Sociocultural and Sociopolitical Considerations for Mindfulness

Duration: 57m 18s

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Making the assumption that race and racism are not relevant if a client is white is not accurate. We need to look at the interconnectedness of our world to see how all clients are reacting. In this interview, Dr. Harrell shares 10 considerations to integrate mindfulness into anti-racist psychotherapy practice. Shelly and Francesca also discuss evolving wokeness, social ecology, and a four-part conceptualization of mindfulness.

Dr. Shelly Harrell is a psychologist and professor at Pepperdine University’s Graduate School of Education and Psychology. She is a licensed psychotherapist and has served as a clinical supervisor, consultant, and trainer on the delivery of culturally-responsive mental health services for nearly 30 years. Her research and published scholarship reflects a long-standing focus on sociocultural and sociopolitical aspects of stress and resilience, racism-related stress and trauma, the well-being of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), and the psychology of African Americans. Most recently, she has developed a “soulfulness” approach to contemplative practice that centers cultural attunement and incorporates the dynamics of oppression and liberation in the design and implementation of psychocultural healing interventions.

Francesca Maximé, LMSW, is a Haitian-Dominican Italian-American licensed somatic psychotherapist, mindfulness teacher, anti-racism educator, and award-winning poet/author in Brooklyn, New York. She received her undergraduate degree from Harvard University and her Master’s in Social Work from Fordham University. Maximé offers services to help address trauma, process grief, and reduce stress for adults, groups, and organizations. She is the host of the ReRooted podcast on Ram Dass’s Be Here Now Network. In 2019, Francesca received the International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies Outstanding Student Advocacy & Service Award.