Ethics of Trauma, Marginalization, and Social Determinants of Health

This 6-hour workshop discusses how to conceptualize mental health treatment for culturally diverse individuals who have historically been marginalized. Research shows that culturally marginalized populations suffer disproportionately from a range of health disparities and psychosocial stressors that contribute to and exacerbate their mental health presentations. This workshop will be helpful not only for mental health practitioners who have never realized that improvements were needed in their client conceptualization, but also for clinicians who understand there is a need but still struggle to grasp the true range and impact of these stressors, thus commensurately grapple with how to account for and more effectively work with the mental health concerns of diverse clients.

Continuing Education (CE) approval for 6 ETHICS hours has been applied for through GSCSW, GAMFT, and LPCA-GA. Approval numbers will be added once available.

To receive CE credit, you must turn on your camera and microphone to participate in breakout sessions and discussions.

This workshop will cover the following as it relates to mental health presentation and treatment:

1. Clarify implicit bias and its clinical impact.

2. Review Critical Race Theory & Social Determinants of Health.

3. Analyze key factors in diversity-based stress injury & trauma.

4. Prepare for conversations about racial differences and marginalization.

5. List considerations for working with diverse populations.

6. Discuss responding to microaggressions in session.

7. Describe components for feedback-informed treatment.

In addition to a review of applicable portions of the ACA, MFT, APA, and NASW codes of ethics, the 2016 Multicultural & Social Justice Counseling Competencies and the Multicultural Orientation Framework will be incorporated and applied through hands-on case studies and discussions.

Schedule/Learning Objectives:

• 8:30—10:00 AM: Describe the differences between intergenerational trauma and historical trauma. Describe the role of epigenetics in the presentation of intergenerational trauma and the development of intergenerational resilience.
• 10:00—10:15 AM: Break.
• 10:15—12:00 PM: Identify three ways both racial and intergenerational trauma can present in clients. Ethical case conceptualization.
• 12:00—1:00 PM: Lunch.
• 1:00—2:15 PM: Outline key treatment themes needed for ethical clinical intervention.
• 2:15—2:30 PM: Break.
• 2:30—4:00 PM: Ethical case conceptualization and treatment intervention planning. Review two instruments that can be used for ethically assessing the impact of microaggressions and race-based trauma in clients.

Course Facilitator:

Sonja Sutherland, PhD, LPC, BC-TMH, CPCS, ACS

Clinical Associate Professor of Counseling, Adams State University, Clinical Supervisor, Diversity Consultant and Trainer, Founder & CEO – Legacy Changers Training Institute for Mental Health Equity & Justice

Dr. Sutherland is a Clinical Associate Professor of Counseling at Adams State University and a Diversity Consultant & Trainer. In the field for over 25 years, she is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Georgia, a Board Certified Telemental Health Counselor (BC-TMH), and an Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS). Dr. Sutherland’s 22 years of clinical and supervisory experience has been in private practice, psychiatric residential, in-home, and outpatient mental health settings. Within the last 10 years, Dr. Sutherland has provided training, researched, and published in the areas of racial trauma, cultural competence development and training, the provision of culturally-informed clinical intervention and supervision, and social justice advocacy.