Race & Identity

Valerie Proctor Greene, Licensed Psychotherapist and Life Coach at Thriveworks Chesapeake, leads an online workshop titled “Identifying Cultural Issues Including Bias in the Counseling Room.” Below, you’ll find information about Greene, followed by highlights from her presentation: About Valerie Proctor Greene, Licensed Psychotherapist and Life Coach: Greene is passionate about…

Join us for our next Curve Breaker Workshop on Friday, June 12 at 10 am EST. Valerie Proctor Greene, Licensed Psychotherapist and Life Coach, will present, “Identifying Cultural Issues Including Bias in the Counseling Room.” Presented by Valerie Proctor Greene, MSW, LICSW Join us on Friday, June 12 at 10…

A mental health professional’s ultimate mission is to help his or her clients live their very best lives—which takes patience, understanding, and support. What I mean to say is therapy is a safe place: you don’t have to worry about being judged or ridiculed—your only worry should be getting down…

Religion and spirituality have played major roles in the lives of Black men and women since the days of slavery and before. The connection with God has been significant in helping individuals and families cope with loss, mistreatment, and the hardships of life. It would stand to reason because of…

Many view mental health as a taboo topic of conversation. Some of these people simply don’t want to talk about it—but others actually don’t feel comfortable talking about it. In fact, they’re scared of talking about it. Why? Because of the many stigmas that surround mental health… which are overwhelmingly…

Stigmas surrounding mental health exist in all groups and societies, but are particularly prevalent in the African-American community—making the concept of therapy or counseling a foreign one, at best. Some individuals simply don’t understand the practice, while others frown down upon it… leaving those in the community who struggle with…

Let’s face it, counseling is often a difficult choice to make. Deciding to allow someone in on those thoughts and feelings that perhaps you haven’t shared with family and friends often leaves one feeling anxious. Although counseling has become more acceptable across the board, when you look at who is…

No two therapy sessions are just the same—because no two people are just the same. We all have different problems. We all heal at different rates. And we all respond to therapy in different ways. But that’s not to say common themes don’t emerge—such as those that appear in counseling…

We all understand stress to be harmful, but to what degree? Many of us suffer from the exhaustion that comes with stress, as well as its negative effect on our mood, but it doesn’t end there. Stress can also lead to heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and mental illnesses like depression…

Overcoming the Effects of Bias Discrimination, as a byproduct of both implicit and overt bias, produces a myriad of unfavorable and difficult results. Race-related stress can cause intense emotional reactions such as: anxiety, frustration, paranoia, resentment, self-doubt, depression and anger. When searching for ways to cope, people often find themselves…

What Exactly is Unconscious Prejudice? Unconscious prejudice, also known as implicit bias, is an automatic, natural bias that is hidden from our cognizant thoughts. Because it resides outside of our awareness, this type of bias remains easy to deny. In primitive days, our ancestors relied on implicit bias for survival….

Under Attack More than most years, it feels like Blackness has been especially under attack this year. The collective feeling of trauma feels palpable in my office, on my campus, and throughout my social networks. It feels like every time there is another major verdict to be delivered, a new…