Unconditional Positive Regard!? WTF?! Upholding Counselor Values in a Polarized World
April 25 2025 (Fri), 3 pm to 5 pm Pacific Time (Los Angeles)
Presenters: Shawan Worsley, PhD. & Zvi Bellin, PhD.
Description
Given the increased access to divisive conflicts worldwide that land personally and professionally on counselors, evaluating the roles and responsibilities that counselors might hold in and out of the office is crucial. Counselors might overidentify with conflicts or, conversely, become apathetic due to empathic distress. How can counselors relate to the core characteristics of empathy, unconditional positive regard, and genuineness when our personal values may be challenged and tested, particularly when engaged in anti-oppressive practice? In this workshop, we will discuss the connection between inward and outward polarization and how to prepare oneself as a counselor to respond with integrity. Mindfulness and compassion practices will be offered to help participants restore balanced empathy and bring more autonomy and choice in the roles and responsibilities that counselors hold as we continue to encounter divisive conflicts.
Objectives
Identify the potential roles a counselor might play when facing a systemic conflict situation (for example: war, political divisiveness, systemic oppression, etc...)
Articulate their own internal cognitive and emotional process of encountering systemic conflict from a mindfulness perspective and how it can impact the possibility of a culture of peace
Practice and facilitate three self-care mindfulness-based practices that can restore balanced empathy and compassion
Facilitators
Shawan Worsley (she/her) is the Founder and Executive Director of Culture Ally. Shawan is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor. She holds a Ph.D. in American Studies, an M.A. in Counseling Psychology, a B.A. in African American Studies, and a B.A. in International Relations. In her former role as an Assistant Professor, she taught college courses, conducted scholarly research, presented her work at conferences throughout the country, and published an academic book with Routledge Press. As a therapist, Shawan has worked extensively in communities of color, providing therapy and case management to adults and children, in virtually every clinical setting. In addition, she has created and delivered culturally responsive clinical training and consultation to therapists throughout the country. Shawan’s vocational goal is to help eradicate mental health disparities that impair the health and well-being of communities of color as she continues to provide therapy services through her private practice in Northern California.
Zvi Bellin (he/they) is a Professor of Counseling Psychology at National University. He holds an MA in Counseling from New York University, and a CACREP-accredited PhD in Counselor Education/Pastoral Counseling from Loyola University in Maryland. Zvi is a faculty fellow at the Whole Person Center @ National University. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a private psychotherapy practice based in Oakland, CA. Zvi has published research about the intersection of meaning-in-life and mindfulness in peer-reviewed journals and has broadened his research interests to include the decolonization of research methodology. Zvi leads therapeutically oriented mindfulness trainings and retreats where he integrates spiritual and psychological practices.
Free!
Note: CEs are not being offered for this training.
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