Courageous and Restorative Conversations: Building Cultural Bridges

Presented by Members of the AEDP Vision Collective

Friday, February 7, 2025 | 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM EST

Level: Open to all licensed AEDP mental health clinicians


Join us for a groundbreaking healing circle that bridges the gap
between BIPOC and non-BIPOC therapists through the powerful lens of AEDP. 


Description

Join us for a transformative healing circle that bridges BIPOC and non-BIPOC therapists through the framework of AEDP. Within this carefully cultivated space, the circle will create a safe and supportive environment to lower defenses, facilitate open discussions about racialized trauma, and foster collective healing.

Through experiential learning and authentic dialogue, therapists will deepen their understanding of how racialized trauma manifests both societally and within the therapeutic relationship.

This intimate and professional setting offers a unique opportunity to examine systemic racism’s impact on mental health practice while developing enhanced cultural attunement skills.

Together, we’ll strengthen clinical effectiveness with BIPOC clients, assess our own positions within the therapeutic space, and forge authentic allyship across cultural boundaries. This workshop combines personal growth with professional development, creating lasting impact for both clinicians and their clients.


Bringing together diverse expertise in racial trauma healing and AEDP therapy:

Sonya Parker is a skilled therapist and doctoral student researching the psychological, physiological, and epigenetic impact of racialized trauma.

Connie Rhodes and Marsha Elliot specialize in healing circle facilitation within organizational and educational settings.

James Santos, a marriage and family therapist and member of the AEDP DBEI Committee, supports the Institute’s efforts and growth in this topic.

Nicky Cameron and Tabitha Azor-Douyon bring specialized experience in healing racial trauma within BIPOC communities through their outpatient practices.

Heloise Ridley’s doctoral research focuses on culturally-attuned counseling for BIPOC college students.

Steve Carroll, an experienced AEDP™ Supervisor and therapist, is passionate about  healing racial trauma in BIPOC communities.

About Healing Circles
Healing circles engage participants in experiential exercises of empathic confrontation to process feelings related to racism, oppression, and manifestations of racialized trauma in American and global society while gently challenging defensive behaviors. A healing circle is a form of group therapy or community support gathering where participants come together to share experiences, offer mutual understanding and encouragement, and work towards individual and collective healing. The model has proven to be a powerful and effective tool for fostering individual and community-level healing. Studies have shown that participation in healing circles can lead to lasting improvements in mental health, relationships, and overall well-being, even long after the circle has ended.

Learning Objectives


Meet the Presenters


Sonya Parker, LCSW

Sonya Parker is currently a Level III AEDP™ therapist and Lead Chair of the AEDP Vision Collective Racialized Trauma & Spirituality in AEDP Exploratory Group. She is also a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200) having completed a yoga teacher training program for behavioral health professionals with a focus on anxiety and depression. Sonya’s therapeutic approach and stance is grounded in psychodynamic, affective neuroscience, attachment, emotion-focused, and experiential theories. In addition, Sonya has completed advanced training as a couples therapist in Gottman Method Couples Therapy and Emotionally Focused Therapy.

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Connie Rhodes

Affectionately known as the Peace Promoter, Connie is a graduate of the University of Chicago with a concentration in Behavioral Sciences and Psychology. While at the University of Chicago, she had the honor to complete advanced studies with experiential psychotherapy pioneer Dr. Eugene Gendlin. During her time with him she developed her client centered therapy approach and learned the art of focusing and imagery.

Connie is the founder and executive director of Restoration Incorporated, a premier faith-based human service agency. She is also the lead consultant for Culturally Competent Consulting, helping organizations with their diversity, equity and inclusion needs. Connie is a trailblazer in diversity equity and inclusion work. She uses a holistic approach that uses indigenous, cultural and spiritual healing practices to create communities that promote anti racism and belonging.

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Marsha Elliott, LMSW

Marsha Elliott is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW), who began her 3-year career as a social worker at Staten Island Hospital’s (SIH) Inpatient Psychiatric Center for patients who were involuntarily placed for psychiatric treatment. 

Her career continued as a therapist for 3 years at Long Island Jewish Center, providing services for children and their families. Social workers provide most of the direct services to patients. The team of psychologists and psychiatrists provided weekly consultations, support, and medication, as needed.

Marsha then began her 30-year career in the New York City Department of Education as a clinical social worker providing services to children from elementary to middle school ages and their families. The students were labeled learning and or emotionally disturbed. 

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Tabitha Azor-Douyon, MA, LMFT

Tabitha Azor-Douyon, LMFT, is a highly skilled and compassionate therapist dedicated to providing empathic service to diverse populations of all ages. She is an effective communicator, proactive problem solver, and motivational speaker with an inherent and proven ability to work effectively with individuals and couples with varied personality types.


Nicky Cameron, LCSW

Nicky Cameron, LCSW

Nicky Cameron, LCSW, is a native of Jamaica. Driven by her unyielding determination to reduce suicide rates, normalize mental health hygiene, and mental health illness among youth, she founded Ideal Case Management Services, and Emergent Counseling & Consulting. Nicky is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has accumulated over two decade’s worth of experience serving in various capacities within the field of Behavioral Health.

Nicky is a Youth Mentor, and has been recognized in her community for mobilizing large youth groups to perform community service projects. She is a Behavioral Health Case Management Supervisor, a Motivational Speaker, and a Qualified Clinical Supervisor and Mentors other mental health clinicians.

Nicky embraces a spiritual path to healing, and believes in the body’s organic intelligence. She is trained in integrative body-based therapies such as: AEDP™, Somatic Experiencing, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Brain-spotting, EMDR, and Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT Tapping).

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Heloise (Lois) Ridley, MBA, MA, LPC

Heloise (Lois) Ridley, LPC is an AEDP Level 2 Therapist; she is an active member of the AEDP Vision Collective and she was a co-presenter in the Institute-sponsored seminar, “Transformational Synergies in AEDP, Spirituality and Psychedelics” in July, 2022. Lois is founder of New Hope Counseling and Wellness in Pennsylvania where she supports families and individuals in their journey toward healing relational attachment trauma.

She also counsels at Wilkes University Counseling Center. Lois explores use of the AEDP model in support of clients who have experienced racialized and other forms of childhood trauma. As a doctoral candidate at Wilkes University, she researches the utilization of culturally responsive trauma informed care in higher education settings for students of color.  Lois is also investigating the intersectionality of psychology and faith.


Steve Carroll, MSW, LCSW

Steve Carroll, LCSW is a psychotherapist in private  practice since 1988 working with individuals, couples and  families as well as supervision/consultation for  colleagues. Prior to private practice he co-developed a  treatment unit for families experiencing child sexual  abuse, supervised a group home for adolescent girls and  supervised an outpatient therapy program for a family  service agency. He is a certified Imago therapist/ supervisor and other background training includes  psychodynamic psychotherapy, object relations, family  systems, Internal Family Systems and Focusing-Oriented  Psychotherapy. 

Steve completed AEDP’s Immersion Course with Diana  Fosha in 2008 and three years of Core Training with Eileen Russell. He has assisted in numerous Immersion Courses, ESI and II and Wired For Healing Workshop with Diana. 

(Read More…)


James Santos, MDiv, MA, MFT

James Santos, MFT is a corporate chaplain and minister providing pastoral counseling to individuals and organizations. He is also a AEDP Level III and member of the AEDP Diversity, Belonging, Equity and Inclusion (DBEI) Committee and consultant for the Racialized Trauma and Spirituality in AEDP Exploratory Group. James has worked in many multicultural settings in downtown Louisville, KY and led trips internationally where he provided pastoral care, consultation, and education, helping groups navigate new cultural and spiritual experiences.

(Read More…)

Who Should Attend

  • Open to all licensed AEDP mental health clinicians

Licensed mental health practitioners (or the local/regional equivalent to ‘licensed’*) as well as interns legally practicing under the license of a supervising practitioner. These include Counselors, Psychoanalysts, Psychologists, Psychotherapists, Social Workers, other Behavioral Health Therapists and related professionals.

If you have a question about the relevance of this course, suitability for you, and/or your eligibility for this course please contact admin@aedpinstitute.org.

Date, Time, Location

Date: Friday, February 7, 2025

Time: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM Eastern Standard Time USA + Canada

Location: Live, Online

Requirements to Participate Effectively Online: You will need a private space with a reliable Internet connection for a desktop/laptop computer that has video and microphone. Click here for AEDP’s Live, Online Learning: Requirements & FAQ’s.

Registration, Fees and Scholarships: 

Early Bird through January 6:

  • $145 USD Member Pricing
  • $130 USD Non Member Pricing

Pricing after January 6:

  • $164 USD Member Pricing (must be logged in to register)
  • $149 USD Non Member Pricing

Scholarships:

Scholarships are available. To learn more and apply, please go here.


Attendance, Makeup Policy & Refunds

ADA

Disability Access: If you require ADA accommodations please contact Marilia Rodriguez, admin@aedpinstitute.org or call 813-553-1294 thirty days or more before the event so we can be sure to accommodate you.

Questions:

Course and all customer service related questions:
Please contact Customer Service Administrator
Marilia Rodriguez
admin@aedpinstitute.org
813-553-1294