( HS Hardy 096468 2025) Regulating Racial Reactivity & Defensiveness

Course overview

Many cross racial interactions, inside and outside the therapy room, lead to reactivity and defensiveness that manifest in a number of ways, such as explosiveness, distancing, disengagement, and self righteousness. But no matter what form reactivity takes, it gets in the way of meaningful and constructive conversations. These kinds of toxic interactions can ruin a friendship, work relationship, and even therapeutic relationship, leaving both parties feeling disillusioned, frustrated, and hopeless about not just current but future cross-racial encounters. In this workshop, well explore: The anatomy of racial reactivity in order to help enhance race-related conversations and avoid inflicting racial harm How racial defensiveness can affect cross-racial engagement in the short and long-term Strategies for addressing, overcoming, and regulating racial reactivity inside and outside of therapy Effective ways to work with defensiveness to achieve honest and productive interactions