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If the United States were your therapy client, what would the intake assessment look like? What kind of treatment and modalities would employ to help this client? How can liberation psychology assist us in remembering the power of the collective in the face of oppression?
In this podcast episode, Joe Sanok discusses the question, “What if the U.S. Was a Client?”: trauma, collective grief, and liberation psychology with 2023 APA President Dr. Thema Bryant.
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Meet Dr. Thema Bryant
Dr. Thema Bryant is a clinical psychologist, professor at Pepperdine University, and past president of the American Psychological Association. A leading voice on trauma, resilience, and liberation psychology, she directs the Culture and Trauma Research Lab and has worked globally on issues of violence, oppression, and healing.
An ordained minister and sacred artist, Dr. Bryant integrates faith, creativity, and psychology to make mental health accessible and transformative. She is the author of Homecoming: Overcome Fear and Trauma to Reclaim Your Whole, Authentic Self and hosts The Homecoming Podcast, where she explores the intersections of culture, identity, and well-being.
Visit Dr. Bryant’s website and connect on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
In This Podcast
- The United States’ intake assessment
- Where trauma is and is not named
- Potential modalities
- Approaching resistance without burnout
- Dr. Bryant’s advice to private practitioners
The United States’ intake assessment
Looking at the United States as a client, I would say that this client is filled with trauma: collective trauma, intergenerational trauma, and collective grief and loss. We are dealing with a client where everyone is aware of the violence, the abuse, and the trauma, but it is not allowed to be spoken about. (Dr. Thema Bryant)
Dr. Thema Bryant and Joe embark on a compelling thought experiment in considering what the United States of America would be like as a client, sitting in your chair in the office.
Dr. Bryant discusses the different types of grief that it would have gone through, including abuse, bullying, and coercion to keep silent about its past.
This is a client where there is intense bullying, misuse of power, control, and manipulation. There is a consequence for calling out the abuse, for naming the violence, and where not everyone in the community, or in the family, or nation, has the same level of rights. (Dr. Thema Bryant)
Where trauma is and is not named
When we talk about historical and intergenerational trauma, the trauma we’re seeing [in the United States] is not new. When you look over the course of the history of this client, the nation … it has engaged in abusive behaviors, and what is happening now is not spontaneous. (Dr. Thema Bryant)
Due to the generational nature of the trauma and violence that this client – country – has experienced, we can understand it is not random for this violence to be manifesting today. For decades, whoever perceived that they were losing power or control created plots and plans to regain that power by any means necessary.
It is planned, premeditated and is, as is often the case, often about power and control. People who desire political power and control, financial power and control, and even cultural power and control of the narrative. (Dr. Thema Bryant)
It is the case today that some of the aspects of this client’s history have been made illegal to discuss and teach. Consider how difficult it would be to help a client suffering from trauma who refuses to engage with their past lived experiences?
Think about the client you’re trying to work with, heal and restore, one of the things we know is for therapy to be effective, there has to be a motivation [to know], right. People have to be motivated for change. (Dr. Thema Bryant)
An inner conflit and split occurs for the nation, the client, when one group wants to engage in the process of change and the other does not.
Potential modalities
Liberation psychology is a critical psychology which recognizes that, unfortunately, traditional European and Western psychology has overemphasised the individual and underemphasied the contexts.
When we overemphasise the individual, then we say, “All we need to do is shift your cognitions”, and, “If the individual members of the nation just think positively and regulate their own emotions, then everything will be fine!” From the liberation standpoint, we would say, “Our symptoms of distress make sense given the context of what we are living through, so for us not to mute or medicate our distress … Can things be different?” (Dr. Thema Bryant)
Through liberation psychology’s focus on the community and collective, it highlights the necessity of changing a broken system, rather than trying to make everyone cope with it. It underscores the fact that what we are experiencing is “normal” given the circumstances, and that true and real healing is possible when we address and change the context first.
There has been effective resistance before, so a part of what can feed our hope is the reminder that this is not the first time that power abuse, that violence has taken the lead. So just as it was dismantled before, it can be dismantled again. (Dr. Thema Bryant)
Approaching resistance without burnout
When anyone looks at the state of the world and feels overwhelmed, it is important to remember that this chaos and broadcasting it everywhere is by design. When those in power can get you to feel apathetic and shrink away from their work, they win.
However, this means that you risk trauma and burnout by continuing to face the full force of what is wrong with the world if you don’t contain it.
That’s why Dr. Bryant recommends resting, organising in groups that relate with your skills, but to not quit entirely.
We know by the nature of oppression that this is a long-term fight, a lifelong commitment, and so what that means is [to say], “I give myself permission to rest but not quit.” (Dr. Thema Bryant)
Dr. Bryant’s advice to private practitioners
- Love and liberation is for all people. Can you extend yourself to see the sacred in the people who are different from you?
- Engage in advocacy as a therapist where it interests you.
- Decolonise your personal and professional curriculum. Who are your great minds of psychology? Are they all men, or all white? Seek fuller and more accurate bases of studies to draw your work from.
If you want some great minds to learn from, Dr. Bryant recommends: Lillian Comas-Díaz, Shelly Harrell, Hector Y. Adames, Helen A. Neville, and Dr. Jaiya John.
- Take care of yourself and your wellness. It is hard to care for others if the individuals are not well. Say yes to being part of this journey.
Books mentioned in this episode:
Dr. Thema Bryant – Homecoming: Overcome Fear and Trauma to Reclaim Your Whole, Authentic Self
Dr. Thema Bryant – Reclaim Yourself: The Homecoming Workbook
Sponsors Mentioned in this episode:
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Useful links mentioned in this episode:
- Check out our Practice Academy!
- Sign Up to the Group Practice Boss Conference!
- Visit Dr. Bryant’s website and connect on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
- Mentioned great minds: Lillian Comas-Díaz, Shelly Harrell, Hector Y. Adames, Helen A. Neville, Dr. Jaiya John
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Meet Joe Sanok
Joe Sanok helps counselors to create thriving practices that are the envy of other counselors. He has helped counselors to grow their businesses by 50-500% and is proud of all the private practice owners who are growing their income, influence, and impact on the world. Click here to explore consulting with Joe.
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