The Importance of Liberation Psychology

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week, host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews Dr. Han Ren (she/they) who is doing big things on social media to normalize C-PTSD symptoms, promote liberatory psychology and anti-oppression work and show that being human is not a problem - even if you’re a mental health professional. In fact, as a mental health professional it can be an asset to share your lived experience. 

Dr. Han Ren is the co-owner of Pivot Psychology in Austin, Texas. She has a background in school psychology and primarily works with high achieving young adults at present. In this conversation she explained the concepts of liberation focused psychology and anti carceral movements and provided some resources for listeners to learn more via Instagram accounts; and she and Laura discussed how therapists may inadvertently shame clients due to our own fears and lack of understanding of the most effective ways to help clients change coping strategies which were once helpful, but now cause problems. 

Han shares a compassionate perspective on the function of “maladaptive” coping strategies, seeing them as adaptations which helped the individual survive during traumatic experiences. She talks about how our behavioral interventions that aren’t relational can cause clients to feel shame and then use masking instead of feeling safe to show up authentically and actually receive the help they’re coming to therapy for. Listen to this thought provoking episode and let us know your thoughts!

Dr. Han Ren’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.han.ren/ 

Dr. Han Ren’s group practice based in Texas: https://www.pivotpsychologyatx.com/ 

Dr. Han Ren’s Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drhanren 

Resources for learning about Anti-Carceral/Liberation Psychology via Instagram as mentioned in this episode:

Body Justice Therapist Allyson Inez Ford https://www.instagram.com/bodyjustice.therapist/

Project LETS https://www.instagram.com/projectlets/

Fireweed Collective HJ: https://www.instagram.com/fireweedcollectivehj/ 

Dr. Jennifer Mullan: https://www.instagram.com/decolonizingtherapy/ 

Learn more about CAMS Care: https://cams-care.com/resources/educational-content/

Additional resources for this episode:

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In partnership with the Academy of Therapy Wisdom, I invite you to a FREE live webinar presented by my colleague, Akilah Riley-Richardson. In this webinar, she will examine how systemic trauma and relational privilege play out in couples therapy. And she’ll show how we can empower couples to develop healthy intimacy nonetheless. Register here for free and learn about her upcoming course that she talked about on last week's Therapy Chat episode which you can hear at this link. I'm in this course now and I think it's excellent!

Janina Fisher has a new FREE webinar about healing the shame which is a common reaction to trauma. Register here to learn how to address this difficult emotion in therapy with trauma survivors!

Therapists, Trauma Therapist Network membership is now accepting new members. We now have new membership levels and options for Group Practice Owners and Canadian therapists! Get the details and join the waiting list to receive first access when membership reopens here: https://go.traumatherapistnetwork.com/join ! What is TTN? Go here to check it out! 

Find Laura's most frequently recommended resources for learning about trauma here - includes recommended books and trainings.

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Find a trauma therapist near you at Trauma Therapist Network's trauma therapist directory. www.traumatherapistnetwork.com Trauma is real, healing is possible and help is available. 

Podcast produced by Pete Bailey - https://petebailey.net/audio