Psychotherapists as Nonviolent Protesters: Adapting Therapy Strategies for Systemic Change

About the Presentation: Psychotherapists across the mental health professions have committed to dismantling systemic racism; however, strategies for achieving this goal are underdeveloped. This presentation examines how the methods and principles of nonviolent protest developed by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the U.S. civil rights movement are similar to many of the skills already used by therapists, and could therefore be adapted by psychotherapists to help address the problem of systemic racism.

About the Speaker: Dr. Kevin Tarlow is a Licensed Psychologist and Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Alaska Anchorage. He earned a doctorate in counseling psychology at Texas A&M University and previously held a faculty position at Hampton University. Dr. Tarlow's research explores how histories of race, class, and capitalism can improve the science and practice of psychology.

Who will get the most from this training? Psychologists at all levels of professional development who are interested in addressing systemic oppression and inequality with psychotherapeutic principles.

What are 3-4 actionable lessons that attendees will take away from your presentation?

Attendees will learn about commitments made by the American Psychological Association and peer organizations to address systemic racism, a root cause of health inequality.

Attendees will recognize similarities between the nonviolent protest methods developed by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the U.S. civil rights movement and common factors of psychotherapeutic change.

Attendees will be able to evaluate antiracist social action interventions using six principles of nonviolent protest.

What new skills or knowledge will attendees be able to apply to their clinical work/practice after your training? Attendees will be prepared to apply psychotherapeutic skills to antiracist social action.