360: Embodying Anti-oppression In Human + Equine Relationships - With Julia Alexander

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week we continue the conversation on decolonizing therapy as host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews social justice educator Julia Alexander.

Laura and Julia first met in Fall 2016 at an equine retreat for therapists. Laura and Julia share deeply held values around respect for the dignity and autonomy of another being within a relational interaction - whether with another human or a non-human animal. Julia shared how she helps white-bodied therapists identify who are working toward embodied anti-racism, through the influence of teachers including Resmaa Menakem and partnership with Colors of Austin. 

 

Julia provides compassionate therapy, education and consulting services rooted in anti-racist, social justice and liberatory frameworks. She offers a safe and accepting space to alleviate shame, heal trauma and discover inner resilience. Her approach is founded on an unwavering belief in the healing power of safe connection, and a deep knowing that sustained relationship to nature plays a major role in human healing. She specializes in providing eco and equine-assisted psychotherapy in the areas of childhood relationship trauma, coming out, systemic oppression, and shame held by white-bodied people. 

 

As a social justice educator, she offers customized consulting, curriculum design and group facilitation to individuals, teams, and organizations who want to understand their experiences and beliefs in the context of systemic oppression. She combines her expertise as a therapist and social justice educator to offer a unique form of equine-assisted psychotherapy rooted in the ethical inclusion of horses in human treatment. Through this work, she loves supporting people in exploring connection, dialogue, choice and consent.

Resources

 

Learn more about Julia via her website: www.juliaalexandercounseling.com 

 

Use this link to learn more about Resmaa Menakem's books and Somatic Abolitionism

 

Find Laura's most frequently recommended resources for learning about trauma here

 

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Thank you to Innovations in Psychotherapy 2023 in Cancun by Leading Edge Seminars for sponsoring this week's episode! Therapists, meet us in sunny Cancun in February 2023 for a week of training and vacation!

 

Use code LAURA to save 10% on any 5-day workshop fee when purchased with a room at www.leadingedgecancun.com You’ll

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Thank you to TherapyNotes for sponsoring this week's episode! TherapyNotes makes billing, scheduling, notetaking, and telehealth incredibly easy. And now, for all you prescribers out there, TherapyNotes is proudly introducing E-prescribe!

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This episode is also sponsored by Trauma Therapist Network. Learn about trauma, connect with resources and find a trauma therapist near you at www.traumatherapistnetwork.com. We believe that trauma is real, healing is possible and help is available.

Therapists, registration is now open for Trauma Therapist Network membership. Join a compassionate and skilled group of trauma therapists for weekly calls focused on Self Care, Case Consultation, Q&A and Training. We now have new membership levels and options for Group Practice Owners and Canadian therapists! Get the details at: https://go.traumatherapistnetwork.com or e-mail laura@traumatherapistnetwork.com. 

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