The Invisible Psychological and Spiritual Impacts of Racism

September 16th, 2015

Note: Special Location for This Event Only! 

St. Andrew Presbyterian Church
3700 Baseline Road
Boulder CO 80303

7:15am: Sign-in Registration: Coffee, tea
7:30 – 8:45am: Panel
9 – 10am: AfterThoughts: Discussion

$10 Suggested Donation, collected at the door
(No one turned away for lack of funds)

Download Event Flyer Here

Listen to KGNU radio interview the Panelists

Robert Atwell, Psy.D. Psychologist, former president of the Association of Black PsychologistsHolly Fulton, MAT, MAEducator, diversity trainer, former board member, Coming to the Table BoardDeb Piranian, Ph.D.Associate Professor and Transpersonal Wilderness Therapy Concentration Coordinator, Graduate School of Counseling and Psychology, Naropa UniversityKenny WileyDirector of Faith Formation, Prairie Unitarian Universalist Church, Parker, CO, Co-Chair Black Lives Matter 5280With special appearance by Norma JohnsonHealer, poet/writer, performing artist, speaker and facilitatorHost: Kris Abrams

About The Presentation

Recent tragic events have once again brought racism into the spotlight of mainstream America. Every few weeks, we learn of another horrific act of violence perpetrated against black Americans. But racism isn’t just about sporadic acts of physical violence, as the media seems to suggest. We live and breathe it every day. It is part of our institutions, our relationships, and our psyches. Racism even impacts our relationship with ourselves and our spiritual lives. No matter what color we are, each one of us suffers psychological and spiritual impacts of racism. What are these impacts, and how can we address them? How can we create communities of deep respect, liberation, and justice?

Please join us for a thought-provoking panel presentation on this challenging and critically important topic. This event is appropriate for psychotherapists, spiritual leaders, and anyone who wishes to help create a better world.

About the Presenters

Robert L. Atwell, Psy.D. Is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and has been in private practice since 1982.   He has been an active member of the professional community over the course of his career.   He has  served on the governing boards of local professional organizations, the Colorado Men’s Network (1982-1984) and the Denver Rocky Mountain Association of Black Psychologists (1982-present),   a regional professional association, the Rocky Mountain Psychological Association (1988-1995) and an international professional association, the Association of Black  Psychologists (1978-present).   Dr. Atwell served as the national president of ABPsi from 2005 through 2007.   He has also served on governing board of a collaborative, traditional and alternative  health care organization, Justcare (1993-1995) and a mental health center, the Asian Pacific Development Center (1988-1992; 2001-2007). He served for five years on the Colorado Board  of Psychologist Examiners (1993-1998).   Dr. Atwell has made presentations and taught over 100 seminars for other professionals at conferences and training seminars encompassing a broad  range of clinical and forensic topics and served as adjunct faculty at the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology (1983-1998) and supervised field placements  providing training experiences for the Graduate School of Professional Psychology (1982-1993) and for the Graduate School of Social Work (1983-1987).

Since 1973 Dr. Atwell has provided mental health care either as a direct service provider or supervisor of other mental health clinicians in residential, inpatient, and outpatient treatment settings for  children, adolescents, adults, and families presenting with a broad range of clinical issues.   He has functioned as a forensic psychology expert in federal, state, and local courts and testified  before a congressional committee.

Holly Fulton, MAT, MA grew up in Providence and Bristol, Rhode Island. She has masters degrees in teaching and in transpersonal psychology and she has been a diversity trainer, interpersonal skills workshop facilitator, and high school teacher in various locations. Holly is one of the DeWolf family descendants who took the journey in the documentary film “Traces of the Trade” which looks at her ancestors’ business of slave trading, her family legacy, and Black/White relations today. She has facilitated post-viewing discussions several times in a variety of locations and venues. Holly has served on the board of a national non-profit called “Coming to the Table” which holds actions and projects all over the U.S. that bring together descendants of slaves and slave owners for inter-racial healing processes. She believes strongly in acknowledging long hidden and challenging truths about history and beliefs as one of the steps in healing between races, particularly, given her family history, between African Americans and Whites.

Norma Johnson is a facilitator that brings her thirty plus years as healer, poet/writer, performing artist, speaker and consultant to the quest for social justice. She inspires awareness and connection bridging community dialogues and relationships. Norma’s artistic background inspires her unique presentation form. Her poetry about race is being used by educators across the country to inspire awareness and discussion about Race, privilege and class.

Deb Piranian, Ph.D. is a professor and coordinates the Transpersonal Wilderness Therapy Concentration in Naropa University’s Graduate School of Counseling and Psychology.  Her counseling experience includes private practice, a psychiatric hospital, and wilderness therapy settings.  She served as Naropa’s Faculty Trustee 2012 – 2015.  In the past, Deb consulted in leadership and team development for businesses and organizations and was a senior Outward Bound Course Director, specializing in wilderness therapy and multinational mountaineering programs.  Her publications include an article on climbing and meditation, and she has presented at conferences on contemplative training for therapists and diversity issues within the field of wilderness therapy.

Kenny Wiley is a senior editor for Unitarian Universalist World Magazine, and also works for Prairie UU Church in Parker as its director of religious education. Kenny is the co-chair for Black Lives Matter 5280, the Denver area’s BLM chapter. Kenny feels motivated to continue working for racial justice, and also strives to be a feminist and supporter of the LGBTQ community.

Kenny plays ultimate frisbee, reads as much as he can, and is a big fan of college football, especially his Missouri Tigers, the NFL’s Houston Texans, and women’s basketball, particularly the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA. Kenny feels his work for justice is shaped by his Unitarian Universalist faith.

Additional Resources

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