An Interactive Escape Room Experience on Broaching Race, Ethnicity and Culture to Mitigate Implicit Bias 

Enhance your ability to engage clients in meaningful, culturally competent conversations.

NBCC CE Hours: 3 (ACEP Number: 7197)

Webinar Description

This virtual escape room-style training takes a hands-on, problem-solving approach to learning about implicit bias and broaching race, ethnicity, and culture (REC) in therapy. Participants must “unlock” key insights by identifying and addressing bias traps in a simulated therapy break out room session. The experience is designed to be engaging, interactive, and educational while reinforcing the Broaching Readiness Framework (BRF) competencies.

The Broaching Readiness Framework is a practical approach, useful for preparing therapists to address REC in therapy while navigating implicit biases. Prior to the virtual escape room, participants will learn about how implicit biases can affect the therapeutic process and strategies for overcoming discomfort and uncertainty when engaging REC topics with clients through the BRF. Accordingly, the session will highlight four key competencies—self-awareness, cognitive reframing, discomfort tolerance, and education—empowering clinicians to broach sensitive issues effectively. Copies of the presenters’ recent publication, “The Broaching Readiness Framework: A Path for Psychologists to Embrace Cultural Opportunities” will be provided.

Learning Objectives:

  • Identify the role of implicit bias in therapeutic relationships and how it impacts client self-disclosure and the therapeutic alliance.

  • Examine the key competencies of the Broaching Readiness Framework: self-awareness, cognitive reframing, discomfort tolerance, and education.

  • Apply the Broaching Readiness Framework to real-world therapeutic scenarios through case study examples.

  • Integrate cultural competency into training and supervision models to enhance the promotion of effective, bias-sensitive therapy.

NBCC CE Hours: 3 (ACEP Number: 7197)

Presenters

  • Char Newton, PhD, LP

    Dr. Charmeka Newton is the co-author of the book Black Lives Are Beautiful: 50 Tools to Heal from Trauma and Promote Positive Racial Identity. She is also a clinical assistant professor, fully licensed psychologist, and owner of Legacy Mental Health Services, PLLC. Her areas of expertise include multicultural counseling and clinical supervision of master’s-level counseling practitioners and students. In addition to her clinical and teaching expertise, Dr. Newton is a member of the Michigan Board of Psychology, appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and was honored with the Distinguished Psychologist award by the Michigan Psychological Association. Her video "The Hate They Give, The Love We Have," is included in the American Psychological Association’s Culturally Informed Trauma Recovery Toolkit. Dr. Newton additionally is an Appointed APA Advocacy Coordinating Committee member, and an Elected Member-at-Large Community Engagement Representative for Division 45 of APA.

  • Janeé Steele, PhD, LPC

    Dr. Janeé Steele is the co-author of Black Lives Are Beautiful: 50 Tools to Heal from Trauma and Promote Positive Racial Identity and author of the forthcoming book Racism and African American Mental Health: Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Empower Healing with foreword by Judith Beck. Dr. Steele is also a licensed professional counselor, counselor educator, and diplomate of the Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies, where she serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors. She owns Kalamazoo Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy, PLLC, where she provides therapy, supervision, and training in CBT. She has published articles, books, and book chapters focused on CBT, social justice advocacy, and counselor training. Her webinar discussing her cognitive model of internalized racism is one of the American Counseling Association's bestselling products and was featured by the organization as part of its 2022 BIPOC Awareness Month programming.

Kalamazoo Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy, PLLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7197. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Kalamazoo Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy, PLLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.