Race, Identity, and Regulation: Adapting DBT and EMDR for Autistic Clients of Color
- Speaker:
- Chinwé Williams, PhD
- Duration:
- 1 Hour 30 Minutes
- Format:
- Audio and Video
- Copyright:
-
May 08, 2026
- Product Code:
- POS150768
- Media Type:
- Digital Seminar
Description
Autistic individuals of color experience the compounded impact of racism, ableism, and systemic bias—shaping how they are perceived, diagnosed, and supported. This session explores how cultural identity and neurodivergence intersect in clinical care and offers concrete ways to adapt DBT and EMDR within culturally responsive frameworks.
You’ll learn:
- How racial bias and inequities influence autism identification and treatment access
- Adapted DBT and EMDR strategies that align with cultural values and communication styles
- Approaches for addressing masking, code-switching, and identity stress
- Tools for building trust and empowerment through culturally humble partnership
This course is not affiliated with EMDRIA and does not qualify toward EMDRIA credits or training.
Credit
Speaker
Chinwé Williams, PhD Related seminars and products
Chinwé Williams, PhD, is a licensed and board-certified EMDR therapist, and counselor educator and supervisor with close to two decades of experience supporting individuals in trauma recovery. She has a strong commitment to helping clients overcome various forms of trauma and anxiety. As a published researcher, author, consultant, and educator, Dr. Williams brings a wealth of knowledge to her work.
Her expertise lies in somatically focused approaches that teach clients how to regulate the nervous system and utilize the body for healing from various traumatic experiences. Formerly a faculty member at Georgia State University, the University of Central Florida, and Rollins College, she specializes in trauma recovery, stress/anxiety management, adolescent and women’s wellness, and equity-centered trauma-informed education.
Dr. Williams is actively involved in contributing to the field of behavioral health. She consults with several corporate and nonprofit organizations, and school districts. Dr. Williams also serves on the advisory board for Brightline, a telemedicine company providing mental health support to kids, teens, and families. In this role, she consults on the best practices to support diverse youth and families through programs, content development, and care team training.
She is the author of three books, SEEN: Healing Despair and Anxiety in Kids and Teens Through The Power of Connection, Beyond the Spiral: Why You Shouldn’t Believe Everything Anxiety Tells You, and Calm, Courageous and Connected: A Parent’s Guide to Raising Emotionally Resilient Kids. As the owner of Meaningful Solutions Counseling & Consulting, a thriving private practice in Roswell, GA, Dr. Williams applies her expertise to address a broad range of trauma issues across many client demographics.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Chinwé Williams maintains a private practice, the co-owner of Southeastern Counselor Training Institute, and a presenter for Lyra Health. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Chinwé Williams is a subject matter expert with Orange.
Additional Info
Access for Self-Study (Non-Interactive)Access never expires for this product.
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Additional CE Info
For a more detailed outline that includes times or durations of time, if needed, please contact cepesi@pesi.com.
Objectives
- Differentiate how intersecting racial and neurodivergent identities influence diagnosis, engagement, and access to mental health care.
- Integrate culturally adapted DBT and EMDR strategies that honor communication styles, values, and lived experiences of autistic clients of color.
- Evaluate intersectional, neuro-affirming approaches that enhance regulation, authenticity, and therapeutic trust.
Outline
Understanding Intersectionality in Autism Care
- Effects of racism, ableism, and diagnostic bias
- Barriers to culturally and linguistically relevant assessment
- Variations in emotional expression and communication norms
- Limitations of the research and potential risks
- Group discussion: clinician self-reflection on implicit bias
Culturally Adapted DBT Strategies
- Mindfulness and distress tolerance through cultural lenses
- Emotion regulation with community, spirituality, and family contexts
- Visual, narrative, and sensory modifications for accessibility
- Practice: adapting DBT skills to real client scenarios
EMDR for Racialized and Neurodivergent Trauma
- Recognizing intersectional trauma and racialized stress responses
- Cultural adaptation of EMDR phases and resourcing strategies
- Safety, pacing, and language considerations in processing
- Case vignette and participant reflection
Integration and Systems-Level Change
- Empowerment frameworks for clients, families, and communities
- Multicultural collaboration across school and healthcare systems
- Ethical reflection on advocacy and representation in treatment
Target Audience
- Counselors
- Educators
- Marriage and Family Therapists
- Occupational Therapists
- Physical Therapists
- Physicians
- Psychologists
- Social Workers
- Speech-Language Pathologists
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