March 21, 2003

 

Family Therapy Center at NDSU to Sponsor Conference on Diversity, Social Justice and Spirituality

Diversity, social justice and spirituality will be highlighted at a conference sponsored by the Family Therapy Center at North Dakota State University. The conference, "Embracing Diversity in Clinical Practice: Social Justice and Spirituality," will explore issues surrounding race, poverty, gender and spirituality in clinical settings and specific approaches to working with diverse populations.

Featured speakers will include Thomas Carlson, acting director of the Marriage and Family Therapy Program at NDSU, and Manijeh Daneshpour, coordinator of the Marriage and Family Therapy Program at St. Cloud State University. The seminar will be held in Fargo at the NDSU Alumni Center on April 4, 2003.

To register for the seminar call Tracy Blaine at (701) 231-8534 or send an email to tracy.blaine@ndsu.nodak.edu . Cost of the seminar is $50 if registered before March 28, 2003, or $65 at the conference. There is a discount rate for students of $25 and a group rate of $45 with early registration for agencies sending four or more people. The conference will begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at 5:30 p.m.

"Diversity, social justice, and spirituality are among the most important topics of our time," notes Carlson, also an assistant professor at NDSU. "Understanding and accepting differences between cultures is essential for helping professionals today. This conference will examine the roots of institutional oppression and what professionals can do to counter its effects." Carlson recently co-edited a book on spirituality and family therapy and will speak on spirituality as a resource for change. Daneshpour is a frequent speaker at national conferences on the issues of gender, race and power and will lead a plenary session on the topic of diversity and spirituality from a cross-cultural perspective.

The conference is open to all and is intended particularly for professionals, including psychologists, psychiatrists, educators, counselors, social workers, health care workers, clergy, attorneys, human services professionals, students, and others who may be interested. Specific topics to be covered at the conference include approaches to working with military families, Latino families, Native American families and refugee populations. Additional sessions will focus on the anti-racism movement, women and oppression and creating a socially just agency. Panel discussions on spirituality and diversity are also planned. Continuing education credits will be available to those who are interested.

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Source: Tracy Blaine, (701) 231-8534, tracy.blaine@ndsu.nodak.edu
Editor: Rich Mattern, (701) 231-6136, richard.mattern@ndsu.nodak.edu