Episode 1-White Racial Consciousness with Mike Likier, Ph.D.

Episode 1 Introduction

The intention of the Reflections on Multicultural Competence podcast is to encourage mental health professionals to reflect on and challenge the narratives we have created about ourselves and others through the socialization process and our experiences with power, privilege, and marginalization based on our many intersecting cultural identities.

This self-reflection is the foundation of multicultural competence, that which is required to adhere to ethical standards of doing no harm and really seeing, hearing, respecting, and appreciating those we serve. I believe that this self-reflection, this understanding oneself more fully as a cultural being with multiple identities, provides the pathway for healing any sense of separation felt within oneself as well as with others.

In the United States, race is the most challenging cultural identity to think about-and even more-to talk about. But if we don’t increase our awareness of the impact of race, we can’t transform the ways that we think and feel about it. To transform our individual and collective ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving as it relates to race, we must talk about it and even more, be able to sit with or stay present to what comes up for us without overreacting.

Because it is so important to be able to talk about race, I’ve decided to begin talking about race at the inception of the podcast. In this episode, I interviewed CEMPSYCH, LLC facilitator and program planning committee member Dr. Mike Liker who shares his expertise as well as personal experiences with White Racial Consciousness.

Episode 1 Summary

• Introduction of Dr. Mike Likier (4:58)

• Preferred cultural identification and perception of what it means to others (7:49)

• Understanding of White Racial Consciousness/Identity? (9:30)

• Experiences that awakened Dr. Likier to what it means to be White (11:02)

• Observations of White Racial Consciousness/Identity as a facilitator of the Whites Confronting Racism workshop (18:05)

• Vision for CEMPSYCH, LLC long-term continuing education program at CEMPSYCH, LLC that includes racial affinity groups (23:50)

• Potential benefits of upcoming 3-day workshop (26:25)

Episode 1 Reflections

Reflection Exercise

What is your earliest memory of an experience that awakened you to the awareness that race or skin color matters? Try to remember as much about it as you can. How old were you? Who were you with? What were you told? What did observe? What seemed to be the message about the way in which your race or skin color or that of someone else’s mattered? What emotional impact did this experience have on you at the time? What emotional impact if any does it have on you in this moment? How might this memory impact your journey of multicultural competence going forward? (32:20)

Quote from Guest Dr. Mike Likier

In discussing his understanding of White Racial Consciousness or Identity: “The thing that I learned from Dr. Carter that really set me on this path to liberation is that this process is developmental. We find ourselves where we are, and chances are, especially if we are White, we’re not going to be proud of that location. But knowing there is a pathway to healing, which comes through consciousness or identity development is the things that is available to us all.” (10:00)

Resources Mentioned

Multicultural Competence: A Mindfulness Based Approach Workshop October 18-20, 2019

CEMPSYCH, LLC

CEMPSYCH, LLC Facebook Page 

Dr. Mike Likier-Summit Psychological Services

Dr. Mike Likier-CEMPSYCH, LLC

Whites Confronting Racism

Tina Malia

Gratitude

I am grateful that you have found this podcast. My wish is that something in this episode will resonate with you in some way. Perhaps, it will help you to see yourself and/or other multicultural beings in a different light. Even more, I hope it sparks something that connects you more deeply to your heart chakra.

I am also grateful for the opportunity this podcast gives me to “practice what I preach”-to be present to my feelings of vulnerability while allowing my authentic voice to be heard as well as remaining mindful of ‘progress and not perfection’ as I learn more each day about podcasting.

And I offer my deepest gratitude to visionary musical artist Tina Malia, for giving me permission to use portions of her song The Lost Frontier from the CD of same title, as the intro and outro of this podcast.

Connecting

I hope you will share this and future episodes of the Reflections on Multicultural Competence podcast with your friends, family, and colleagues on social media.

I want to encourage you to leave a review of this podcast episode-but with one caveat. Topics related to multiculturalism can be challenging and have the potential to be upsetting. The purpose of the podcast is to encourage reflection on aspects of multicultural competence, particularly our own biases and assumptions. So, I would like to encourage you to consider a moment of mindfulness-being present to what you are feeling and thinking without overreacting-before writing a review. Thank you!

The Reflections on Multicultural Competence is a component of CEMPSYCH, LLC, a continuing education company with the mission of providing continuing education for mental health professionals that will facilitate the lifelong journey of increasing multicultural competency.

CEMPSYCH, LLC is committed to promoting justice, human rights, and respecting the rights and dignity of all, and is interested in podcast sponsorship from companies that have inclusive environments and affirmative polices for LGBTQ people. If you are such a company that offer products or services of interest to mental health professionals, and are interested in sponsorship of a new podcast, I invite you to reach out to me at [email protected].