Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Psychology
Program Name/Specialization
Community Psychology
Faculty/School
Faculty of Arts
First Advisor
Dr. Melody Morton Ninomiya
Advisor Role
Primary Dissertation Committee Advisor
Second Advisor
Dr. Manuel Riemer
Advisor Role
Dissertation Commitee Advisor
Third Advisor
Dr. Monnica Williams
Advisor Role
Dissertation Committee Advisor
Abstract
As a registered psychotherapist and art therapist, my clinical training, a decade of clinical experience, and time spent conducting research as a doctoral student in community psychology has led me to question whether the current psychotherapeutic practice is an appropriate fit for racialized communities, specifically for addressing experiences of racial trauma. To better understand how psychotherapists and their training in Ontario prepare them to work with(in) racialized communities who experience racial trauma, I conducted a mixed-method research study. My research objectives were to 1) complete a review of existing information on how racial trauma is addressed in psychotherapy, 2) engage with a community of psychotherapists to learn about their knowledge, attitudes and current practice on racial trauma, and 3) develop and assess a series of training workshops for psychotherapists focused on racial trauma in psychotherapy. Further, I developed my theoretical framework, which includes critical race scholarship, liberation psychology, Black-feminist psychology and intersectionality that assisted in bridging the gaps between clinical and community practice and understanding.
Recommended Citation
Sharma, Rajni, "Addressing Racial Trauma in Psychotherapy" (2024). Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive). 2649.
https://scholars.wlu.ca/etd/2649
Convocation Year
2024
Convocation Season
Spring
Included in
Community Psychology Commons, Counseling Psychology Commons, Counselor Education Commons, Multicultural Psychology Commons, Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies Commons