 The question that everybody wants to know: Does meditation work? Here I am addressing meditation within the tradition of Buddhism (FYI: My selection written here is excerpted from a larger discussion and writing project that took place amongst other philosophers and students of evolutionary psychology). Scientists typically follow a systematic process of measuring the physical or social world whether using the traditional scientific method, systematic observation, interviews, etc. Of course, these processes might be quantitative or qualitative in nature. I should add that more scientists and clinicians are starting to take Buddhist practices like meditation more seriously in the same way that scientists and philosophers have studied the philosophies and religious practices of Christianity or Islam. Note: Buddhism does not purport to be a religion. To be clear, contemporary scientists and philosophers are particularly interested in the Buddhist practice of mindfulness meditation. As a researcher, clinician, and human being, I am interested in mindfulness meditation; however, I am not an expert in Buddhism (there are multiple traditions) or meditation (there are multiple ways to meditate!). I do not believe in the case of practicing meditation that it is possible to measure any real or tangible changes to the person or the human condition. I am somewhat skeptical of self-reports of changes in attitudes, dispositions, or behaviors. Can we trust self-reports of spiritual transformation? For me, if someone went into a “scientific experiment” expecting to change or to experience some type of spiritual transformation, then they will subconsciously experience positive outcomes. I believe this is especially true for any believers of a particular faith or religion. For example, if someone signed up for a spiritual retreat (i.e. Buddhism or mediation), especially a retreat that they spent time and a lot of money to engage in, they may emotionally be attached to the expected outcome of the experience. It is like paying to go to Las Vegas, entering a casino, gambling away $500, but only remembering that you won on 3 slot machines. You may fail to report to friends back at home that you spent $500 (plus airfare and accommodations), but you do report back to friends that you won a total of $150 playing the slot machines. In other words, you needed to report your win in order to feel good about your spending or justify time and money spent! Somewhat similar (or not) we expect our investment (e.g., time, money) in meditation to bring us calm, clarity, and insight so that is what we report back to friends and family that this “spiritual sh*t works!” Like gambling (which I do not do nor find pleasure in), meditation is relaxing and offers some cumulated rewards, if we are lucky and invest in it. I invest in meditation and I am lucky enough to benefit from it! Are you what you invest your time and other resources in? Investments aside, meditators are more likely to report a positive experience with meditation, based on the fact that they committed to it and want to discover some pleasure, or peace of mind from engaging in it--not to mention that some people are beginning to associate meditation with status (yes, retreats and mindfulness coaching cost money!) and even “wokeness”. Meditation and Buddhism are now associated with open-mindedness, acceptance of diversity, and anti-establishment (i.e. organized religion). Let’s just say that it is difficult to know for sure the positive benefits of meditation for the layperson because some flaunt it as a status symbol (as opposed to a process of attaining self-awareness). Of course, scientists have measured and recorded changes to the brain of consistent novice practitioners of mindfulness meditation. In sum, modern science lends support to the practice of mindfulness meditation and possibly other Buddhist ideas. For example, we can turn on the news or simply continue to live life and know that suffering (i.e. Dukkha) certainly exists and persists throughout the life span. I don’t think that we need science to validate that suffering exists and interventions like Buddhism, religious practices, and other factors can mediate or alleviate suffering, if one commits to such practices on a consistent basis. Can meditation help the human mind? The human mind is complex. There is not one unified definition of what is the “human mind”. However, most scientists and practitioners of meditation agree there is a concept of the mind some identify as "the self" or "myself" or "I" (I know that is a lot). The “self” is the conscious presence that is always with us, sort of speak, and what makes human beings aware of their own existence, body, biological needs, and feelings. Modern science supports the idea that most, if not all human beings, do identify with the concept of “self” or that a mind exists. Actually, science lends support to the idea that the human mind has multiple selves. If the mind is the self, then yes, modern science supports Buddhist ideas about the human mind--that it can actually be bad (or cause undue suffering via attachment) for us. Buddhist psychology suggests that there is “no-self”; however, some Buddhist practitioners challenge scholarly interpretations of the “no-self”. They suggest that the Buddha meant that there is a socially constructed self that we give meaning to; in giving meaning to “self” we contribute to our own suffering. The Buddha path and meditation can help alleviate suffering because we come to learn that we are not mere matter and that our perceptions are distorted due to this belief in “myself”. Modern science supports the idea that self-perception is distorted, and that human beings’ consciousness is shaped by their environment and possibly internal drives. As a social scientist, I know that the "self" is socially constructed, and as a clinician, I know that people suffer from being attached to their notions of an "ideal self".  Does meditation make sense from a scientific perspective? The logic of meditation as a practice is that we can take time to tune out, sort of speak, the world. Meditation can help us acknowledge our body, breath, thoughts, and feelings without being connected to them, if only for one moment. From a scientific perspective, meditation can deactivate the default mode network part of the brain. Meditation has been associated with relatively reduced activity in the default mode network. Science supports the idea that mindfulness meditation can at least give us a moment of pause to slow down our conscious and unconscious thoughts to give our minds a rest from internal busyness... Busyness in the sense that we are always thinking of the past (what has already occurred) or the future (what might occur). Scientific studies suggest that meditation benefits us in that during meditation the default mode network is momentarily allowed to take a pause from being driven by our survival instincts. Self-reports from practitioners of mindfulness meditation informs us that a consistent meditation practice can improve one’s overall empathy and manage one's emotional attachment to their own point of view. So, yes, from where I sit, mindfulness meditation works. In the struggle for our humanity,
Dr. Venus E. Evans-Winters, LCSW, CCTPI/CCTPII, PhD ~Not your mother's therapist, or your brother's life coach.
Comments
Demystifying the Peer Review Process: Why Researchers & Writers Should Not Take it Personal?2/24/2021 
The Peer Review Process. Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in a conversation on the Clubhouse app where the topic was on the peer review process. The organizers of the session were from diverse academic backgrounds including education and artificial intelligence (AI). Also, participants in the Clubhouse room were from different disciplines such as the biological sciences, engineering, cultural studies, etc. And, of course, consistent with the Clubhouse community, the room was packed with people from all over the world which was really cool! The gatherers spent nearly two hours questioning the peer review process. (My video is shorter!)
Judging from avatars (or profile pics) and people's voices, participants were also representative of diverse racial, ethnic, linguistic, and cultural groups. Nevertheless, I listened to students and tenure-track professors raise questions and comment on the state of the peer review process. For the most part, the session might've been described as an informational session on the peer review process, but some of us who are more familiar with the peer review and publication process might've described it as a venting session. I am going to place the tone of the conversation into two categories:
What is the problem with the peer review process? Honestly, I am grateful that the organizers of the Clubhouse room decided to host the discussion. I learned a lot as a research scholar and a person invested in the peer review process. What did I learn as an insider/outsider? What were some sentiments expressed? I would say that much of the sentiments from the conveners and participants (or those making comments and asking questions) were that certain disciplines are harsher in criticism, bias toward so-called newcomers, and/or scientists who present novice ideas are automatically rejected for those ideas. Also, some people seemed to believe that the peer review process itself lacked organization and consistency across organizations. I personally learned that many people are not really aware of the purpose of the peer review process and that there is a lack of trust in the process.
Is the peer review process intimidating for scholars? In some cases, I could also sense a feeling of intimidation or worry about the expectation to participate in the peer review process. Eventually, I did raise my hand to "go on stage" to attempt to provide some insight into the peer review process from two perspectives: as a Black woman scholar and someone who has extensive experience serving behind the scenes in a variety of capacities in the peer review process (e.g. Associate Editor, Series Editor, Review Board, author, conference chair, etc.). I am not sure that I am ready to state unequivocally that there is a lack of transparency in the peer review process, but I do believe that there is a lack of knowledge of the peer review process, which could be related to issues of equity and access. With that said, I created a video to demystify the peer review process. We all can benefit from knowing what the peer review process entails! Dr. Venus E. Evans-Winters Demystifies the Peer Review Process
Tips for navigating the peer review process. Take notes! After viewing the video on YouTube (and please subscribe so I can continue to make such content free and accessible), be sure to take a look at the list of tips under the video that I provide for graduate students, new authors, and tenure track faculty for navigating the peer review process.
Finally, check out my book, "Black Feminism in Qualitative Inquiry: A Mosaic for Writing Our Daughter's Body" for a straight-forward discussion on bias in the academic/scientific research process itself! ?
Please leave comments here (below) or on Youtube, if you have more questions about the peer review process.
In the struggle for our humanity, Dr. V  Dozens of parents have asked me about homeschooling. I am honestly back on the fence. Not about homeschooling itself, but about how to homeschool. There are different models of homeschooling and each model can be beneficial depending on the child's and parents' needs. No school system or homeschool curriculum is perfect! Here are my biggest observations and takeaways (I speak as a mother of 2, Professor, a clinician, and someone who has taught outside of the U.S. in African schools): 1. Many homeschool models are reflective of traditional schooling such as 8am starts and 3pm end times, and math, science, and reading. Other programs are simply "supports" for parents. For me, I loved the shutdown of schools or social distancing from whiteness. I didn't like how school made my child a zombie. I love that she is sleeping in and waking up vibrant, energetic, and is a social being again (she works out with her dad at 4:30am/5am); and she is no longer expected to be a miniature adult attempting to avoid fights with adults or other students. I'm not in support of homeschool programs that go from 8-3pm. I do not believe a child's brain needs to be guided by adults via technology for 6 hours out of the day. Go read! Sit in the sun! Talk to other people! Color! Draw! Or, just be! (But, no t.v. or too much social media lol). I did find one program whose motto was no more than 4 hours a day of online learning. 2. Some homeschool sites' online presence is "clunky" and/or doesn't provide enough information for parents to make an informed decision. Second, most parents are not experts on homeschooling. An organization's or businesses' online resources should be streamlined and transparent. What are you asking of us? Our children? What are your prices? What is the curriculum? 3. Some homeschool programs center culture (e.g. everything from cooking to travel to Africa courses!), but may lack what I might think is an essential skill such as a foreign language (e.g. Spanish or Swahili). Finally, culture should be at the center of all education. Period. But, we have to be careful of throwing everything in the "pot", because it looks and feels good to adults. For example, the number one language spoken by Africans is Swahili (outside of Africa is Spanish!). Shouldn't Black children be learning one or both of these languages? With that said, how do parents choose a curriculum that infuses culture and practicality? Okay, this post is now too long! In the struggle for our humanity,
Dr. V "Not your mother's therapist, or your brother's life coach." A Boss Chick's Guide to Mindfulness Meditation: |
| Every Boss Chick needs this workbook. I've compiled a sweet and simple guide to mindfulness meditation with Black women at the center of this practice! Readers will learn:
In the workbook, I combined everything I've learned over the years as a therapist, who embraces psycho-spiritual psychology, with my research knowledge of Black women to bring you a methodology to begin your personal journey with mindfulness meditation. Trust and believe, if you read my book, "Black Feminism in Qualitative Inquiry: A Mosaic for Writing Our Daughter's Body" (Routledge Press), you already know how mindfulness meditation influenced my research and creative writing process as well. ❣❣❣❣❣ Grab your favorite pen, light a candle, and start your mindfulness meditation journal today with me, Dr. V! |  Kindle Edition now Available!! "I simply want to help Black people reclaim healing practices that are natural to who we are and not depended on Western pharmaceuticals and the oppressors interpretations of indigenous knowledge." ~Empress Dr. V  |
Peace,
Dr. V
"Not your mother's therapist, or your brother's life coach."
Dr. V
"Not your mother's therapist, or your brother's life coach."
The beginnings of mindfulness as a spiritual practice.
The Mindfulness Writer. In my most recent single-authored book, "Black Feminism in Qualitative Inquiry: A Mosaic for Writing Our Daughter's Body", it is more than apparent to any practitioner of mindfulness that this indigenous practice has become a part of my writing process, consciously and subconsciously. I began practicing mindfulness over 10 years ago, when I read the book, "The Power of Now", on a flight to South Africa. At that time, mindfulness was more of an intellectual engagement for me. It simply meant being present and aware in every interaction and moment.
Mindfulness Writing as Ritual Work. Since then, mindfulness has become more of an emotional and spiritual journey for me. As a mindfulness meditation practitioner, mindfulness has created opportunities for me to really see others while truly feeling myself (okay, that sounds weird when I read it, but oh well). In fact, in Black Feminism in Qualitative Inquiry (or BFQI) non-practitioners intuitively pick up on ritualistic tendencies in the book. Many readers have even been moved by my written descriptions of mindfulness in the book, and thoughtfully, reached out to me and asked questions about my mindfulness and meditation practices. So, I did what any cultural worker would do...I created "fieldnotes" (a term borrowed from my book) on my podcast that are dedicated to explaining the process of mindfulness writing.
Mindfulness Writing as Ritual Work. Since then, mindfulness has become more of an emotional and spiritual journey for me. As a mindfulness meditation practitioner, mindfulness has created opportunities for me to really see others while truly feeling myself (okay, that sounds weird when I read it, but oh well). In fact, in Black Feminism in Qualitative Inquiry (or BFQI) non-practitioners intuitively pick up on ritualistic tendencies in the book. Many readers have even been moved by my written descriptions of mindfulness in the book, and thoughtfully, reached out to me and asked questions about my mindfulness and meditation practices. So, I did what any cultural worker would do...I created "fieldnotes" (a term borrowed from my book) on my podcast that are dedicated to explaining the process of mindfulness writing.
Mindfulness Meditation in Writing. The latest podcast series of, "Writing What I Like: Fieldnotes of Black Woman Scholar", addresses mindfulness and meditation in the writing process; the role of writing as a positive coping mechanism; and mindfulness writing as a therapeutic tool. A few questions that I would like for the listener to leave the podcast with are: What is the role of mindfulness writing in processes of resilience and resistance for subjugated people? How might mindfulness help individuals and communities cope with negative emotions? How might mindfulness writing help researchers and other writers contemplate their observations and interpretations of people, social context, and systems of power? How does one approach their own writing process---emotionally and spiritually? Is writing an emotional or spiritual process?
Writing What I Like: Fieldnotes of A Black Woman Scholar (click here)
Anyhow, I hope that everyone enjoys listening to my fieldnotes on the podcast and take a moment to leave a comment below, subscribe to the podcast, or email me with further ideas or suggestions for better mindfulness writing or future podcasts. You can find the book, my latest book, "Black Feminism in Qualitative Inquiry" on Amazon.com.
❣
Peace,
Dr. V
"Not your mother's therapist, or your brother's life coach."
Peace,
Dr. V
"Not your mother's therapist, or your brother's life coach."
Dr. Venus Evans-Winters, scholar-activist, therapist, and author, keynote address at a Midwestern university.
Yup, that's me, Dr. V, discussing racial trauma at a Midwestern university for Black History Month (#365)!!!
“When will I find the time to write?”
“I do not know what to write.”
“I have a story in me, but I’m just not a good writer.”
“I know my friends and family will not take me serious as an author.”
If you've read this far, be honest, you've imagined yourself as a writer or even a published author. You simply have not found the time, motivation, or courage to write your truths.
I am looking for social workers, psychologists, K-12 educators, and other helping professionals of color. Yes, you!!
You, like many people, hold myths in your head about who is a writer and who should be an author. My goal is to teach everyday people, especially practitioners of color, how to "write like a scholar" so you can write for presentation or publication; and live your dream of educating, inspiring, healing or liberating yourself or others.
Or, are you interested in writing for professional impact or to acquire that dream job? Whatever your reason for having the urge of "becoming" (shouts out to Michelle Obama!!) a dedicated writer or published author.......as a scholar, author, speaker, and therapist, I want to teach busy or unmotivated professionals how to “think and act” like a writer with a purpose!!!
So, here's my invitation: If you've been wanting to #WriteLikeAScholar for presentation or publication, but been holding back due to fear or not knowing how to get started, contact a sistah to learn about my writing course that opens in May: http://bit.ly/venusevanswinters
💖💜❣
Peace,
Dr. V
"Not your mother's therapist, or your brother's life coach."
The political is personal!!! #writelikeascholar #therevolutionwillbewritten #BFQI
“When will I find the time to write?”
“I do not know what to write.”
“I have a story in me, but I’m just not a good writer.”
“I know my friends and family will not take me serious as an author.”
If you've read this far, be honest, you've imagined yourself as a writer or even a published author. You simply have not found the time, motivation, or courage to write your truths.
I am looking for social workers, psychologists, K-12 educators, and other helping professionals of color. Yes, you!!
You, like many people, hold myths in your head about who is a writer and who should be an author. My goal is to teach everyday people, especially practitioners of color, how to "write like a scholar" so you can write for presentation or publication; and live your dream of educating, inspiring, healing or liberating yourself or others.
Or, are you interested in writing for professional impact or to acquire that dream job? Whatever your reason for having the urge of "becoming" (shouts out to Michelle Obama!!) a dedicated writer or published author.......as a scholar, author, speaker, and therapist, I want to teach busy or unmotivated professionals how to “think and act” like a writer with a purpose!!!
So, here's my invitation: If you've been wanting to #WriteLikeAScholar for presentation or publication, but been holding back due to fear or not knowing how to get started, contact a sistah to learn about my writing course that opens in May: http://bit.ly/venusevanswinters
💖💜❣
Peace,
Dr. V
"Not your mother's therapist, or your brother's life coach."
The political is personal!!! #writelikeascholar #therevolutionwillbewritten #BFQI
Black Feminism in Qualitative Inquiry:
A Mosaic for Writing Our Daughter's Body
by Venus E. Evans-Winters
#1 New Release in Social Science Research
#1 New Release in Medical Psychology
#1 New Release in Popular Psychology
#1 New Release in Medical Psychology Research
#1 New Release in Medical Psychology
#1 New Release in Popular Psychology
#1 New Release in Medical Psychology Research
Black Feminism in Qualitative Inquiry
On its official release date, February 22nd, 2019, my new book, Black Feminism in Qualitative Inquiry: A Mosaic for Writing Our Daughter's Body, came in at #1 in 4 categories on Amazon. What an amazing week!
The first week success of "Black feminism in qualitative inquiry" demonstrates that the world yearns for more scholarship on Black women's theorizing.
What can readers expect from this book:
The first week success of "Black feminism in qualitative inquiry" demonstrates that the world yearns for more scholarship on Black women's theorizing.
What can readers expect from this book:
- Conversations on the histories and futures of Black feminism(s)
- Calls for the decolonization of methodologies
- Centering Black girls' and women's ways of knowing and engagement of the social world
- Stories and narrations grounded in a Black onto-epistemology
- Theoretical leanings positioned in Afro-centrism and Pan Africanism
A Mosaic for Writing Our Daughter's Body
If I might say so myself, in this book, I definitely showed up as a courageous cultural worker!!! The ancestors are proud.
You may find the text, "Black Feminism in Qualitative Inquiry: A Mosaic for Writing Our Daughter's Body" on Amazon in paperback and Kindle Edition or here.
Every Black girl, Black woman, Black child, Black family, and Black community that I ever came in contact with were my inspiration for engaging in truth-telling as a methodological imprint.
Are you enjoying reading the book? Leave your comments below or on Amazon.
In the struggle for our humanity,
Dr. Venus E. Evans-Winters
"Not your mother's therapist, or your brother's life coach."
You may find the text, "Black Feminism in Qualitative Inquiry: A Mosaic for Writing Our Daughter's Body" on Amazon in paperback and Kindle Edition or here.
Every Black girl, Black woman, Black child, Black family, and Black community that I ever came in contact with were my inspiration for engaging in truth-telling as a methodological imprint.
Are you enjoying reading the book? Leave your comments below or on Amazon.
In the struggle for our humanity,
Dr. Venus E. Evans-Winters
"Not your mother's therapist, or your brother's life coach."
Sometimes we forget to SAY THE NAME of our Black women artists whom have been muses to our souls as their lyrics played in the background whilst we crafted our own life stories. One such artist is the almighty Queen Lauryn Hill.
As Black girls were navigating the unforgiving terrain of adolescence, Lauryn Hill was reaching out to save our lives. Beyond adolescence, she helped so many Black young women survive a world that bastardizes Black femininity and exploits Black girlhood. In the 300 plus page book, "Celebrating Twenty Years of Black Girlhood: The Lauryn Hill Reader", authors showcase Lauryn Hill not only as lyrical genius, but they also demonstrate how Hill raised our racial and gender consciousness. Every lyric, outfit, and sound was a freedom cry.
At at time, when much attention is given to our pain, and necessarily so in order to heal, "The Lauryn Hill Reader" (edited by Drs. Billye Sankofa Waters, Bettina Love, and yours truly, Dr. V) reminds us to unapologetically celebrate vulnerability alongside agency and resistance (as art) as an intellectual stance. This book is right on time for more media attention has recently been given to the exploitation of Black adolescent girls by adult men.
Timing is Everything!!
Most of this attention has derived from efforts in traditional media and social media to bring attention to girl victims of sexual abuse and exploitation. Two notable cases flooded our social media timelines and kept many of us cussing, fussing, and crying online and offline. In particular, the Cyntoia Brown guilty verdict had girl advocates like myself seething with rage, and later after she was granted clemency, we were once again hopeful that someone was hearing our cries for justice. Of course the other case, I refer to was "trial by media" (nicely articulated by @melanin_muse), and that is the #MuteRKelly campaign. The verdict is still out on whether Black women and girls advocates will find justice for the direct and indirect victims of the Chicago native R&B singer (hint: name rhymes with B Jelly).
Nonetheless, alongside Black girl pain we have artists like the almighty Queen Lauryn Hill and the authors' narratives and articulations in "Celebrating Twenty Years of Black Girlhood: The Lauryn Hill Reader" reminding us of Black girl joy as a site of resistance. Let's lift up our women hip hop and R&B artists' names who help us persist and resist in the face of patriarchy, racial oppression, and class exploitation. A hip hop feminist consciousness brings the balance needed in using art and story to heal trauma.
In the struggle for our humanity,
Dr. Venus Evans-Winters
"Not your mother's therapist, or your brother's life coach."
In the struggle for our humanity,
Dr. Venus Evans-Winters
"Not your mother's therapist, or your brother's life coach."
Mindful Educators: Is Therapy For Me?
Twenty years ago, I endured one of the most stressful, and most memorable, times in my education career. As a school social work intern, I witnessed the hardships of poverty, educational inequality, and how Whiteness and White privilege/power played out in education institutions. When that internship ended, I decided to attend a doctoral program in education. I surmised from that experience that the lack of social services was not the problem; education was the problem for Black people.
Our young people inherited an education system that failed generations of families.
A few months later after completing the MSW, I attended a doctoral program that fully funded my studies and where I could blur the boundaries between my obsession with culture, education for liberation, civil rights, and social welfare policy. I was fascinated with how education was both a site of liberation and subjugation, especially for the Black community.
Our young people inherited an education system that failed generations of families.
A few months later after completing the MSW, I attended a doctoral program that fully funded my studies and where I could blur the boundaries between my obsession with culture, education for liberation, civil rights, and social welfare policy. I was fascinated with how education was both a site of liberation and subjugation, especially for the Black community.
Eventually, hired to teach in Colleges of Education, I quickly noticed the role that Black educators played in interrupting whiteness and the abuse of power in schools. After mentoring and observing Black students and educators involved at various levels of education (i.e. P-12 and colleges/universities), I began to research students', teachers', and administrators' experiences in schools and the support networks they relied upon to cope with home and work life. In short, like many other teachers, Black educators and other teachers of color, enter the profession with much enthusiasm about their craft, but experience stress related to multiple factors. However, in the face of a majority White teaching force, many young teachers of color report feelings of marginalization and exclusion, lack of authentic mentors, and professional development opportunities that do not necessarily meet their socio-emotional needs or cultural affinities (or what they believe to be best for their students of color).
Since completing that school social work internship, I have become a tenured university professor of education, a licensed clinical social worker and certified school social worker, and a psychotherapist specializing in trauma, resilience and health/wellness. It is shameful that my internship experience turned me off from practicing in K-12 settings. Nevertheless, I've spent the last decade calling for attention to the socio-emotional, physical, and mental health needs of our nation's most vulnerable workforce: those people of color surviving and thriving in education (and closely aligned “helping” occupations) institutions.
Since completing that school social work internship, I have become a tenured university professor of education, a licensed clinical social worker and certified school social worker, and a psychotherapist specializing in trauma, resilience and health/wellness. It is shameful that my internship experience turned me off from practicing in K-12 settings. Nevertheless, I've spent the last decade calling for attention to the socio-emotional, physical, and mental health needs of our nation's most vulnerable workforce: those people of color surviving and thriving in education (and closely aligned “helping” occupations) institutions.
- Who is taking care of us while we spend most of our time teaching/coaching/uplifting/empowering/taking care of others?
- Where are the highly trained mental health practitioners who can understand how the intersections of racism, sexism, classism, and xenophobia impact the overall health and coping strategies of minoritized people (as students and employees)?
- How do we discuss our professional and personal health goals with those whom appear to be so distant from us culturally?
- And, how do we discuss racism in the workplace and "our personal business" with cultural outsiders and strangers?
- How do professionals of color, especially women of color ask for help when we have only been taught to be the help?
At-risk of sounding like an advertisement (okay, I am politicking), I honestly do believe that we need therapists who, along with cultural knowledge and sensitivity, also understand the political context of education, the stress involved in the act of teaching itself, and the moral obligation to model (social, emotional, cultural, and physical) “health”. Imagine a world where we combine best practices of culturally informed therapy with what we know about professional and personal resilience.
Are you an educator? How do you cope with positive or negative stress? What are your health goals? Leave comments below or at @DrVEvansWinters on Twitter.
In the struggle for our humanity,
Dr. Venus Evans-Winters
"Not your mother's therapist, or your brother's life coach."
Dr. Venus Evans-Winters (a.k.a Dr. V)
Activist Scholar. Cultural Worker. Healer. Mother.
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