Racial Trauma and the Polyvagal Response: Mind-Body Healing for African American Clients

CPD

Faculty

Candice Richardson Dickens, LCPC-S, LCADC, NCC, MA, CCTP Related seminars and products

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Candice R. Dickens, LCPC-S, LCADC, NCC, MA, CCTP, is a licensed clinical professional counselor supervisor, licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor, national certified counselor, and certified clinical trauma professional with over 35 years of clinical experience. She is the founder and clinical director of CRA Counseling & Consulting Agency in Ellicott City, Maryland, where she specializes in treating complex trauma, anxiety disorders, depression, marital conflict, and substance use among high-achieving adults and couples. She’s trained in multiple evidence-based modalities including Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Brainspotting, and Imago Relationship Therapy. Her clinical approach integrates culturally sensitive, trauma-informed techniques with somatic and mind-body practices, including trauma-informed yoga, Yoga Nidra, breathwork, and meditation.

A dedicated community organizer and professional leader, Ms. Dickens serves on the executive board of the Maryland Board of Professional Counselors and is a national workshop proposal reviewer for the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA). She is an active scholar and educator whose work centers on intersectional, narrative-driven approaches to counselor education, with a particular focus on amplifying the experiences of neurodivergent black women in graduate education. She is also a popular speaker and has been featured at major conferences such as NAADAC National Conference, Black Mental Health Alliance Conference, Psychotherapy Networker, and Boston University School of Social Work.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Candice Richardson Dickens has employment relationships with ACENTRA Health, Echelon Community Services, and CRA Counseling & Consulting Agency. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Candice Richardson Dickens an executive board member for The Night of Peace Shelter and is a member of the Maryland Association of Imago Therapists.

 

Objectives

1. Evaluate the role the Polyvagal pathway plays in the African American client’s reaction to violence, police brutality, acts of racism, and discrimination.  
2. Investigate how microtrauma impacts the psychosocial development of African Americans from a historical perspective. 
3. Demonstrate how to identify and treat reactive symptoms and behaviours associated with the microtrauma of racisms, such as defensiveness and excessive worrying about safety and death. 
4. Assess how the therapeutic process can be affected by the emotional reactivity of both African American and non-African American clinicians when treating African American clients.  
5. Employ mind-body techniques in conjunction with Internal Family System theory to effectively deregulate the stress response and promote feelings of empowerment and safety.  
6. Analyze activated trauma memories involving violence and acts of racism.

Outline

Implement tools that address the impact of micro and macro-trauma on the psychosocial development of African American clients 

• Introduction and application of self-soothing grounding, and deep breathing techniques as tools to de-escalate traumas.  
• Application of the DBT describing skills to increase awareness of the present moment 
• Review of how mindfulness can be used to increase awareness of symptoms and microtrauma reactions  

Introduce Microtrauma as a fear-based conditional response to situations that elicit terror and powerlessness.  

• Review literature on trauma and the brain response 

Examine the role the sympathetic nervous system plays in their reactions to microtraumas.  

• Review nervous system  
• Discuss parasympathetic response (ventral vagal)  
• Parasympathetic stress response immobilization  
• Sympathetic Stress Response: Mobilization Flight/Fight Response  

Provide clinical treatment interventions that determine levels of reactivity and offer treatment modalities.  

• Reprocessing of memories  
• Deep breathing techniques  
• Grounding and tapping  
• CBT thought stopping and disputing techniques  
• Introduction of SUDS and Body scanning techniques 

Incorporate trauma and shame reducing techniques in sessions to help African American clients access memories that keep them stuck in the narrative of victimization  

• Recreating the shame  
• Self-affirmations  
• Creating a practice of self-compassion and non-judgmental stance

Target Audience

• Counselors
• Social Workers
• Psychologists
• Psychotherapists
• Therapists
• Marriage & Family Therapists
• Addiction Counselors
• Case Managers
• Physicians
• Nurses
• Other Mental Health Professionals