Critical Race Theory and Psychotherapy Workshop

Date:    August 21, 2021

Time: 8:00 AM–11:00 PM MST (7:00-10:00 AM EST; 9:00 AM-12:00 PM CST; 10:00 AM-1:00 PM EST)

Cost:    $35 for professionals (CEs included); $25 for students (no CEs)

Presenters: Lisa Xochitl Vallejos, Nathaniel Granger, Jr., & Louis Hoffman

Continuing Education: 3 CEs (pending approval)

Overview

Critical Race Theory (CRT) began in the legal field but over time has been applied in many different disciplines, including psychology. Delgado and Stefancic (2017) briefly define the CRT movement as “a collection of activists engaged in studying and transforming the relationship among race, racism, and power” (p. 3). Furthermore, they note that CRT is not a unified movement and includes many variations and differing perspectives. CRT is unified by shared questions and concerns more than specific beliefs or dogma. However, CRT theories are consistently concerned about the problem of race, racism, and power and how this impacts individuals, institutions, and society. Furthermore, CRT purports that to understand racial disparities and other racial issues in the United States and around the world it is necessary to consider institutional racism, systemic racism, and issues of power. Recently, CRT has come under increased scrutiny and criticism, including arguments that CRT should be banned from being taught in schools, universities, and/or other settings. Many of these criticisms misrepresent CRT, such as purporting that CRT maintains that some people are inherently inferior or racist. In first part of this workshop, we provide an overview of the primary themes of CRT. Next, we consider criticism of CRT, both popular and academic, and provide some responses to these criticisms. In responding to the criticisms, we consider which are based upon false assumptions about CRT and which reflect valid criticisms. After considering the foundations and critiques of CRT, we address how CRT can be applied in clinical and training settings.