In this training you will be able to:

Session One- Understanding the Foundation of Work with Minorities

Overview- Therapy with marginalized couples cannot simply mirror work done with other couples who benefit from various forms of privilege. This work requires an acknowledgment of the inequalities and the relational dynamics of marginalized couples. In this session, we will address the critical underpinnings that shape work with racial and sexual minorities, and discuss the various forms and manifestations of systemic trauma that are experienced by couples.

Session Content

1. Understanding how we can practice/integrate Liberation psychology and epistemological hybridism into Relational Life Therapy (RLT)
2. Exploring the various types of trauma experienced by racial and sexual minorities
3. Examining the ways in which therapists are perpetrators of “clinical marginalization” and clinical racism

4. Detailing how to undo “clinical marginalization”
5. Understanding the therapist as a social change agent

Session Two- Intimacy as a Relational Privilege (Assessment pt 1)

Overview- Minority groups are often denied life experiences that will allow them to develop safe, intimate relationships with their partners. For these groups, intimacy is not often experienced as a birthright, but as a privilege. In this session, we will examine “Relational Privilege” as a tool for assessing the health of the relationship, and outline the other assessment frames, which can give us some insight into the degree of relational privilege held by the couple, as well as direction for designing the intervention.

Session Content

1. Using the Relational Privilege Wheel
2. Managing and outing the therapist’s relational privilege
3. Using Frames One to Three for assessing the impact of systemic trauma
4. Assessing the Couple's Dyadic Coping and Relational Privilege using Frames One to Three
5. Integrating epistemological hybridism into the assessment process
6. Practicing “Epistemic Embracing” during the assessment

Session Three- Intimacy as a Relational Privilege (Assessment Pt 2)

Overview-The purpose of this session is to examine Frames 4 to 6 and their role in assessing Relational Privilege and the impact of Systemic Trauma. In this session, we will also examine how to co-construct leverage with the couple.

Session Content

1. Using Frames 4 to 6 to understand the impact of systemic trauma
2. Co-constructing leverage with clients as an enactment of political and relational empowerment.
3. Using an Interpersonal and Relational Orientation to engage in Carefrontation
4. Teaching Responsible externalizing (interweaving critical consciousness and I-thou consciousness)
5. Setting the stage for relational and radical Change
6. Practicing “Epistemic embracing” during the assessment

Session Four- Treating the Couple’s Systemic Trauma

Overview-In this session, we will examine three methods of engaging in trauma work to treat the couple’s experience of systemic trauma. This is necessary before teaching skills for healthy relationally.

Session Content

1. Using the ICN (Intergenerational Compassionate Network) in Trauma Work
2. Integrating the SOMOS model into RLT Trauma Work
3. Unblending the Adaptive Parts to Systemic Trauma
4. Developing Relational Healing Circles

Session Five- Building Relational Privilege

Overview- In this session, we will examine key skills that can help a marginalized couple to build Relational Privilege and undo the impact of systemic trauma. This session uses some of the skills in Relational Life Therapy, which have been expanded and adapted for BIPOC couples and sexual minorities.

Session Content
1. Teaching clients the practice of “Supportive and Common Relational Coping”(five winning strategies) and “Ethical Relationality”
2. Teaching clients how to practice “Identity Cherishing” and “Interpersonal Cherishing”.
3. Teaching clients the concepts of “Building from Within”. Building from within involves recognition of personal resilience, relational resilience and group resilience.
4. Halting the “Dance of the Stereotypes” in CNI (Core Negative Image) work
5. Teaching the concept of “Boundaries between and around”
6. Blending Radical Imagination with Relational Imagination

Relational Privilege and Systemic Trauma - Akilah Riley-Richardson, MSW, CCTP - Agenda

September 21, 2022 - Session One- Understanding the Foundation of Work with Minorities

12 noon to 12.10 Understanding Clinical Racism/Marginalization, Liberation Psychology, and Epistemological Hybridism

12.10pm to 12.20- Building Liberation Psychology and Epistemological Hybridism into clinical work and RLT

12.20pm to 12.30pm-- Exploring the various types of race based and sex based discrimination 12.30pm to 12 40pm- Exploring the role of the therapist as a social change agent
12.40p to 1pm- Questions from Participants, and Practicing the Epistemic Embracing and

Epistemological Hybridism with Participants

September 28, 2022 - Session Two- Intimacy as a Relational Privilege (Assessment pt 1)

12noon to 12.15pm-Using the Relational Privilege Wheel
12.15pm to 12.20pm-Managing and “Outing” the Therapist’s relational privilege and The

Psychology of the Healer
12 .20pm to 12 45pm- Using Frames One to Three for assessing the impact of systemic trauma

and the couple’s dyadic coping
(Integrating epistemological hybridism into the assessment process)

12.45pm to 1pm- Questions from Participants and Practicing Epistemic Embracing and Epistemological Hybridism with Participants

October 12, 2022 - Session Three- Intimacy as a Relational Privilege (Assessment pt 2)

12noon to 12.20pm- Using Frames 4 to 6 to understand the impact of systemic trauma 12.20pm to 12.30pm-Using an Interpersonal and Relational Orientation to engage in

Carefrontation (using Responsible Externalizing)
12.30pm to 12.45pm-Co-constructing leverage with clients as an enactment of political and relational

Empowerment (setting the stage for relational and radical change) 12.45pm to 1pm- Questions from Participants and Practicing Epistemological Hybridism and

Epistemic Embracing with Participants.

October 19, 2022 - Session Four- Treating the Couple’s Systemic Trauma

12 noon to 12.10-Using the ICN (Intergenerational Compassionate Network) in Trauma Work

12 .15pm to 12.30pm-Integrating the SOMOS model into RLT Trauma Work
12.30pm to 12.35pm- Unblending the Adaptive Parts to Systemic Trauma
12.35pm to 12.45pm- Developing Relational Healing Circles
12.45pm to 1pm-Questions from Participants and Practicing Epistemological Hybridism and Epistemic Embracing with Participants.

October 26, 2022 - Session Five- Building Relational Privilege

12pm to 12.15pm- “Supportive and Common Relational Coping”(five winning strategies) and “Ethical Relationality”

12.15pm to 12.20pm- “Identity Cherishing” and “Interpersonal Cherishing”.

12.20pm to 12.30pm- Building from within-personal resilience, relational resilience and group resilience.

12.30pm to 12.40pm- Halting the “Dance of the Stereotypes” in CNI (Core Negative Image) 12.40pm to 12.50pm- Teaching the concept of “Boundaries between and around”, Blending Radical Imagination with Relational Imagination
12.50pm to 1pm-Questions from Participants and Practicing Epistemological Hybridism and Epistemic Embracing with Participants.

1. Name the various types of trauma experienced by sex, gender and racial minorities
2. Question their role as perpetrators of clinical racism and clinical marginalization
3. Define Relational Privilege
4. Measure the degree of Relational Privilege held by couples
5. Conduct an assessment using the six frames. (These six which examine the impact of systemic trauma on minoritised couples)
6. Apply epistemological hybridism and epistemic embracing to the assessment process
7. Apply critical consciousness throughout their assessment and intervention with clients
8. Integrate the Intergenerational Compassionate Network into Trauma Work with minoritised couples
9. Integrate the SOMOS model into Trauma Work with minoritised couples
10. Identify the role of race, sex and gender stereotypes in partner’s understanding of each other (CNI)
11. Discuss with clients how to develop boundaries and a cherishing culture to treat with the impact of systemic marginalization
12. Explain the Five Winning Strategies and their role in treating the impact of systemic marginalization
13. Teach clients how to practice the five winning strategies
14. Define the critical components of Relational Healing Circles
15. Design a template for a Relational Healing Circle
16. Prescribe ways to help couples move from Negative Dyadic Coping to Supportive and Common Relational Coping