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Racial Trauma: How Racism can cause PTSD, with Monnica Williams | Janis Rotman Distinguished Lecture Series on Mental Wellness
October 6, 2022 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Please join us for a talk on mental wellness by Dr. Monnica Williams entitled “Racial Trauma: How racism can cause PTSD.”
When: Thursday, October 6th | 7:00pm – 8:30pm (Doors open at 6:30pm)
Where: In person – Innis Town Hall Theatre, 2 Sussex Ave, Toronto, ON M5S 1J5
> Register here
NOTE: Thank you to everyone who has registered for this event! Currently, all available tickets have been reserved.
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About this event:
Inspired by the support of Janis Rotman, the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work has established a new annual speaker series: The Janis Rotman Distinguished Lecture Series on Mental Wellness. The annual keynote address by a leading researcher, practitioner, or educator will provide insight into topics such as innovations in culturally attuned mental health services, social work’s role in addressing widening mental health disparities, the impact of community-based care and other contemporary concerns at the intersection of social work and mental health.
We are delighted to have Dr. Monnica Williams as our keynote speaker for the inaugural Janis Rotman Distinguished Lecture Series on Mental Wellness.
Speaker Bio:
Monnica Williams, Ph.D. is a board-certified, licensed clinical psychologist, specializing in cognitive-behavioral therapies. She was named one of the top 25 thought leaders in PTSD by PTSD Journal and one of the 16 most influential women shaping the future of psychedelics by Business Insider. She is an Associate Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa, Canada Research Chair in Mental Health Disparities, and Director of the Laboratory for Culture and Mental Health Disparities. She is also the Clinical Director of the Behavioral Wellness Clinic, LLC in Tolland, Connecticut, and she has founded clinics in Kentucky, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. She has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles, as well as many book chapters and scientific reports, with a focus on anxiety-related conditions and cultural differences, including articles about therapeutic best practices.
About the Talk:
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) describes the constellation of symptoms that may occur after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Anyone exposed to traumatic event is at risk to develop PTSD, and this typically includes survivors of violent acts or disasters, emergency responders, abuse victims, and combat veterans. However, many other events can be traumatic as well, particularly to people of colour.
This presentation will provide an overview of the cultural factors relevant for racialized groups, with an emphasis on understanding PTSD caused by experiences of racism, or racial trauma. The various facets of racial trauma will be described, including the experience of historical, cultural, and individual trauma, and how these may or may not fit into a traditional mental health framework.