Bridging the Gap & Building Trust Between African American Clergy and Mental Health Professionals
Bridging the Gap & Building Trust Between African American Clergy and Mental Health Professionals has been approved by NBCC for NBCC credit. Brooks Consulting & Training Solutions, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the program. NBCC Approval No. SP-4866.
Bridging the Gap & Building Trust Between African American Clergy and Mental Health Professionals
A 2-hour NBCC-Approved Continuing Education Program
Presented by Brooks Consulting & Training Solutions, LLC
NBCC Approval No. SP-4866
Instructor: Vanessa R. Brooks, Ed.D
📆 When
Live Virtual Training (Zoom)
🗓️ Saturday, August 23, 2025
🕥 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM Eastern Standard Time
💵 Registration Fee
$97 / $125 (Recording Included)
🎓 Continuing Education Credit Available
2 NBCC credit hours
📌 Registration closes at 12:00 AM (midnight) on Friday, August 22, 2025
Register Now – Live Training Only ($97)Stay Informed on Upcoming NBCC-Approved Training Dates
Join the interest list for this NBCC-approved 2 CE-hour training (Approval No. SP-4866) designed for mental health professionals, clergy, and human services leaders.
In this live, interactive session, you’ll learn how to:
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Address historical barriers between African American faith communities and mental health systems
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Build culturally responsive, trust-based partnerships with clergy
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Integrate trauma-informed, spiritually sensitive engagement strategies into your practice
Offered multiple times each year — join today to get early access to upcoming dates and priority registration.
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📚 Program Description
This two-hour continuing education program equips licensed mental health professionals with culturally competent strategies for engaging African American faith communities and building collaborative relationships with clergy. The session examines how historical trauma, cultural stigma, and systemic barriers have contributed to a longstanding mistrust between African American communities and mental health professionals.
Participants will explore the unique role of Black faith institutions in shaping attitudes toward mental health, as well as the importance of integrating spiritually sensitive practices into their work with African American clients.
The program is delivered as a live webinar or in-person training and incorporates both lecture and interactive learning. Participants will explore real-world case studies and role-play exercises to apply culturally sensitive counseling techniques in practice. Instruction is organized into two sessions:
- Understanding cultural stigma, historical mistrust, and barriers to care; and provides a contextual foundation—reviewing the impact of slavery, segregation, and historical mistreatment in healthcare that influence present-day stigma.
- Implementing strategies to build trust and integrate trauma-informed, faith-sensitive approaches. This segment includes audience reflection and offers practical strategies for culturally responsive communication, trust-building with clergy, and collaborative engagement with faith communities
Earn 2 CE Hours While Learning to Bridge Faith, Culture, and Clinical Practice.
In this NBCC-approved CE training, you’ll learn how to build real trust with African American clergy—and serve with cultural integrity across faith and mental health.
Register Now – Live Training Only ($97)
🎯 Learning Objectives…
- Describe the historical and systemic factors (e.g., slavery, segregation, medical mistreatment) that have contributed to cultural mistrust of mental health professionals among African American communities.
- Identify key sources of stigma and cultural barriers that impact African American clients' perceptions of counseling and help-seeking behavior.
- Explain the role of African American faith institutions in shaping attitudes toward mental health and how spiritual worldviews influence the therapeutic relationship.
- Apply culturally responsive and spiritually sensitive engagement strategies when working with African American clients and collaborating with clergy or church leadership.
- Demonstrate approaches for building trust and fostering collaboration between mental health professionals and African American faith communities to promote mental health equity and reduce stigma.
Presenter
Vanessa R. Brooks, Ed.D
Doctor of Education – Executive Leadership in Mental Health and Human Services
❓Questions or Accommodations?
Contact:
📧 [email protected]
📞 (252) 657-8840
🌐 www.drvanessarbrooks.com