This group is now full!
Please look out for upcoming new dates.

Led by Lewis Johnson, Pastoral Counseling (MS) Intern (short bio below)

Date and Time: Begins Monday, October 18, 2021. Group will meet every Monday evening from 7:00 PM-8:30 PM (EST) for a 5-week cycle (ending Monday, November 15th) via Zoom.

Cost: Pay what you can! (suggested donation, if financially able, $20)

The purpose of this group is to bring Black mental health professionals together to support each other in the work they do with clients while still coping with the persistent killing, racial profiling, and unjust arrests of Black people that occur every day. As Black mental health professionals, our personal experiences, the news stories on television and social media, and the other imagery shown can create a persistent feeling of stress and anxiety.

Together, we will spend our time delving into our unique stories, discussing the increased awareness by society of the Black experience, and learning to transform our generational and present-day pain into a strength that we can use to empower our work with clients of all backgrounds.

This workshop will provide a safe and brave space for Black mental health professionals to:

  • Build community
  • Create a self-care plan
  • Share your unique story
  • Transform the pain inflicted by racism into a source of strength
  • Celebrate Black excellence

The group facilitator will use interpersonal discussion, psychodrama, sociometry, psychoeducation, and other experiential approaches to explore the unique experiences of the group.

The group is open to Black mental health professionals of varying degrees of experience, especially those just starting their careers or beginning their clinical rotation.

To create a cohesive experience for all members, please consider whether you will be able to commit to the full five-week long group experience.

If you are interested in joining this group, please fill out the interest form found below. Lewis will schedule a short Zoom call with each participant to assess eligibility. If you have questions, concerns, or are looking to request accommodations, please email ejohnsonlewis@gmail.com.

Interest Form for Counseling While Black: Your Story

Lewis has experience working with youth, young adults, individuals with intellectual and physical differences, and families. He brings his experience in the performing arts, along with his passion for promoting wellness and self-love, to the clinical counseling field. Lewis seeks to work with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, pansexual, and other gender identities (LGBTQQIAP+) community and Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) community. In his role, he supports our mission of expanding our trauma services to clients regardless of financial situation. Learn more about Lewis on his bio page.