NCSPP's Corner

by Asya Grigorieva, Ph.D. 

INTRODUCING UPCOMING COURSES IN FALL 2019

Mutual Love as Trauma: Implications for Clinical Work
Diane E. Donnelly, Ph.D.
Thursdays, September 12 – October 17, 2019
7:15 – 9:00 pm
San Francisco

Foundations: Klein 
Margo Chapin, MFT
Mondays, September 30 – November 4, 2019
7:30 – 9:00 pm
East Bay 

Bion: Reverie, Containment, and the Clinical Process
Scott Lines, Ph.D.
Tuesdays, October 8 – 29, 2019
7:30 – 9:00 pm
East Bay

Relational Supervision in Sociocultural Context
Terri Rubinstein, MFT, Ph.D.
Saturday, November 16, 2019
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
East Bay 

The education committee is still accepting proposals for 2020-2021. If you are interested in submitting a proposal, please visit https://www.ncspp.org/submit-course-proposal for guidelines and information. 

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by Jeremy Mintz, Psy.D. 

I liked calling myself the behind-the-scenes guy for the recently-past NCSPP Annual Lecture (Plugging the School-to-Prison Pipeline, May 18, 2019). As a white, cisgender male, that felt like a comfortable role for me to play at an event focused on black issues. I could stay out of the fray and just do my best to make sure things ran smoothly. Then the actual event happened and my feelings changed.

The main presenter, Kirkland Vaughans, Ph.D. set the tone by giving us a stark picture of what institutional racism looks like for black boys, teens, and young men. The response by Dr. Diane Adams did much to digest that raw material and made sure black girls and young women were not left out of the conversation. In the afternoon an energetic panel featuring Dr. Gregory Desierto, Dr. Benjamin Fife, and Danni Biondini presented viewpoints from their respective clinical contexts. There were many poignant moments along with some nicely timed levity. All of this was held together by the moderator of the day, Dr. Tanisha Stewart, who was a strong presence throughout, most especially during the moments when she shared from a deeply personal place. 

What made the day truly special was the dialogue that unfolded among the audience participants and presenters. People took risks and spoke frankly to one another. Feelings swirled around the auditorium. People really listened to each other – thank goodness. And in all that we had, what felt to me and to many, to be a real and productive conversation with race issues at the forefront. I was glad to be a part of it and it made want to keep having these conversations. Next time I’ll follow others’ leads and step out from the behind-the-scenes safe zone, though I still feel that the most important thing I can do is listen.