Cultural Competency Forums, Part 15: Promoting Sensitive and Flexible Therapeutic Responses to Cultural Stresses

Culturally stressful events (CSEs) capture the moments individuals feel they experience negative judgment, mistreatment, or denied opportunities due (in part) to their cultural background. CSEs, unfortunately, continue to be social, emotional, and cognitive stressors that persons of color (POCs) are tasked with learning to navigate in their daily lives. However, it can be hard, as clinicians, to know how to efficiently conceptualize the impacts of CSEs in ways that clarify avenues for offering support and healing. In this presentation, attendees will learn to use components of the Racial, Ethnic, and Cultural Healing Unifying Principles (DeLapp & Gallo, 2022; DeLapp & DeLapp, 2024) to conceptualize and then flexibly adapt their treatment plans for the impacts of racial and cultural experiences when working with POCs. Specifically, this presentation will begin by helping clinicians learn what they can do before conversations on cultural stress to promote a safe and sensitive space for POCs to explore and receive support for CSEs. Also, clinicians will receive tips for broaching conversations related to CSEs. Finally, the presentation will offer an overview of treatment options for supporting POCs in coping with and navigating the following impacts of experiencing CSEs:

1. Emotional Stress: the intense and uncomfortable emotional responses caused by CSEs.

2. Identity Stress: the ways CSEs can impact one’s sense of self-love, self-confidence, and cultural pride.

3. Agency Stress: the ways CSEs undermine one’s sense of agency and control within their surroundings.

Facilitator: Ryan DeLapp, Ph.D.

[Note] This webinar was filmed on June 23, 2025, and may not reflect the most current information and laws regarding this topic.

Learning Objectives

1. Engage in self-reflection and educational activities that prepare them to sensitively and humbly engage in discussions about race and culture with clients.

2. Implement strategies for sensitively broaching conversations about racial and cultural stress.

3. Identify when a client’s disclosures suggest they are experiencing Emotional, Identity, or Agency Stresses.

4. Create culturally responsive treatment plans that flexibly target these 3-ways racial and cultural stress can impact POCs.

Important Notice

Because this webinar is on-demand, once you are registered and have created a login account, you can view the webinar at any time in whatever time increments are most convenient. In order to download your CE certificate, receive CE credits, and become eligible for a discount on your Trust Sponsored Professional Liability Insurance policy premium, you must:

• Complete the entire webinar,
• Pass a brief exam, and,
• Complete a brief evaluation form.

You are required to achieve a passing score of 75 percent or higher. You are allowed three attempts to successfully complete the exam. If you are unsuccessful on the third attempt, you must re-purchase the course to try again.

Eligibility for Insurance Premium Discounts

• You can combine 6 hours of CE from any of The Trust’s on-demand webinars, bundles, and Sequence Workshops to save 15% on your Trust Sponsored Professional Liability insurance premium for two consecutive renewal periods.
• You can combine 4 hours of CE from any other continuing education program authorized by APA to offer CE and save 5% on your Trust Sponsored Professional Liability insurance premium for one year.
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The Trust is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Trust maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

The Trust is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0019.

Continuing Education Grievance Policy

The Trust is fully committed to conducting all activities in strict conformance with the American Psychological Association's Ethical Principles of Psychologists. The Trust will comply with all legal and ethical guidelines for non-discrimination in promotional activities, program content, and in the treatment of CE participants. The Trust CE Director is responsible for complying with these standards.

While the Trust strives to assure fair treatment for all participants and to anticipate problems before they occur, occasionally, grievances may be filed. In cases where a participant files a written or oral grievance, the following actions are taken:

• If the grievance concerns the content of the workshop, webinar, book or the continuing education test, a Trust representative will mediate and will be the final arbitrator. If the participant requests action, the CE Director or a Trust representative will either provide a credit for a subsequent CE offering or provide a partial or full refund of the CE fee already paid.
• Actions involving a credit or a refund will require a written note documenting the grievance for record-keeping purposes. The aggrieved individual need not sign the note. If the grievance specifically concerns The Trust, the CE Director or Trust representative will attempt to arbitrate.

Direct correspondence to:

Continuing Education
The Trust
111 Rockville Pike, Suite 700
Rockville, MD 20850
Phone: (800) 477-1200

Email: grievances@trustinsurance.com

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