Monnica Williams, Ph.D.

In racialized societies, race divides people, prioritizes some groups over others, and directly impacts opportunities and outcomes in life. Racism is a pervasive problem in Western society, leading to mental and physical unwellness in people from racialized groups. Psychology began as a racist discipline, as many prominent early leaders in the field actively promoted eugenics and the use of intelligence testing to prove the inferiority of people of color, which creates a problematic foundation for a science that is now tasked with embracing diversity. As such, most clinical training and curricula do not provide an anti-racist framework, which is long overdue for a profession that began with many openly racist ideals. This workshop will discuss how therapists can embrace an anti-racism approach in their practice and their lives in general as an essential prerequisite for authenticity in the work of supporting clients of color. This webinar will address harmful fallacies about race and genetics, explain the development of aversive racism, detail the difference between being a White ally versus a White savior, and share new research of what it means to be a genuine racial justice ally. 

Racial problems are evident at every level of society, and are prominent in political messaging. The problem of racism cannot be corrected merely by good wishes of individuals – purposeful actions and interventions are required. To create equitable systems, civil courage is vital. Therapists can play an important role in tearing down barriers and facilitating change. People who are racial justice allies demonstrate civil courage despite awareness of the consequences and social costs but choose to persist based on a moral imperative. After defining allyship and providing contemporary and historical examples of civil courage, this presentation will explain the difficulties and impediments inherent in implementing racial justice. The presenters will describe exercises based on cognitive-behavioral approaches to help individuals increase their awareness and ability to demonstrate racial justice allyship in alignment with valued behaviors. She explains how these approaches can be utilized, how they can help individuals grow, why they can be difficult, and how clinicians can make use of them for their clients and society.

This workshop offers a comprehensive and evidence-based examination of racial microaggressions, situating them within broader systems of contemporary racism. Drawing on seminal new research and clinical insights, participants will explore how racism has evolved from overt acts to subtle, often unconscious expressions that permeate everyday in teractions. The session will define microaggressions and unpack their links to pathological stereotypes, environmental exclusion, and systemic inequities. Through real-world examples, attendees will learn to identify common forms of microaggressions across contexts, including interpersonal relationships, institutional settings, and global environments. Grounded in empirical findings, the workshop will also review the science behind microaggressions and their cumulative psychological toll, including their role in stress, depression, and racial trauma. 

Building on this foundation, the workshop will focus on practical applications for clinicians and helping professionals. Participants will examine how microaggressions manifest in clinical care, romantic relationships, and even therapeutic dynamics with clients, while critically addressing pervasive myths that invalidate and gaslight people of color. Emphasis will be placed on developing culturally responsive skills to support clients in navigating and coping with everyday racism, as well as strategies for recognizing and disarming microaggressions in real time. The session will conclude with tools, resources, and actionable approaches to foster more equitable, affirming, and culturally-informed spaces across professional and personal domains.

Working with a diverse ethnic population requires clinicians who can appreciate unique differences in culture as well as psychopathology arising from experiences of stigma and oppression. Further, it is imperative that individuals from underrepresented groups be equitably represented in mental care settings and research studies. Equitable representation is needed to ensure that research findings are generalizable to all populations.  Cultural, economic, and logistic barriers can deter people from disadvantaged racial and ethnic groups from seeking treatment or participating in mental health research, and can also deter clinicians from including them. This presentation describes steps mental health clinicians can take to increase inclusion of people in minoritized groups. Important strategies include formal training in cultural differences, development of multi-cultural awareness, diversification of treatment teams, community outreach, professional networking, targeted advertising, a comfortable environment, and ongoing review of efforts. Also included is an overview of research abuses against vulnerable populations which has eroded trust between communities of color and the medical establishment.  Dr. Williams will speak to these issues based on the research literature, her work starting mental health clinics throughout the US, and her experience as a principal investigator in studies recruiting hard-to-reach racialized participants for mental health studies. This course is for anyone seeking to recruit more diverse individuals, implement inclusive research studies, attend to cultural considerations in the process of interventions, and/or incorporate critical ethical principles into clinical procedures.

This course will satisfy your cultural diversity requirement.

In this webinar, Dr. Williams will distinguish between color blind and multicultural approaches.  She will talk about racial identity in blacks and whites and talk about the impact of cultural stereotypes.  She will identify the impact of discrimination and racism on mental health.  This webinar will also focus on practical skills in working with African American clients, looking at cultural mistrust, diagnostic issues, and Afrocentric values.  Finally, Dr. Williams will highlight the literature on race and IQ and psychopathology assessment.  She will help participants in defining culturally sensitive therapy.

Given the increasing diversity of clients seeking mental health care, there is a growing need to enhance the cultural sensitivity of therapeutic interventions with ethnoracial minority populations. One critical form of contemporary racism is the experience of microaggressions: brief, everyday exchanges, in the form of seemingly innocent and innocuous comments or behaviors that send denigrating messages to people of color. Microaggressions in mental health settings are a cause of poor therapeutic alliance and drop-out, representing a barrier to treatment. Repeated exposure to microaggressions can cause psychological unwellness and even trauma symptoms in victims. However, many clinicians are not aware of microaggressions, may commit them unknowingly against clients, and are unsure how to address them in treatment. Thus, increasing awareness of microaggressions is a critical target of clinical training and therapeutic intervention. Dr. Williams will also discuss how to recognize microaggressions, how to assess the impact of microaggressions in clients, and discuss how to address microaggressions when they occur in therapy or real-life.