Promoting Mental Health, Wellness and Recovery in a Dual Pandemic

Presenter: Wendy Ashley, Psy.D., LCSW

Description: This webinar will focus on promoting mental health, wellness, and recovery during a dual pandemic (COVID-19 and concurrent displays of civil unrest). The Coronavirus outbreak created both a global health challenge and a wave of mental health crises. The pandemic has been a stressor for physical health, mental health and well-being, with significant psychological consequences for those impacted by COVID-19, their family members, health care workers and mental health practitioners. While grappling with the weight of the health pandemic, the savagery of the violent murders of George Floyd, Ahmad Arbery, and Breonna Taylor appeared to substantively impact the world, resulting in racial tension and global protests. The incessant media coverage of the dual pandemic has activated a level of psychological and physiological distress that cannot be escaped. For Black and Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) this level of distress is experienced as racial trauma, with significant implications for vulnerable clients and treatment providers of color. Thus, the dual pandemic experience of global exposure to the Coronavirus, ongoing systemic targeting of Black Americans by law enforcement, quarantined isolation, increased caseloads, parenting or family responsibilities, and the expectation of consistent self-care creates a considerable emotional burden for mental health providers that has the potential to negatively impact their mental health and well-being. Strategies for managing personal and professional reactions to the dual pandemic, navigating client challenges, and trauma informed self-care will be provided.

Learning Objectives

Following this presentation, participants shall be able to:

1. Identify how isolation, fear of the COVID-19 virus, caregiving, telehealth, media coverage and distress impact mental health in the context of the dual pandemic
2. Indicate the impact of racialized trauma on BIPOC
3. Indicate increased risk factors for clients in a COVID context
4. Indicate increased risk factors for practitioners and providers in a COVID context
5. Develop clear recovery and wellness goals for clients and practitioners

About the Presenter:  

Wendy Ashley Psy.D., LCSW is a Professor and the Associate Chair of the California State University at Northridge’s Master of Social Work (MSW) program. She received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) from Ryokan College and her MSW from the University of Southern California. Dr. Ashley maintains certifications in Diversity and Inclusion Practices from Cornell University and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) from the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA). She has been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker since 1998 and has over twenty-five years of micro, mezzo and macro social work experience in the areas of community mental health, child welfare and addiction recovery. Dr. Ashley is the author of multiple publications, speaks at conferences nationwide and internationally, maintains a private practice and provides training for multiple community agencies. Her research interests emphasize the promotion of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in practice, pedagogy and organizational culture. She is passionate about social justice advocacy, and infuses an intersectionality lens in her teaching, practice, training, and research. Contact email: wendy.ashley@csun.edu

Cost: 

CSCSW Member/USC Alum: $50.00 | Non-member: $75.00 | Student: $10.00