Engaging with Oppression in Practice, Supervision and Training

(From the writings of Dr Isha Mckenzie Mavinga)

Outline

This workshop is presented by BPOC Masters trained by Dr Isha Mckenzie-Mavinga in a ‘Black Empathic approach’ to therapy and the challenge of racism. This training is currently running online.

The workshop supports participants to develop a framework for therapeutic understanding, exploration and support, based on a black empathic approach, by exploring and supporting the impact of racism as presented in Dr Isha Mckenzie-Mavinga’s books – Black Issues in the Therapeutic Process (2009), The Challenge of Racism in Therapeutic Practice (2016) and A Black Empathic Approach to Psychotherapy (2025).  www.ishamm.com

Participants will be offered an opportunity to discuss and explore an antiracist framework for therapeutic engagement, that offers clarity about white privilege and practicing a black empathic approach. This approach models use of dialogue about emerging from the impact of racism and internalised racism.

Dialogue and exploration will enhance therapists’ and professionals’ insight and practice when working with the impact of racism in training, CPD and professional support. Participants will be supported to make the therapeutic space safe enough for a dialogue about racism.

The workshop will provide a space:

• To explore the context and content of empathy when facing the challenge of racism in professional practise, training, supervision, coaching and learning forums
• Develop compassionate conversations that support anti-racist practice in therapeutic relationships and relational contexts
• Explore power dynamics assimilation and humiliation that perpetuate silence
• Embrace and support the nuances of mixed racial heritages shadism and colorism
• Challenge colonial influences that perpetuate misunderstanding and undermine cultural identity’s
• Engage with the intersectionality of anti-racist practise and internalised racism
• Untangle the intergenerational traumatic impact of racism on practitioners and clients and develop an appropriate gaze
• Participants can be assured of an opportunity to turn coping skills into supportive, intersectional ways of unblocking powerful feelings and create a framework for moving on personal and professional development in this area
• We support confidence and CPD to enhance training, practice and supervision towards an ethical, relational framework that includes, an appropriate, and manageable, level of compassion care and support about how racism impacts ourselves and others

Full attendance and participation on both days is essential.

Who should attend the training?

The workshop is open to therapists, mental health specialists, supervisors, trainers and students who want to learn more about developing support work in this area.

Open training and event – open to those of all heritages, including therapy professionals, students, those in the helping professions and members of the public.

Facilitators

Moriam Grillo and Sharon Hastings

Moriam and Sharon are BIPOC Masters trained in the Black empathic approach to therapy by Dr Isha Mckenzie-Mavinga

Venue

(Online) – Meeting via Zoom. Zoom is free to download and use. For more information about Zoom click here.