Counseling African American Men, Volume 1: Developing Cultural Competency

Streaming video - 2021

Despite the growing awareness of the need for cultural competence when working with clients from diverse backgrounds, therapists often find themselves ill-equipped for and uncomfortable having the conversations about race and racism that are required to help African American men heal. To further complicate matters, traditional assessment practices and interventions can be detrimental to a meaningful therapeutic relationship. Working with African American men requires therapists to look beyond symptoms in order to truly appreciate what it’s like to live in a racialized society. In this powerful video you will explore the challenges and historical considerations unique to this population and discover how to use this knowledge to develop a s...trong working alliance and create a safe space for your African American clients. Through clips from real therapy sessions led by clinician, educator, and author Darrick Tovar-Murray, PhD, along with the rich conversations that follow with Psychotherapy.net founder Victor Yalom, Tovar-Murrary masterfully illuminates the salient issues faced by African American men, as well as key cultural and historical factors to consider when working with them. Highlights from his work with three clients demonstrate Tovar-Murray’s effective, unique approach towards creating a genuine alliance and laying the groundwork for healing. This video will give you tools for developing the confidence and competence you need to create a meaningful working bond by not just allowing, but inviting uncomfortable topics such as racism and slavery to enter the room and leveraging them as a catalyst for growth. more