Growth Group for Mental Health Professionals Interested in Antiracism and Social Justice

Hello Everyone,

I have been thinking long and hard about how I can play a meaningful role as a social activist and staunch advocate for social justice during this troubling time in our country’s history.  To be stuck at home watching the news or hearing about the protests has been really hard.  I am a psychologist with many decades of experience helping people in close relationships struggling with high conflict, great distress and hostility, and judgement and bias.  I have been teaching diversity in graduate programs,  facilitating groups, workshops and events related to anti-racism, social justice, and oppression and working with interracial and intercultural relationships for over three decades.  So I would like to make a contribution by helping to build connection and compassion between people who feel disconnected, isolated, or confused about how to have dialogue about race, violence, and justice.

I want to offer a year-long dinner and dialogue group for any helping professional who would like to participate in a self-awareness, self growth process.  This group is open to anyone wanting to do this work including folks identifying as part of a marginalized community, people of color, black, indigenous, non-white, LGBTQ+, and anyone who identifies as white or part of the dominant culture.

As the founder and executive director for The Center for Relationships, I am passionate in my belief that relationships heal and that building close intimate relationships can overcome any divisions, judgments, and biases.  It may not be easy, but it is possible and in fact necessary for all of us as helping professionals to engage in our own spiritual and inner work regarding implicit and explicit bias and discomfort.  There is evidence that social justice reform takes time, needs personal and close regular contact between diverse people, and needs to happen in safe and brave containers in which vulnerability, humility, and receptivity to influence helps people cross bridges with each other.  This is a time in our global history that is calling for radical authentic revolution and as members of a common humanity we have both the opportunity and the obligation to show up and participate in whatever way we can.

The group will meet twice a month on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month from 6-8:00 pm Central time. Our first meeting will be on Tuesday July 14th, 2020.   At the moment we will be meeting virtually on Zoom but I hope to keep it going well into the future and will shift to in-person meetings when it is safe to do so.  Cost is $25 per session or $50 per month.  You can join the group for one month and decide if this is a safe growthful space for you but after that you will be asked to make a commitment of one year.

If you are interested and want to learn more or sign up to be part of this group, please complete the form linked here.  I will then reach out to you and set up a brief phone call or video session so we can connect and discuss the group in greater detail.