Racism & Grief: Considerations for Working with Black/African American Clients with Prolonged Grief

Product Description

Prolonged Grief (PG) is a debilitating disorder characterized by intense emotional and physical complications that can compromise the health and quality of life of those who suffer from it. Black Americans may be at a higher risk of developing PG, due to risk factors related to experiencing the death of a loved one as a result of difficult circumstances (e.g., police or community violence, disparities in healthcare that may increase the risk of dying from a preventable health concern, etc.). Black Americans also are negatively impacted by experiences of historical and contemporary racism and trauma which further adds to the risk of developing PG. Though there are resources and interventions aimed at reducing the distress around acute and prolonged grief symptoms, Black communities are less likely to have access to these resources. Even more concerning, these resources are rarely culturally tailored to align with the cultural strengths and risk factors that influence bereavement for Black Americans, reducing their potential effectiveness, accessibility, and acceptability.

During this presentation, Dr. Willis will discuss how racism and historical trauma may impact the grief experience for Black/African Americans, and how to consider these factors when conceptualizing and treating PG with clients from this community. Using findings from a recent community-based study of grief in the Harlem, New York community, Dr. Willis will also discuss how COVID-19 loss has impacted the grief experience of Black Americans, and how these findings can provide insights on how to culturally tailor interventions for treating PG in diverse communities. Finally, Dr. Willis will discuss contemporary approaches to increasing outreach/dissemination of grief treatment resources within Black communities, and discuss recent psychosocial interventions for treating PGD in Black communities (e.g., digital interventions, group therapy interventions, etc.).

As a result of this workshop, attendees will be able to:

1. Discuss how racism, historical trauma, and historical resilience factors influence the experience of grief and PG for Black/African Americans.
2. Identify ways that COVID-19 has impacted the grief experiences for Black/African Americans, and specific risk factors to target in treatment.
3. Describe contemporary approaches to delivering PGT to underserved communities, and discuss at least two examples of culturally tailored grief interventions.

Presenter

Henry A. Willis, PhD received his Ph.D. from the Clinical Psychology program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and completed an APA-accredited internship at Montefiore Hospital/Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He completed postdoctoral research training at Columbia University’s School of Social Work and the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice, and postdoctoral clinical training working with children and adults at Madison Park Psychological Services in New York City. Dr. Willis joined the faculty of the Clinical Psychology program at the University of Maryland, College Park in 2023. His research interests include exploring the relationship between online and offline racial discrimination and mental health outcomes, understanding sociocultural protective factors (i.e., racial identity) and how they impact psychopathology (e.g., depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, prolonged grief, etc.) within African Americans, creating cultural adaptations of evidence-based treatments, and utilizing mobile-health and other novel technologies to increase access to mental health treatments for underserved populations. https://psyc.umd.edu/facultyprofile/willis/henry

Format

Live, online via Zoom

Registration

$112 USD

Registration includes participation in the workshop along with:

• A Certificate of Completion issued upon completion of the workshop (3.0 CE contact hours)

CE Approvals

American Psychological Association

The Center for Prolonged Grief at Columbia School of Social Work is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Center for Prolonged Grief maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Note: Many state boards recognize the APA approval. Please check with your state licensing board.

New York State Education Department

• NYSED Board for Social Work recognizes the Center for Prolonged as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers (#SW‐0727).
• NYSED State Board for Mental Health Practitioners recognizes the Center for Prolonged Grief as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0104).
• NYSED State Board for Mental Health Practitioners recognizes the Center for Prolonged Grief as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists (#MFT-0080).
• NYSED State Board for Psychology recognizes the Center for Prolonged Grief as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists (#PSY-0150).

Note: Non-NYS social workers, mental health counselors, and marriage and family therapists, please check with your state licensing board. Many states have recognized our continuing education programs as we are at a CSWE-accredited institution and part of a regionally accredited university.

Refund Policy

The registration fee will be returned if the Center for Prolonged Grief (training@complicatedgrief.columbia.edu) receives written notice up to one (1) week before the workshop.

Special Accommodations and Grievance Policy

Columbia University makes every effort to accommodate individuals with disabilities. If you require disability accommodations to attend an event at Columbia University, please contact Disability Services at 212-854-2388 or disability@columbia.edu and the Center for Prolonged Grief at training@complicatedgrief.columbia.edu at least 10 days in advance of the event.

If you have a question or concern about a workshop, non-receipt of a certificate, refund, or another issue related to the Center for Prolonged Grief’s continuing education programming, please email training@complicatedgrief.columbia.edu.