Author & Speaker | Psychologist | Researcher
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No Racial Elephants in the Therapy Room

For mental Health Professionals

An unapologetic approach to providing Culturally affirming mental health care
to Black & African American clients


Dr. Walker provides a stellar resource for non-Black therapists who support Black folks seeking therapy ... The education she provided in these pages should be mandatory reading for all therapists and therapists-in-training
— Danica Harris, PhD, SEP, co-owner, therapist, and somatic coach at Empowered Healing Dallas, @theempoweredtherapist

Are you hesitant to have conversations about race or racism with Black clients?

This book will change that.

If you’re worried you’ll look ignorant or unintentionally offend your Black or African American clients, Dr. Walker’s book will guide you to confront the sometimes deafening—and surely distracting—elephant in the room.

You don’t have to be a Black therapist who can relate to the Black experience to meet your Black clients where they are.

 

AVAILABLE MAY 21!


 

praise for
No Racial Elephants in the therapy Room

No Racial Elephants in the Therapy Room has the potential to transform the mental health workforce in a way that no other book has been able to accomplish.
— Jason Washburn, PhD, professor and chief of psychology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
The stigma and taboo that surrounds mental health treatment in the Black community is a real issue. Well-meaning clinicians often feel uncomfortable discussing the challenges and disparities that Black people face daily. With her disarming candor and wit, Dr. Walker addresses this elephant in the room head-on, creating a safe space where Black people can be their authentic selves, explore their truths, and find the healing they deserve in treatment spaces.
— Nedra Glover Tawwab, MSW, LCSW, New York Times bestselling author of Set Boundaries, Find Peace and Drama Free
At last, a comprehensive guide for delivering culturally affirming mental health care to Black families. Dr. Walker eloquently leads readers from the first therapy session to the last, offering valuable insight and guidance on cultivating culturally affirming skills. This is an essential read for every professional working with Black clients
— Sonyia Richardson, PhD, MSW, LCSW, assistant professor, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Many therapists enter this field with good intentions, but Dr. Walker’s work serves as a reminder that good intentions cannot prevent harm. If white clinicians aspire to be allies to disrupt the cycle of trauma Black people encounter within the mental health industry, they must recognize and confront the elephants in the therapy room, including those they introduce from their own biases and deep-seated stereotypes. No Racial Elephants in the Therapy Room is an essential reading for all mental health professionals, especially white and non-Black clinicians.
— Minaa B., LMSW, author of Owning Our Struggles
Dr. Walker has an uncanny knack for clarifying complex racial issues, and she provides thoughtful and informed guidance about what to do and what not to do about racial issues that can arise between clinician and client.
— David A. Jobes, PhD, ABPP, professor of psychology and associate director of clinical training, The Catholic University of America
This incredible book is an absolute must-read for white mental health providers. It powerfully lays out important ideas and information related to providing culturally affirming care with Black and African American clients, while also providing clear and specific recommendations for how to put these ideas into action in your clinical practice at each step of a client’s care.
— Jessica L. Maples-Keller, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine
 

 
As a white therapist, I’ve wanted this book for years, and I’m grateful to Dr. Walker for writing it. It gives an unapologetic, educational, and rich insider view on the harm therapists can do if they avoid the racial elephant in the room. And it gives solutions—how to practice cultural humility and curiosity, explore racial identity development, beware of microaggressions, attend to racial trauma and systemic injustice, apologize for mistakes, and more. Every non-Black therapist should read this book!
— Stacey Freedenthal, PhD, LCSW, associate professor, University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work, psychotherapist, and author of Helping the Suicidal Person