

Our panel of experts explore psychological perspectives and actions on the recent confluence of the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 and its intersection with the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement on communities of color and other communities. The dual pandemics of systemic racism and COVID-19 have led governments to declare racism a “public health crisis.” How does this manifest in the mental health of communities of Black, Indigenous, People of Color? The discussion will focus on how these dual pandemics have impacted the conversations psychologists are having in the workplace, with colleagues, and with clients.

The experts will offer suggestions on how psychologists in a variety of settings can address comments ranging from insensitive to overtly racist. Do these responses differ depending on whether one is perceived as a member of the majority or minority culture? If so, how?

Objectives:

1. Define trauma, racial trauma and trauma-informed care. 
2. Recognize signs of trauma and racial trauma.
3. Articulate the theory of intersectionality.
4. Apply a trauma-informed framework to their practice skills.
5. Describe trauma-informed practices to address healing from racial trauma and COVID-19.
6. Identify the impact of psychosocial, sociocultural and environmental issues on health equity.
7. Delineate strategies for coping with the interrelated complexities of COVID-19 and mental health.

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Part 2: Systemic Racism in Psychology: National Ethnic Minority Psychological Association Perspectives

Representatives from each of the National Ethnic Minority Psychological Associations (American Arab, Middle Eastern and North African Psychological Association [AMENA-Psy], Asian-American Psychological Association [AAPA], Association of Black Psychologists [ABPsi], National Latinx Psychological Association [NLPA] and Society of Indian Psychologists [SIP]) provide historical perspectives on how the field of psychology has traditionally addressed issues of racial inequity.

The discussion will focus on their individual and collective experiences of how conventional psychology or the traditional Western practice of psychology has been well- or ill-suited to address issues of race, culture, and disparities in access to mental health. The experts will compare and contrast how their culturally specific approaches to mental health have addressed these concerns.

The experts will offer suggestions on what psychologists can do within their communities, professional organizations, and/or workplace settings to decrease racial disparities in access to behavioral health care.

Objectives:

1. Describe how systemic racism has and does impact all Americans with specific attention to the communities served by the respective Associations.
2. Name at least three effective culturally-centered responses promoted by the National Ethnic Minority Psychological Associations in countering the impact of systemic racism.
3. Identify strategies to dismantle systemic racism within the discipline of psychology and at community levels.

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Part 3: Whiteness, White Supremacy and White Privilege

The presenters will discuss white racial identity (Whiteness) and its relationship to White supremacy and White racism. The presenters will define these concepts, offer perspectives on how they influence our interactions in therapeutic and other work settings.

Suggestions will also be offered on what psychologists can do within their communities, professional organizations, and/or workplace settings to acknowledge the impact of our collective use of Whiteness as the prototype for normative interactions and how this may sustain narratives of White supremacy and White racism.

Objectives:

1. Define the terms White racial identity, White supremacy and White racism.
2. Describe the intersectionality of Whiteness/White supremacy and institutional racism.
3. Identify internalized notions of white supremacy and learn strategies to address White racism in a variety of work settings.

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Part 4: Cultural Humility: An Ethical Imperative

For more than 30 years, cultural competence has been acknowledged as being central to providing effective therapy, typically in cross-cultural counseling, but also in identifying important areas of difference that may go unaddressed in presumed areas of similarity (e.g., similar race but economic or religious differences). It has generally been described as having three main components: attitudes/beliefs, knowledge and skills (D. W. Sue, Arredondo, & McDavis, 1992; D. W. Sue et al., 1982).

In recent years, “cultural humility” has gained ascendance as a key concept. Across studies, cultural humility has been defined as involving (a) a lifelong motivation to learn from others, (b) critical self-examination of cultural awareness, (c) interpersonal respect, (d) developing mutual partnerships that address power imbalances, and (e) an other-oriented stance open to new cultural information (Mosher, Hook, Farrell, Watkins, & Davis, 2017).

The presenters will explore this evolution and make the argument that cultural humility is an ongoing, active process incorporated into all practice and should be considered an ethical requirement. They will also offer suggestions for lifelong learning and application of this imperative.

Objectives:

1. Differentiate the concepts of cultural competence and cultural humility.
2. Identify how cultural humility should be considered an ethical imperative.
3. Describe ways to incorporate cultural humility into various areas of psychological practice.

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Part 5: Pathways Forward: EMPAs Speak to BIPOC Resilience, Collaboration and Solidarity

This webinar will discuss activities, strategies and programs that the Ethnic Minority Psychological Associations (EMPAs) have developed to provide support and build resiliency, awareness and solidarity amongst its members and communities to combat the effects of historical and systemic racism and discrimination.

Objectives:

1. Define the intragroup diversity and range of issues that each EMPA represents.
2. Identify the impact of structural racism and discrimination encountered by the EMPA communities.
3. Describe activities of solidarity and support employed by the EMPAs to foster resilience, collaboration and equity for their members, communities, and the field of psychology.

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Part 6: Addressing Therapeutic Cultural Avoidance: Why It Matters Now More Than Ever

As the nation navigates reconciling the impact of race relations, our ability to engage in thoughtful and meaningful psychological practice remains ever present. Cultural avoidance or the aim of cultural avoidance in psychotherapy is unethical and can create harm for clients. Clients may experience disconnection, disregard, and disrespect by the provider which can lead to failure to build rapport, therapeutic ruptures, and early termination.

Psychologists are required ethically to attend to the client's identities including their race, ethnicity, and culture. This webinar addresses the impact of cultural avoidance, racial “colorblindness,” and implicit bias on our (in)ability to engage in therapeutic relationships. The antidote to cultural avoidance is cultural engagement. The presentation will provide strategies for cultural engagement that directly address and integrate the client's identities.

Objectives:

1. Define cultural avoidance and cultural engagement.
2. Describe the costs of cultural avoidance.
3. Describe three ways to engage culture in therapy.

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Part 7: A Deeper Dive into Intersectional Complex Trauma: The Relationship to Social and Health Disparities

This is a continuation of an earlier webinar, “Intersectional Perspectives on the Pandemic, Cultural Fissures and Calls for Change” which was Part 1 of our original We Hold These Truths series. At the intersection of various societal inequities including systemic racism, sexism, heterosexism, poverty, healthcare and policing inequities, etc., are complex traumatic responses that increase the likelihood of negative physical and mental health outcomes.

This webinar will discuss how traumatic experiences combine with societal inequities to set the stage for social and health disparities in communities of color and other marginalized communities. Psychologists, social workers, and other mental healthcare professionals are strongly encouraged to learn techniques to address these types of traumatic experiences when helping clients from marginalized communities heal. These should include strategies that support societal change and social justice.

Objectives:

1. Describe intersectional complex trauma (ICT).
2. Explain the impact of social inequality and societal inequities that are correlated to the development of ICT.
3. Explain the relationship between ICT and social and health disparities.
4. Describe at least 2 interventions that are trauma-informed, build resilience and address the reduction of social and health disparities.
5. Discern bio-psycho-social & environmental stressors for BIPOC communities.
6. Establish strategies for community engagement to help address health inequities.

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Part 8 [CANCELLED]: Unpacking White Supremacy and White Identity

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Part 9: Addressing the Complexities of Intersectionality when Caring for Children Living with Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited chronic disease that impacts millions of persons worldwide; however, in the United States (US), the myth of SCD being a ‘Black disease’ persists. Healthcare disparities, structural racism, misinformation, and adverse social determinants of health complicate care and exacerbates the chronic pain and emotional/psychological stress that many children living with SCD contend with across the lifespan.

Mental health professionals are key members of integrative treatment teams, as well as private/community, yet they may be challenged in treating chronic pain and mental health issues associated with SCD in the complexities of intersectionality. This presentation will provide a brief historical overview of SCD in the US, the socio-cultural-political contexts that may complicate children and their families’ experiences, the manifestation of the disease and implications for mental well-being, and theoretical frameworks that may contribute to effective treatment/intervention.

Objectives:

1. Describe the signs, symptoms, and complications of sickle cell disease (SCD) for children and the adverse impact of healthcare disparities in providing optimal care.
2. Articulate the complexities of intersectionality when considering chronic pain and mental health risk factors for children living with SCD.
3. Utilize a biopsychosocialculturalspiritual (BPSS) model of care and intersectionality framework in conceptualizing treatment and promoting effective healthcare practices.
4. Name at least three (3) culturally-informed strategies or approaches that can be integrated in mental health care plans.

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Part 10: Foundations of Providing Inclusive Care to Transgender and Gender Diverse Clients

Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people seek psychotherapy for a variety of concerns. Yet, the TGD community consistently reports having poor experiences with mental health care. Some of the reasons for this are providers’ lack of knowledge of affirming language, transgender identities, intersecting identities, common life experiences, and clinical concerns of this community. The mental health disparities experienced by the TGD community further highlight the need for more training for psychologists to provide gender affirming care to TGD individuals.

This webinar aims to bridge this gap by providing participants with the introductory knowledge and skills necessary to begin providing affirming care to TGD individuals. Participants will also be given the tools to increase their awareness of and challenge their own biases related to TGD people. Participants will leave this webinar with an understanding of how to continue their education about working with TGD individuals and cultivating a gender affirming practice.

Objectives:

1. Describe the key terminology and issues experienced by transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of common clinical concerns experienced by TGD individuals.
3. Explain how intersecting identities impact TGD people.
4. Assess awareness of and begin to challenge biases that may have implications for interactions with TGD people in a therapy setting.
5. Compile basic skills necessary to provide gender affirming mental health services to TGD individuals.

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Part 11: The Impact of Racial Stress on Youth of Color

Research indicates that youth of color – those that identify as Native American, Black/African American, Latino/x, Asian Americans, etc. – may be exposed to racism and discrimination leading to symptoms of racial stress or race-based stress. Racial stress is a psychological reaction resulting from experiencing types of racial discrimination and oppression. As a clinician, it is important to understand how these experiences may impact youth of color to identify coping resources and to promote resilience.

This webinar aims to discuss the psychological impacts of racism and identify strategies to support youth of color in multiple settings (e.g., schools or clinical practice). Specifically, participants will learn at least two psychological effects of racial discrimination on youth of color. Participants will also learn at strategies for managing symptoms of racial stress among youth of color.

Objectives:

1. Describe at least 2 psychological effects of racial discrimination.
2. Identify at least 3 strategies for managing symptoms of race-based stress.

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Part 12: Child & Adolescent Gender Affirmative Care in Motion: What We Know and What We're Learning

Part 1 - The Gender Affirmative Model and Concepts The perspective will be through the lens of development - child and adolescent, along with the principles of the interdisciplinary gender affirmative model and its relationship to family systems, social and medical gender transitions, and cultural context.

[Download References]

Part 2 - Clinical Practice through a Gender Affirmative Lens Focus will be on the general guidelines for interdisciplinary care, research informing the care, clinical challenges in working with children, clinical challenges in working with children and adolescents, the sociopolitical climate in which we are applying the model. This section will present a clinical case for an interdisciplinary gender affirmative perspective discussion.

Objectives:

1. Identify the key features of the gender affirmative model.
2. Refer to evidence-based research related to pediatric gender care.
3. Describe the interdisciplinary collaboration between mental health and medical providers in delivering gender affirmative care.
4. List ways they can apply the gender affirmative model to their own practice.

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Part 13: Disability as a Diversity Variable: What Every Psychologist Should Know

This webinar will explore the diversity model of disability and how although disability is included in most definitions of diversity, it is rarely fully integrated into diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Drs. Kara Ayers and Erin Andrews will discuss contemporary trends in disability language and introduce the concept of disability culture. Pertinent attitudes that affect the lived experience of disabled people will be explored.

Drs. Ayers and Andrews will offer strategies for practitioners in the field to recognize and counteract ableism and highlight the role of psychology in promoting equity and reducing discrimination in healthcare. By understanding the rights of disabled individuals and exploring resources and support mechanisms, psychologists can become pivotal advocates in dismantling these barriers.

The presentation will underscore the importance of inclusive policies and practices that address the specific needs of disabled people. Clinically relevant suggestions for culturally competent care for persons with disabilities will be offered.

Objectives:

1. Explain the importance of conceptualizing disability as a diversity variable.
2. Define ableism and describe three examples as experienced by disabled people.
3. Develop strategies for psychologists to advocate for and support disabled people in healthcare environments and community-based settings.

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