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  • Diverse Counselors' Voices Panel: Avoiding Harm

Diverse Counselors' Voices Panel: Avoiding Harm

  • 14 Jun 2023
  • 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
  • Online

Registration

  • Diverse Counselors’ Voices: Avoiding Harm has been approved by NBCC for NBCC credit. COMBINE (Colorado Medicaid Behavioral Health Provider Network) is solely responsible for all aspects of the program. NBCC Approval No. SP-4263. 1.5 CE hours.

    Certificates are awarded after the panel completes and an evaluation form is submitted.
  • Support Colorado Medicaid mental health!

Registration is closed

This panel inaugurates COMBINE's series of panel discussions focusing on building cultural humility and cultural competence for all therapists, Diverse Counselors' Voices.


This series aims to promote education and increase knowledge to reduce harm experienced by BIPOC, LGBTQ+, Veterans, Asian and Pacific Island, Latina and Latino, and Christian, and other historically marginalized and misunderstood communities and to create a healthy understanding of the role of the White therapist. Throughout the series, White therapists can engage with diverse therapists to address personal barriers, limited lenses, imposter syndrome, defensiveness, white privilege, colorism within cultures, and more.

June 14th 2023 Diverse Counselors' Voices: Avoiding Harm Panel Information

Diverse Counselors’ Voices: Avoiding Harm has been approved by NBCC for NBCC credit. COMBINE (Colorado Medicaid Behavioral Health Provider Network) is solely responsible for all aspects of the program. NBCC Approval No. SP-4263. 1.5 CE hours.

Diverse counselors invariably hear about interactions with white counselors from their clients.  This panel assembles diverse counselors who will recount the stories they've heard from clients and discuss. 

White counselors are encouraged to listen and learn, and ask questions.  White counselors will learn from others' mistakes and take away a new cultural sensitivity. 

Diverse counselors will hear stories similar to their own experience and learn and offer strategies to process what may have been harmful experiences. 

The panel will discuss topics for an hour and the Q & A will last 30 minutes. 

Learning Objectives

  • Learn about the experiences of BIPOC, LGBTQ+, Veterans, Asian and Pacific Island, Latina and Latino, and Christian, and other historically marginalized communities in therapy.
  • Identify the ways in which white privilege can impact the therapeutic relationship.
  • Develop strategies for building cultural humility and cultural competence as a therapist.
  • Learn from the mistakes of others and avoid perpetuating harmful stereotypes and biases in therapy.
  • Participate in creating a safe space for diverse counselors to share their stories and experiences.
  • Understand ways to develop a community of support for therapists who are working to be more culturally competent.

Panelists

Fiona Cochran LMFT

Fiona Cochran is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice. Fiona specializes in couples and sex therapy and providing supervision to new clinicians. Fiona identifies as a Person of Color, neurodiverse, and a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. She aims to work with marginalized and underrepresented populations. Fiona is currently pursuing a Ph. D in Clinical Sexology. Fiona is a Level 1 Certified PACT (Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy) therapist. Personally, Fiona enjoys traveling, cooking, and spending time with her life partner, three children, and three dogs. Fiona believes in engaging in activities that bring her joy and encourages her clients to do the same.


Danica LeBlanc, LPCC

Meet Danica LeBlanc, an esteemed mental health advocate, psychotherapist, and dedicated professional. She strives to empower diverse communities through engaging talks, promoting individuality in inclusive spaces, and fostering equity.

Danica fearlessly addresses the intersectionality of race, identity, and mental well-being. Her passion lies in dismantling stigmas, bridging cultural nuances and mental health in BIPOC communities, and empowering individuals to reclaim their inner strength and embrace their authentic selves. When not immersed in professional pursuits, she can be found exploring new destinations, where she immerses herself in diverse cultures, fostering empathy and a global perspective.


Stacey Crichton, LPCC

Meet Stacey Crichton, a mental health counselor who is passionate about her work. Born in Guyana, South America, and raised in Jamaica, she learned to live in a diverse society. She lived and traveled to different countries and continents as a military spouse. The opportunities prepared her to use her experiences and knowledge to serve the BIPOC communities.  She is aware of the harm being caused to children and especially children of color. She continues to support and empower her younger population who face bullying, academic challenges, racism, classism, and mental health challenges. When not empowering clients, she enjoys traveling and spending time with family.


Marcus Poindexter, LSW

Marcus Poindexter is a Licensed Social Worker in Colorado and Pennsylvania with many years of experience as a practitioner and social researcher in a variety of settings. Passionate about his work, Marcus is dedicated to improving the lives of vulnerable individuals and families by addressing social injustice and equity issues among the BIPOC LGBTQIAA and incarcerated populace. He does this work by cultivating a collaborative and culturally humble space using a solution-focused approach to enhance the lives of marginalized people. Marcus holds an MSW from the University of Pittsburgh and a BS in Special Education from Slippery Rock University.



Moderators

Yakitta Renfroe, LPC, COMBINE Board Chair

Yakitta Renfroe is a Licensed Professional Counselor and an advocate for children and underserved populations in Colorado. She has worked with diverse populations in prison, psychiatric, community-based, military, religious, mentorship, and school and college settings. Throughout her decade plus of being in the mental health field, she allowed herself to be a voice to expose stigmas, traumas, oppression, micro-aggressions, and deficits within the BIPOC community.

This passion led to the creation of New Beginnings Therapy Healing, Inc in 2018. The years following NBTH has grown to be a community for BIPOC therapists in training. As the owner of an all-Black staff, Yakitta has accepted the challenge to not only be an advocate, but also, a resource for those striving to go against the grain and become pillars of change in the mental health field.


 Andy Rose, LPC, COMBINE Education Committee Chair

Andy began his anti-racist work long ago with organizing against South African apartheid in 1985 at Cornell University.  Since then Andy has participated and facilitated workshops for Challenging White Supremacy, Alternatives to Violence Project, and anti-oppression workshops in Colorado and California.  Andy was the faculty sponsor for the Gay Straight Alliance at San Francisco's George Washington High School.  Andy's counseling Masters is from Naropa University '08, and he also has a high school teaching credential (San Francisco State '03) and a BA in Mathematics '90.  Andy directs a mid-size Medicaid counseling and training clinic.


Colorado Medicaid Behavioral Health Provider Network

info@combinebh.org


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