Navigating Racial Trauma & Identity with Gliceria Pérez & Debra Chatman-Finley Part 1 (SRIW Series, Ep 1, 203)

Secure Relating in an Insecure World (SRIW) Series episode #1.

Debra Chatman-Finley LPC and Gliceria Pérez LCSW highlight their similarities and differences of being BIPOC women in the United States and encourage an open discussion about racism in our institutions. As they reflect on their careers and experiences, they provide perspectives on how they have navigated their identity and health amidst microaggressions and help us unravel the whitewashing of their cultures. From corporate America to working in child protective services, this discussion is full of painful yet common experiences of discrimination, intimidation, and blatant inequality against people of color - including in "safe" mental health spaces.

“Being authentic is the key piece in working with people of color - because of our intergenerational traumas and all of the racism - we've had to learn how to detect whether we're gonna be safe or not." - Gliceria Pérez

Time Stamps for Authentically BIPOC: Racial Trauma Part 1 

1:32 - Gliceria’s background

5:03 - Debra’s background

11:12 - Gliceria’s anecdote about racial discrimination while working at CPS

13:12 - Debra’s experience with racism in a corporate setting

23:27 - Debra’s catalyst for switching to private practice

28:44 - How microaggressions affect your sense of self

30:49 - Understanding colorization

33:35 - Similarities and differences of experiences as a POC

43:31 - The importance of working on your racial identity

44:35 - Microaggressions in Everyday Life

50:50 - “Your story is as much in the room as your client”

Resources for Authentically BIPOC: Racial Trauma Part 1 

Therapy Wisdom - Online Training

Trauma, PTSD & Disassociation - Certified Program

[email protected] - Contact Information

SEE THE READING LIST BELOW

About Our Guests - Debra Chatman-Finley, LPC & Gliceria Pérez, LCS

Debra Chatman- Finley is a Licensed Professional Counselor and National Board-Certified Counselor in private practice in Montclair, NJ. She is an Adjunct professor at New York University where she teaches Racial and Social Micro Aggression in Clinical Practice. She is the former Director of Clinical Services for a domestic violence agency, that provides counseling services for domestic violence victims. Debra earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Seton Hall University and her Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from the College of Saint Elizabeth. She is also a graduate and former Associate Faculty at the Multicultural Family Institute. Debra is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and received her Certification in Traumatic Stress from the Trauma Center at the Justice Resource Institute in Boston, Mass. Debra’s study in traumatic stress strengthened her desire to integrate trauma and racial justice. She has devoted much of her practice and studies to the impact of race in the therapeutic process and the effects of racial trauma on POC, specifically, African American women, and parenting. Debra has also facilitated numerous workshops such as Racism, Culture, and Dissociation, Being BIPOPC: The Ongoing Challenges of Visibility vs Invisibility, Wounded Parenting: The Intersection of Complex and Racial Trauma in Parents of Color, A Therapist Path to Exploring Implicit Bias and Racial Trauma, Micro-Aggressions In Clinical Practice,