August IPA Webinar: Psychotherapy with African American Clients: Foundations, Frameworks, and Phases
8/21/2020 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Event Description
IPA 2020 Webinar Series
1.0 Hour of Category I CE credit Friday, August 21st, 2020 at Noon
Registrants will receive further information on registering with Zoom Webinar for the presentation.
Psychotherapy with African American clients: Foundations, Frameworks, and Phases
Promoting behavioral health and well-being among African Americans through psychotherapy requires systematic attention to the distinctive experiences and dynamic culture of this group, as well as intentional adjustment of intervention elements. This presentation will offer an intermediate-level but brief approach to these challenges, organized in three domains:
Foundations. Building on previous presentations, this talk will offer an overview of ethnic and cultural experiences that shape behavior in general, and African American life and pathways to distress in particular, as well as common presumptions in contemporary psychotherapy. The presentation will approach helpseeking and service delivery as fundamentally cultural enterprises.
Frameworks. The presentation will outline common procedural elements for behavioral health intervention, addressing the places of cultural competence, cultural humility, and ethnic identity for organizing psychotherapeutic work. These also will include therapist belief systems (including “color-blindness,” and role functions), and contextual factors (including traumatic impact of racism, and diversification and intersectionality of African American experiences).
Phases. Based on foundations, and focused through frameworks for application, the presentation will address tasks and challenges for the initiation, middle, and termination phases of intervention. Given the conceptual importance of initial engagement, as well as evidence on the circumstances under which African Americans seek—and frequently prematurely terminate—therapy, particular attention will be paid to setting up psychotherapy and the ethnic and cultural factors that influence interactions during this phase. Effective management of the initial contact, common problem definition, and negotiation of the working relationship will set the stage for confronting dysfunctional patterns and enacting behavior change plans, and planning relapse prevention.
Learning Objectives
By completing this program, participants will able to:
1. Describe how cultural competence, cultural humility, and ethnic identity may influence the effectiveness of psychotherapists working with African American clients.
2. Analyze how culture and ethnicity affect the organization, structure, and facets of courses of psychotherapy.
3. Determine ways to address cultural and ethnic minority aspects of African American experiences during crucial initial contacts.
4. Outline how culture and ethnicity can be used to improve effectiveness of later phases of psychotherapy with African Americans.
5. Recognize how race, culture, and ethnicity may distinctly affecting the life experiences, behavior, and pathways to distress among African American clients presenting for psychotherapy.
Presenter Bio: David Rollock, PhD
David Rollock, Ph.D. is 150th Anniversary Professor and Professor of Psychological Sciences at Purdue University. An affiliate of Purdue’s African American Studies and Research Center, he also is Adjunct Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine. Dr. Rollock has served as Director of Clinical Training for Purdue’s Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program, Director of the Purdue Psychology Treatment and Research Clinics, as well as Head of the Department of Psychological Sciences.
Dr. Rollock earned his bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Princeton University, and his masters and doctorate in Clinical/Community Psychology from Yale University. His empirical research focuses on responses of African Americans to interethnic social and police-related contact, psychological dimensions of cultural transition among people of Latinx and Asian backgrounds, and mental health helpseeking by diverse ethnocultural groups.
Dr. Rollock has been an officer of the Council of University Directors of Clinical Psychology (CUDCP), as well as the American Orthopsychiatric Association, and the American Psychological Association’s Division 45: Society for the Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues. Dr. Rollock has been an officer of the Indiana Association of Black Psychologists.
Dr. David Rollock
Special Note to Conference Attendees
The Indiana Psychological Association (IPA) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Indiana Psychological Association maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Indiana State Psychology Board and Indiana Behavioral Health Board:
IPA is an approved provider of Category I continuing education for psychologists.
IPA is an approved provider of Category I continuing education for LSW, LCSW, LMFT, LMHC, LMFTA, LCAC and LAC.
Licensees must judge the program’s relevance to their professional practice.
Please note that APA rules require that credit be given only to those who attend the entire workshop. Those arriving more than 15 minutes after the scheduled start time or leaving early will not receive CE credits. Partial credit cannot be given.
Licensees who attend the entire webinar and complete the evaluation form will receive a CE certificate via email.
Registration Fees
IPA New, Premier, Platinum, Emeritus-Practicing, and Student Members - $0
IPA Basic and Emeritus-Retired Members - $15
Non-Members - $30
IABPsi Members - $0
