November BIPOC Therapist Social
Description
BIPOC Therapist Social
Come join us at McCarren Parkhouse for a BIPOC Therapist Social!
This is an opportunity for BIPOC Therapists to breathe, share, and be in community with others who understand the unique weight we carry in this work. So often, we pour into others while holding the complexities of our identities, often in isolation. But healing work isn’t meant to happen alone.
Whether you're a seasoned therapist, just starting out, or somewhere in between, you are welcome here.
Guest Speakers:
Mavis Smith (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, researcher, and adjunct professor committed to culturally responsive care and community empowerment. She holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from New York University, where she honed her clinical expertise in evidence-based interventions, trauma-informed care, and holistic treatment approaches.
Mavis currently balances multiple roles as a medical social worker at NYU Hospital, the founder and lead clinician of Chasing Serenity Psychotherapy, PLLC, and an adjunct professor teaching graduate-level courses on cultural diversity and mental health. Her private practice specializes in serving BIPOC communities across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Delaware, with a focus on trauma, chronic illness, anxiety, and life transitions.
As a Ph.D. candidate in Social Welfare at Yeshiva University, Mavis’s research centers on diabetes distress and coping mechanisms among African American, Afro-Caribbean, and African immigrant populations. Her academic interests include chronic illness management, racial and ethnic health disparities, and the intersection of mental and physical health.
Mavis is deeply committed to mentorship, public education, and expanding access to equitable mental healthcare. Through clinical supervision, speaking engagements, and continuing education initiatives, she is building a more inclusive future for mental health care, one that honors culture, resilience, and lived experience.
Follow Mavis on Instagram: @ChasingSerenitypsychotherapy
Alena Aguilar, LMSW. (further information coming soon!)
Excited and want to dive deeper into the presentation topics? (us too!)
Each presenter chose a book that pairs with their presentation, inviting people to dive deeper into the subjects. Find it at our local bookstore, Mil Mundos in Bushwick! They carry books that elevate Black, Latinx, and Indigenous writers. You can also grab one at our event!
Mavis & Alena's' pick: Ride or Die: A Feminist Manifesto for the Well-Being of Black Women
Follow us on Instagram: @bipoctherapistcollective
Interested in joining but can’t make it this time? Share your info here and I’ll keep you in the loop for future events: BIPOC Therapist Social Future Events
Agenda
- 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Guided Icebreakers & Networking
Ease into the evening with a lightly structured networking session designed to help you meet new people in a relaxed and intentional way.
- 8:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Mavis Smith & Alena Aguilar
Mavis and Alena's presentation examines the relationship between diabetes distress, coping mechanisms, and ethnicity among Black adults, including African Americans, Afro-Caribbeans, and African immigrants, through a culturally responsive and salutogenic framework. Participants will explore how cultural stressors, acculturation, structural inequities, and sociocultural beliefs influence diabetes self-management and psychological well-being. The course integrates Diabetes Distress Theory, Lazarus and Folkman’s Transactional Model of Stress and Coping, Cultural Stress Theory, and Person-in-Environment perspectives to contextualize clinical assessment and intervention. Emphasis is placed on identifying culturally patterned coping strategies and distinguishing adaptive versus maladaptive coping responses within diverse Black communities. Participants will review empirical research findings, clinical vignettes, and assessment tools relevant to diabetes distress. The course highlights implications for social work practice across micro, mezzo, and macro levels, including culturally responsive assessment, intervention planning, and advocacy. Ethical considerations, health disparities, and culturally informed engagement strategies are discussed in alignment with NYSED practice areas and diversity competencies.
- 8:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Second Presenter
To be announced.
- 9:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Connect & Chat
Stick around for open-ended connection time. Grab a drink, follow up on good conversations, or just unwind with fellow BIPOC therapists in community.
FAQs
- Do I need to be a licensed therapist to attend?
No! This space is open to all BIPOC mental health workers, including students, trainees, and those exploring the field.
- Is this a formal networking event?
Not at all - this is a casual, welcoming space to connect, share, and be in community :)
- Can I bring a friend or colleague?
Absolutely!! The more, the better! I challenge each person attending to share this event with 3 other BIPOC therapists. Let’s grow this community together!
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
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