Dr. Monnica Williams is a professor at the University of Ottawa, where she holds the Canada Research Chair in mental health disparities. Her research is focused on mental health, race, racism and novel approaches to treatment. In this conversation, she is sharing about her research and tips for healing racial trauma based on the latest research.She also offers a call to action for players in the psychedelic space to improve diversity at all levels. We also discuss what a culturally informed psychedelic experience looks like, and what to look for in a guide if you’re looking to heal racial trauma. This conversation offers support and hope for those who have been harmed by racial trauma. It also offers insights and language for those who aspire to be allies.Dr. Monnica T. Williams is a board-certified licensed clinical psychologist and Professor at the University of Ottawa in the School of Psychology, where she is the Canada Research Chair in Mental Health Disparities. She is also the Clinical Director of the Behavioral Wellness Clinics in Connecticut and Ottawa, where she provides supervision and training to clinicians for empirically-supported treatments. Prior to her move to Canada, Dr. Williams was on the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania Medical School (2007-2011); the University of Louisville in Psychological and Brain Sciences (2011-2016), where she served as the Director of the Center for Mental Health Disparities; and the University of Connecticut (2016-2019), where she had appointments in both Psychological Science and Psychiatry. Dr. Williams' research focuses on BIPOC mental health, culture, and psychopathology, and she has published over 200 scientific articles on these topics. Current projects include the assessment of race-based trauma, barriers to treatment in OCD, improving cultural competence in the delivery of mental health care services, and interventions to reduce racism. This includes prior work as a PI in a multisite study of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD for people of color. She also gives diversity trainings nationally for clinical psychology programs, scientific conferences, and community organizations.Through the Kentucky Psychological Association (KPA), Dr. Williams served as the diversity delegate to Washington DC for the American Psychological Association (APA) State Leadership Conference for two consecutive years. She has served as the African American SIG leader for Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT), and currently is Chair of their Academic Training & Education Standards (ATES). She serves as an Associate Editor of Behavior Therapy. She also serves on the editorial board of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Canadian Psychology, International Journal of Mental Health, Journal of Psychedelic Studies, the Journal of Obsessive Compulsive and Related Disorders and the Cognitive Behavioural Therapist. She is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the International OCD Foundation and co-founded their Diversity Council. Her work has been featured in all major US and Canadian media outlets, including NPR, CBS, CTV, Huffington Post, and the New York Times.Topics Covered:What is racial trauma?Tools and research approaches that are applied to understand racial traumaTreatments developed for racial trauma by Dr. Williams, including psychedelicsCommunity and group work versus individual treatment for racial traumaDr. Williams’ psychedelics for racial trauma research findingsIdeal set and setting when using psychedelics for healing racial traumaHow to vet your psychedelic guide for this workA culturally informed psychedelic experienceIntegrating a psychedelic experience when healing racial traumaIntentional steps the psychedelic space can take to diversifyShow Links:Apply for 1:1 Coaching with LanaWhere to find Dr. Monnica Williams:https://www.instagram.com/drmonnica/www.monnicawilliams.comDeliberate Practice in Psychedelic Assisted Therapy [book]Support Dr. Williams’ resea