The Northwest MHTTC is excited to partner with Kira Mauseth and Salsabiel Alzubaidi to offer a live learning community on culturally informed crisis support as a mental health practitioner. 6 hours of CE contact hours available* (see below.)
This learning community will provide participants with a framework for developing their cultural awareness and competencies when supporting people in crisis. Often, when providing behavioral health support to an individual or family, we may find ourselves outside of our personal expertise or experience when it comes to the cultural background of the person we are supporting. This learning community will cover important cross-cultural nuances for support, including contextual communication, biases and assumptions, and lenses for expression of distress and appropriate interventions that can vary dramatically amongst and between groups. The framework provided in this session equips health providers with essential tools to understand their own social location, navigate power dynamics, and enhance cultural awareness.
Key tools include:
- Creating a personal cultural understanding map
- Utilizing a multicultural communication skills reflective tool
- Challenging biases with the "Surfacing Assumptions" tool
- Leveraging resources and promoting inclusive organizational practices with advocacy tools
- Developing an inclusive crisis plan for diverse demographics
Session 1, July 17th: This session will start with recognition and awareness of what we each "bring with us" as we engage in supporting others on a dynamic cultural landscape. The focus of this first session will be to go in depth on tools to increase self-awareness of cross-cultural knowledge gaps and biases.
Session 2, July 24th: This session will build off the previous one and help participants with recognizing and effectively addressing the power dynamics in a supportive relationship.
Session 3, August 14th: This session takes our work further and discusses in detail how we acknowledge and use cultural awareness and understanding to engage effectively in crisis support and emergency response work.
Session 4, August 21st: This session wraps up our learning community by discussing ways to represent best practices and advocate for inclusive policies and practices within your organization.
Dr. Kira Mauseth is a practicing clinical psychologist who sees patients at Snohomish Psychology Associates in Everett and Edmonds, WA, is a Teaching Professor at Seattle University and formerly served as a co-lead for the Behavioral Health Strike Team for the WA State Department of Health throughout the COVID response. She also owns Astrum Health LLC and consults with organizations and educational groups about disaster preparedness and resilience building within local communities. Dr. Mauseth has provided training to community groups and professionals both regionally and abroad as the co-developer of the Health Support Team© program. Her work and research focus on disaster behavioral health, resilience, and recovery from trauma as well as small and large-scale critical incident response and preparation for organizations. She has worked abroad extensively with disaster survivors and refugees in Haiti, Jordan and Poland, and has trained first responders and health care workers throughout Puget Sound the United States, and currently serves in the adult mental health clinical seat on Washington State's Disaster Medical Advisory Committee (DMAC).
Salsabiel Alzubaidi is an Organizational Transformation, Leadership, and Legacy Consultant driven by her belief in justice and her appreciation for the rich tapestry of human diversity. With a lifelong passion for innovation in diversity and inclusion across social, educational, and professional realms, Salsi has honed her expertise in guiding organizations through transformative journeys. Her impactful contributions have left a legacy of progress at organizations such as Shift Energy Group, For9a.com, Seattle University, and Questscope, as well as governmental and numerous international social development platforms. Throughout her career, Salsi has distinguished herself as a dynamic HR and educational programming professional, specializing in programs that promote diversity, inclusion, and social justice. Her ability to unite diverse populations and maximize program effectiveness underscores her commitment to driving positive change.
Physicians, physician assistants, primary care ARNPs, psychologists, and other health care providers may be eligible for CME or CEUs for completing the course. Retain your Certificate of Completion and verify its suitability for CME/CEUs with your licensing/credentialing entity. The University of Washington is an approved provider of continuing education for DOH licensed social workers, licensed mental health counselors, licensed marriage and family therapists, psychologists, substance use disorder professionals, nurses and physicians under the provisions of: WAC 246-809-610, WAC 246-809-620, WAC 246-811-200, WAC 246-840-210, WAC 246-919-460 and WAC 246-924-240.
