Meet the Presenters
Brandon Johnson, MHS, MCHES
Session Title:
Creating Healing Through Comprehensive Suicide Prevention
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Summary: The conversation all mental health practitioners must grow comfortable tackling with intention. Suicide prevention is a layered, complex, but necessary skillset in the field. This session will embrace the motivation to create healing, awareness, and knowledge sharing when address suicide prevention.
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Email: brandon.johnson86@gmail.com
Facebook: The Black Mental Wellness Lounge
Instagram: @blackmentalwellnesslounge
Twitter: @branjjohnson1
Dr. Gina Griffin, DSW, MSW, LCSW
Session Title:
Technology, Data Justice, and the Impact on Our Communities
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Summary: Learning Objectives are to learn the hidden costs and benefits of technology in our communities. What we need to be aware of so that we can help our communities.
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Email: marathon3r@gmail.com
Social Media Handle: @TheGinaGi
Website: www.aiswr-swresearch.org
Dr. Jamaal Fortner
Session Title:
The Traveling Clinician: Taking Your Talents Where Needed
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Summary: The untold experience of the traveling clinician during peak period of high demand for our expertise in the field. Learning Objectives are to learn the hidden costs and benefits of technology in our communities. What we need to be aware of so that we can help our communities.
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Email: theofficialdocj@gmail.com
Instagram: @officialdocj
YouTube: OfficialDocJ
Dr. Deborah Villanueva, DSW, LCSW
Session Title:
Latinas Supporting Latinas In The Field of Mental Health
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Summary: No culture is a monolith. Understanding the differences and nuances is critical to offering clients culturally-appropriate care. Similarly, having clinicians that reflect the population they serve and who are part of that community is critical. This session will focus on that crucial component of culturally-focused care by addressing ways Latina/e, Hispanic clinicians support Latina/e, Hispanic women in their community. The session will address what it means to be part of community? How is culture expressed? And, how are power dynamics addressed within the clinical setting? Latinas supporting Latinas adds a much needed dimension to providing mental healthcare to Latina/e, Hispanic women and building inclusive spaces for these Latina/e, Hispanic clinicians.
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Dr. Orlando Wright, LCSW-C
Session Title:
Care Measured: Turning patient-reported data into valuable clinical insights
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Summary: The Challenge - Using scientifically validated screens should be integrated into our clinical work. Patient-reported outcomes have many benefits. However, they are often used at intake and quickly forgotten. Even more concerning, this information is not integrated into care delivery and quality improvement. The Fix- The objective is to provide and integrate learning using patient-reported outcomes. We posit that this learning is an important value for the therapist, client, and overall quality of care. To accomplish that end, we simplify the collection of screening data using easy-to-use applications, data visuals, and integrated dashboards.
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Email: Owright@halcyonclinical.com
Social Media: https://twitter.com/OWrightPhD
Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/halcyonclinical
Richelle Richards, MA
Session Title:
Seeking Validation; A look at how Art-Therapy-based initiatives work in elevating mental and emotional health within Businesses and Organizations
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Summary: This Arts-Therapy based approach uses artistic forms and expressions to explore, understand, and even challenge human experiences within organizations. This presentation will discuss issues associated with mental health and will also explain how important creative thinking is in initiating and sustaining strategies to promote mental health best practices within organizations.
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Email: artsbda@gmail.com
Instagram: @caf.bda
Facebook: Caf.bda
Linkedin: Richelle Richards
website: www.cafbermuda.com
Dorothy Handfield, eDD &
Nicole Alston, MSW
Session Title:
The Implement Grief Counseling for low
socio-economic status Black K-12 students
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Summary: Attendees will discuss ways school-based
clinicians can change the narrative on how to address
and implement grief counseling for low socio-economic
status Black K-12 students.
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Email: dhandfield@nps.k12.nj.us
Dr. Dorothy C. Handfield
Instagram: @consultingdch
LinkedIn: Dr. Dorothy C. Handfield, BCBA
Nicole Alston
Instagram: @ok2grieve
LinkedIn: Nicole Alston, MSW
Crystal Rozelle-Bennett, LMSW
Session Title:
I’m Not Giving Back My Black: The Battle Against Racial Battle Fatigue
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Summary: Professor Alvin Poussaint described the cumulative impact of microaggressions as death by a thousand nicks. What might seem small and insignificant can become ingrained into the very fiber of one”s being, causing the body to live in a constant state of alert. This constant state of hyperarousal can lead to depression, anxiety-related symptoms, diminished psychological wellbeing and ultimately impact one's physical health. During this presentation, Crystal will share her personal experiences with internalized oppression and the fight to overcome racial battle fatigue. Participants will engage in techniques for healing and recognize the importance of safe spaces and brave spaces for communities to transform and begin the healing of racial trauma.
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Email: crystal@crystalthryves.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/crystal-bennett-lmsw
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thryvellc/
Instagram: @thryvellc
Website: www.crystalthryves.com
Shanae ADAMS, MA, LPCC, NCC, CIGT
Session Title:
Kink in Clinician: Intersections of Sex-Positive Kink for Clinicians
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Summary: Too often, sexuality therapists and professionals make assumptions about individuals in kink communities and are unable to conceptualize some of the identity and behavioral nuances that exist within this special population. Because of the lack of awareness, some therapeutic practices may be misguided, ill-informed, and possibly injurious to clients who experience kink expression and identity as a means of affirmation and liberation. Participants are invited to increase their sex-positive capacity while expanding their knowledge on the implications of sex and kink positivity; develop skills to facilitate engagement in kink with safety, consent, and pleasure; and discuss how clinicians may serve as a resource and support to kinksters of color.
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Email: honestlynae@gmail.com
Instagram: @honestlynae and @MAITHerapyservices
Brianna Baker
Session Title:
Intersectional Approaches to Self and Collective Care for Mental Health Professionals
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Summary: This presentation shall frame self- and community-care as liberatory and resistance practices for BIPOC mental health professionals. Under this perspective, self-care is not a thing you “do”, but rather a way you think, live, and experience the world through a commitment to self and humanity.
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Twitter: @BriannaABaker
Instagram: @BecomingDrBaker
YouTube: Becoming Dr. Baker
Mychelle Williams, LPC, NCC
Session Title:
Showing Up As Your Best Authentic Self: A Letter To The Private Practitioner
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Summary: No matter who you are there is a client that seeks to connect with you. From pink hair, tatooes, ironed cardigans, to a potty mouth, clients are looking to connect and relate to someone who enters the arena authentically.
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Email: admin@therapytoatea.com
Instagram: @queerblacktherapist
TikTok: @queerblacktherapist
Twitter: @ablackhealer
Website: www.therapytoatea.com
Nicole Jackson
(environmental educator, birder, nature coach)
Session Title:
Black Women in Nature – Fostering A Healing Connection
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Summary: More Black women are finding healing in the outdoors. My proposed presentation focuses on increasing the awareness of the benefits of connecting to nature and it's impact on Black women's mental health and well-being. This fostered connection or reconnection is creating opportunities for improved self-awareness, knowledge of natural systems, and sense of place.
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Twitter: @wildlifegirl09
Instagram: @nicky.j10
Tiarra McKinney MA, LPC, NCC
Session Title:
Examining Retraumatization by Film with a Focus on Racial Trauma
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Summary: The brain processes stimuli from a movie, the way it would as if it were happening in present time. When watching a film, one consciously has to tell their brain that it is just a movie or show (Zacks, 2015). When coupled with watching a film that has potential to retraumatize, it can have profound effects. Especially, regarding racial trauma. This presentation bridges the gap between retraumatization by film and racial trauma and how therapists can provide culturally competent treatment regarding this phenomena.
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Email: tiaf93@gmail.com
Instagram: @therapywithtia
