Deborah Headley
BIOGRAPHY
As the Principal Associate of Network for Therapeutic Alliances, Deborah is an individual and family therapist in private practice, a trainer/educator, and an organizational consultant and community activist, who has over 25 years of experience working in community and social services, mental health, and educational settings. She also has over 20 years of teaching and experience developing curriculum at George Brown College in Community and Social Services, health Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies.
Deborah specializes in working with and teaching about the intersectionality of mental health issues related to sexualized trauma, abuse, intimate partner and gender based violence, identity (adoption, sexual/gender and ethno-racial), family re-unification/settlement, life skills, and trauma resulting from individual/systemic discrimination in the workplace.
She also provides training and consultation on mental health, ethics and equity, inclusion, working with marginalized populations, conflict/mediation and organizational development (governance, policy, program delivery & evaluation). She will be providing supervision to mental health professionals interested in introducing and enhancing their knowledge using and intersectional framework and equitable practices.
WORKSHOPS
Towards Intersectional Practice
Speaker: Deborah Headley
This workshop will guide participants through an exploration of core concepts, competencies and ethical lens necessary to build an equitable practice and egalitarian therapeutic relationship. Working from an intersectional framework, participants will review definitions and concepts necessary to accurately understand how theory and methodology influence the attitudes, knowledge and skills that may lead to client harm and increased vulnerability or contribute to their healing and resilience.
Key Take-aways
- Define intersectionality within the context of therapy
- Understand how power, privilege and oppression inform therapeutic practices
- Evaluate their work through the lens of intersectional framework
- Acquire the knowledge to create a more respectful, anti-oppressive, safe and inclusive space for clients of varying identity, background or experience