Partners
Compassionate Inquiry
Compassionate Inquiry® is a psychotherapeutic approach developed by Dr. Gabor Maté that reveals what lies beneath the appearance we present to the world. It gently uncovers and releases the layers of childhood trauma, constriction and suppressed emotion embedded in the body, that are at the root of illness and addiction. In a therapeutic relationship, a container of safety, compassion and shared curiosity allows individuals to acknowledge and examine the traumatic events that happened to them as children, to recognize the beliefs they internalized, and to feel the emotions they suppressed. The process of Compassionate Inquiry invites people to look at the stories they tell themselves unconsciously, and how these stories direct their lives, affect their health, and generate suffering. Once individuals recognize the beliefs they have been carrying and where they originated, they can question the validity of those beliefs. Once questioned, they can open to the possibility of releasing identification with them, and of the hold they have on them. A new way of being emerges, leading to spontaneity, choice, expansion and freedom.
Compassionate Inquiry and Black Therapists Rock (BTR) have created a partnership that is helping to share the Compassionate Inquiry model to under-represented communities, and more specifically, Black communities across the United States.
BTR members are welcome to apply to participate in the CI Professional Online Training. This program focuses on the goal of bringing compassion, respect, acceptance, insight, healing, freedom and connection to humanity through an international community of skillful Compassionate Inquiry practitioners. The Compassionate Inquiry Professional Online Training is an intensive graduate level certification program designed to enhance the skills and effectiveness of professionals already working with clients.
The CI Professional Online Training is meant for professionals already working with clients, such as addiction counselors, psychotherapists, psychologists, medical doctors, naturopaths, life coaches, and other related fields, whose scope of practice includes counseling. CI is an approach to add to an already existing clinical and mental health practice.
2023 Cohort #1: September 18, 2023 – October 2024 at 3:30pm ET with Vimalasara (Valarie Mason-John)
This program is available for BTR Members Only
— Full: Registration Closed —
2023 Cohort #2: September 17, 2023 – October 2024 at 6pm ET with Soraya Romao-Inglis
This program is available for BTR Members & CI BIPOC Community Members
— Accepting Application —
2024 Cohort: September – October 2025 at 3:30pm ET with Vimalasara (Valarie Mason-John)
This program is available for BTR Members Only
— Accepting Application —
This scholarship offers financial support and its intent is to provide an opportunity to be in a training program with other BTR Members. This opportunity is available because of the support of our BTR Rockstars and our partner at Compassionate Inquiry.
Join the second virtual IFS Annual Conference, October 20-22. 2022. This year we will come together through the theme of Expanding our Perspectives: Revitalizing Inner Resources.
Your 3-day conference registration offers you an all-access pass to all workshops, sessions, and programs offered at the IFS Conference! Join us in real-time or watch the playback of all your scheduled workshops and sessions! You will receive:
• Your choice of 30 workshops and sessions from IFS Community Members
• Opportunities to engage with colleagues from around the world
• Downloadable handouts for your personal resource library
• Extended access to conference recordings
• Live Chat + interactive Q&A for all “LIVE” virtual sessions
• IFS Credit Hours
• Professional CE Credit Hours
• Early-Bird Pricing is open through September 2
Why Members Join Black Therapists Rock!
Black Therapists Rock is a place of healing, community, empowerment, and growth.
We welcome your feedback about how we can better support our members. Please send questions, concerns or suggestions to [email protected]
Dr. Carl Hart is the Chair of the Department of Psychology at Columbia University. He is also the Ziff Professor of Psychology in the Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry. Professor Hart has published numerous scientific and popular articles in the area of neuropsychopharmacology and is co-author of the textbook Drugs, Society and Human Behavior (with Charles Ksir). His most recent book, High Price: A Neuroscientist’s Journey of Self-Discovery That Challenges Everything You Know About Drugs and Society, was the 2014 winner of the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award. Professor Hart has appeared on multiple podcasts, radio and television shows including Real Time with Bill Maher and The O’Reilly Factor. He has also appeared in several documentary films including the award-winning “The House I Live In.” His essays have been published in several popular publications including The New York Times, Scientific American, The Nation, Ebony, The Root, and O Globo (Brazil’s leading newspaper).
Paulette Smith, LCSW-C, is a licensed clinical therapist specializing in cannabis therapeutics, adolescent development, and the establishment of productive, results-oriented teams in support of culturally competent treatment. Paulette has used creativity and innovation to build a knowledge base that offers her clients first-class care and consulting services. She also applies that knowledge and creativity in training and educational settings providing authentic, realistic, and easily applicable guidance on various topics. Her expertise has been cultivated over 15+ years in school-based, clinical, private practice, and dispensary settings to acquire a range of skills in traditional and non-traditional counseling practices that scientifically incorporate the integration of cannabis products. A trailblazer in her own right, Paulette is highly sought after to share her knowledge in the growing cannabis therapy field. She possesses an entrepreneurial spirit and has launched a platform for exploring cannabis therapeutics called Canna Heals, LLC, in addition to her counseling practice, Paulette Simone & Associates, Inc. In addition to the real-world experiences that refined her talents, Paulette obtained her bachelor’s in broadcast journalism from Bowie State University, a master’s in Social Work from Morgan State University, and a Master’s in Medical Cannabis Science Therapeutics from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. Ms. Smith is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Social Work at Simmons University.
Dr. Sa’ed Al-Olimat, PharmD is a Taiwanese-Jordanian first generation American immigrant. He is a licensed pharmacist, community pharmacy manager, and educator of psychedelic medicine. He has worked with pharmaceutical companies, prescriber clinics, hospice and palliative care organizations, insurance groups, and other settings to enhance patient care. Dr. Sa’ed’s passion in advancing mental health outcomes led him to investigatie psilocybin and other classical psychedelic compounds as tools for mental, spiritual, and emotional support.
Dr. Sa’ed currently serves as a Co-Founder of the Psychedelic Pharmacists Association, Founder of PsiloHealth, advisor to a few psychedelic companies and organizations, as well as a Board Director for his local county pharmacists association. In his free time, he enjoys practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Mischa Dansby, is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse specializing in Women’s Health who was raised in Huber Heights, Ohio. She received her Bachelor’s in Nursing from Wright State University. After her graduation, she joined the Air Force and has continued to serve for 22 years. During her Air Force career, she completed her Master’s in Nursing and became certified as a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner at The Ohio State University. She is currently studying at the University of Cincinnati pursuing certification as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Additionally, she is completing her training as an Internal Family Systems Therapist. Mischa is passionate about supporting women on their journey towards healing and wholeness.
Hanifa Nayo Washington, she/her/hers, is a social entrepreneur, sacred activist, digital designer, and healing justice practitioner. Hanifa is the co-founder and the Chief of Strategy of Fireside Project, the San Francisco based non-profit that operates the first national Psychedelic Peer Support Line with a mission to help people minimize the risks and fulfill the potential of their psychedelic experiences. The support line, featured in the Rolling Stone, Forbes, Esquire, and Tech Crunch, launched in April of 2021 and has already supported thousands of community members. Hanifa Nayo is also the Co-founder and Organizing Principal of One Village Healing, an online BIPOC centered healing, resilience, and psychedelic wellness space.
Victor Cabral, MSW, LSW, CCTP-I, (He/Him/His) is a collaborative and strategic leader who is making an impact on historical inequalities in his community and across the United States. Victor is the Founder of Dreamers of the Day, LLC, and serves as the Director of Policy and Regulatory Affairs for Fluence International Inc., a company that provides evidence-based training in psychedelic therapy and integration services to clinicians across the globe. Before joining Fluence, Victor served as Deputy Director for the Pennsylvania Governor’s Office of Advocacy and Reform where he co-led the implementation of the Trauma-Informed PA Plan, helped establish the first Racial Day of Healing in Pennsylvania history, and developed free trauma trainings for Pennsylvanians in collaboration with BIPOC mental health and trauma, and psychedelic medicine. He is a Licensed Social Worker and practicing psychotherapist in Pennsylvania with training in Internal Family Systems, Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy and Psychedelic Integration.
Deran Young is a licensed therapist, CDWF, CDTL, co-author of New York Times Best Seller, You Are Your Best Thing, retired military officer, and the founder of Black Therapists Rock. Black Therapists Rock is a non profit organization that mobilizes over 30,000 mental health professionals committed to reducing the psychological impact of systemic oppression and intergenerational trauma. She obtained her social work degree from University of Texas, where she studied abroad in Ghana, West Africa for two semesters creating a high school counseling center for under-resourced students.
Deran’s passion for culture and people has led her to become a highly sought after diversity and inclusion consultant working with companies like BBERG, Facebook, Linked In, Field Trip Health, and YWCA. Deran’s advocacy expands over several online and offline platforms. With a current social media audience of over 100,000 followers on IG and Facebook, Deran has become a leading influencer and public figure committed to spreading mental health awareness and improving health equity.