Afternoon Session - Tips and Tools for Talking about Race: The VCR and PAST Models - Dr. Ken Hardy

Conversations about culture, especially race, are almost always daunting tasks. Regardless of the setting, the demographics of the participants involved, or the purpose of the conversations, attempts to engage across the divides of race and culture are seldom progressive, meaningful, or effectively executed. Earnest efforts to have fully engaged cultural and racially centered conversations are often fraught with conflict escalation, verbal withdrawal, emotional cutoff, or diversion and distraction. The outcomes of these endeavors are often predictably unpleasant, unfulfilling, and ultimately, unsuccessful.

This workshop will introduce both the VCR and the PAST Models as tools designed to facilitate challenging conversations, especially those associated with race. The VCR is a 3 step strengths-based approach centered on mastering the skills of Validation, Challenging, and Requesting. It is adaptable and can be used in virtually any situation, translating the core principles of healthy communication into interactions threatened by escalating conflict and rigid stand-offs. The PAST Model, which is best used in conjunction with the VCR, highlights the significance of power, privilege, powerlessness, and subjugation and how these dynamics can affect efforts to effectively engage in conversations about race and culture.

Following the completion of the training, participants will be able to:

1. Use the VCR Model to effectively engage in conversations about race and other dimensions of culture;

2. Understand and demonstrate use of the Tasks of the Privilege to effectively engage in conversations and reace and culture; and

3. Understand and demonstrate use of the Tasks of teh Subjugated to effectively engage in conversations about race and culture.

About the trainer:

Dr. Hardy is an internationally recognized clinician, author, and trainer. He is also the Director of the Eikenberg Institute for Relationships in New York City where he maintains a private practice specializing in working with traumatized and oppressed populations. Dr. Hardy is the former Director of the center for Children, Families, and Trauma at the Ackerman Institute in New York City, and formerly served on the faculty at Syracuse University where he held numerous positions including Director of Clinical Training and Research, as well as Chairperson of the Department of Child and Family Studies.

He has won considerable acclaim for the contributions that his publications and videotapes have made toward challenging our society to think critically about the hidden but significant connections that often exist between trauma and issues of oppression. In addition to his own writing, Dr. Hardy serves on the editorial boards of six publications including the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, the Journal of Family Psychotherapy, the Journal of Divorce, the Journal of Couples Therapy, the Psychotherapy Networker, and the Journal of Family Counseling.

Dr. Hardy, along with a colleague, developed the training manual and curriculum that has been used in New York City to train licensed clinicians in Trauma Based Family Therapy. This program was funded by the September 11th Fund of New York and was co-sponsored with the NYC Mental Health Association. Additionally, he has provided training and consultation to an extensive list of Human Services agencies devoted to providing trauma-based, culturally competent care to childrenm couples, and families.

This workshop will be held at the Hampton Inn, 319 Speen Street, Natick from 1:00pm until 4:00pm. Doors open at 8:30am. Workshops are $60 each to visiting professionals. Wayside staff, interns and attend free of charge, as do family members of Wayside clients. The facility is fully accessible. Continuing Education Credits: Social workers, LMFTs and LMHCs receive 3 CEUs.