Dr. Isha W. Metzger | Licensed Clinical Psychologist | Racial Trauma Expert
TRAINING
Expert in Culturally-Responsive Trauma Training
Dr. Metzger conducts vibrant and informative consultations, and clinical workshops and training designed to build competence in culturally sensitive assessment and treatment of trauma-related symptoms in diverse children and young adults.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Dr. Isha Metzger: Expert in Culturally-Responsive Trauma Training
Clinical Workshops & Trainings
Dr. Metzger delivers informative and dynamic evidence-based workshops and trainings to academic and professional audiences locally, nationally, and globally. Topics of recent workshops include:
- Cultural sensitivity in treatment delivery
- Microaggressions (for Black people experiencing them and for allies to become more educated about their impact)
- Key leadership strategies
- Diversity and inclusion on college campuses
- The impact of racism and discrimination on African American youth
- Preventing risk behaviors in adolescents
- Racial socialization and “the talk” between Black parents and their children
- Mental health among diverse populations
Each of Dr. Metzger’s workshops are specifically tailored for the target audience, and they are customized to inspire attendees to take actionable steps to progress their individual lives, families, professions, communities, and the world at large.
Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy 2.0
Dr. Metzger is a featured trainer and Cultural Considerations Consultant for an online course for Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. TF-CBT Web 2.0 was built following the principles outlined in “Treating Trauma and Traumatic Grief in Children and Adolescents, 2nd Edition,” the most recent, gold standard treatment manual for Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavior Therapy. Clinicians in training can access this course through the Medical University of South Carolina for training on each of the P.R.A.C.T.I.C.E. (Psychoeducation, Relaxation, Affect Identification & Regulation, Cognitive Coping, Trauma Narration & Processing, In Vivo Mastery, Conjoint Sessions, and Enhancing Safety) components.
Healing Interpersonal and Racial Trauma
The negative consequences of trauma (e.g., physical abuse) take a disproportionate toll on Black youth due to the compounding stress of unique race related stressors (e.g., witnessing police brutality in the media, microaggressions). This workshop provides an overview of interpersonal and racial trauma; presents research on systemic, organizational, client, and provider barriers and facilitators to mental health service utilization; and discusses strategies clinicians can PRACTICE (Psychoeducation, Relaxation, Affect identification and modulation, Cognitive restructuring, Trauma narrative, In-vivo exposure, Conjoint parent-child sessions, Enhancing safety) to integrate racial socialization into treatment to help Black clients heal from interpersonal and racial stress and trauma.
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Identify ways that interpersonal and racial stress and trauma impact development for Black Americans;
- Describe research on barriers and facilitators to service utilization for Black youth, families, and adults;
- Discuss the protective role of racial socialization on Black youths’ behavioral and mental health outcomes;
- Contribute to multidisciplinary teams to make culturally informed decisions pertaining to engagement, assessment, and treatment of Black youth;
- Leverage their personal identity to build rapport and trust with youth and serve as an effective ally in the therapeutic space; and
- Utilize 2-3 applied strategies and resources for integrating racial socialization into clinical care in a culturally affirming and validating manner.
Frequently Asked Questions This Workshop Will Answer
- How do you cover racial stressors in the first session for BIPOC clients, and how do we continue the conversation throughout treatment?
- How do you address unconscious implicit biases without impacting rapport and talk about racism with clients who do not believe systemic racism is happening?
- What makes an effective ally in the therapeutic space? How do white allies do our “work” (Without relying BIPOC clients to educate us), but ensure we make change?
- How can clinicians use self-disclosure to connect with BIPOC clients and manage racial injustice and/or microaggressions in the therapy space?
- How can BIPOC clinicians stay present in sessions and give themselves adequate self-care when they are also dealing with racial stressors of their own?
- What strategies are there for critically and clinically approaching discussions of power dynamics and privilege in therapeutic relationships (especially between white therapists and BIPOC clients)?
Healing Interpersonal
and Racial Trauma
The Interpersonal and Racial Trauma Training contains interactive Lessons, online trainings, virtual guides and workbooks, plus countless other resources to help Therapists, Mental Health Specialists, Healthcare Workers, and Clinicians better serve black youth and their families, along with clients who have been impacted by racial trauma.
The goal for this training program is to build the skills, awareness, and confidence in recognizing and treating race-based traumatic stress symptoms while working towards a brighter, evolved healthcare industry.
Featured Resources
Isha was amazing in providing the child team with further learning outside of our cases.
Isha has been great with providing a safe and growing space to process our clients as well as for us to process what’s going on in our lives. She cares about her supervisees both as clinicians and as people. She is warm and open and wants to assist you in accomplishing your goals.