Antiracism Work Takes Courage. you can Be Part Of The Solution.

Be Intentional, Be Engaged, Become Urban Trauma Informed

If you are an educator, first responder, counselor, caseworker, activist … any profession that works with people of color in urban communities, this is your CALL TO ACTION. Be prepared and ready to help those affected the most by systemic racism. Join the Urban Trauma® learning community, today!

You can be a leader focused on breaking the cycle of injustice and racism.

You can listen, you can learn, you will have the necessary tools once you understand Urban Trauma.

WHAT IS URBAN TRAUMA?

Not a label or condition, Urban Trauma is a framework to identify, reclaim and heal from structural racism. Key components contributing to its development are the foundational pillars of Urban Trauma: history, biology and environment.

HISTORICAL RACISM

The history of racism is crucial to gaining insight about Urban Trauma – multigenerational and chronic exposure to racialized trauma from the period of the enslavement of Africans to modern-day mass incarceration to implicit and unconscious bias. An essential aspect of antiracism work is learning about the lasting and detrimental psychological effects of racism.

BIOLOGY/ EPIGENETICS

Constant exposure to certain traumas over time becomes integrated in our genetic makeup. Epigenetics has identified a marker for traumatic stress in our DNA, generated by daily exposure to both subtle and explicit forms of racism. Inherited trauma, often passed down one generation after another, can cause devastating effects in physical and mental health.

TOXIC ENVIRONMENT

We are an extension of our environment. Nurture plays a vital role in our development, including how we handle our challenges and successes. Inequities in urban environments can make Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) more susceptible to developing urban trauma.

Urban trauma is a deep-rooted psychological and genetic condition that is caused by

RACIALLY

motivated toxic stress in urban settings.

Do you work with people facing:

Housing, Foster Care & Food Insecurities?
Educational and Behavioral Challenges?
Health Problems or Disability?
Criminal Justice Involvement?
Substance Use?
Do you sometimes feel lost in light of the ongoing racial challenges and unrest?
Are you committed to making a greater impact in your work?
Do you want to understand the principles necessary for strength and resilience?

There is a way forward.
Urban Trauma® Informed.
Join our learning community.

Do you work with people facing:

This framework does not require past education or experience in mental health. It was specifically created for all professionals, educators, nonprofit and faith leaders, law enforcement, corrections officers, child protective services, mental health and community service providers.

Multiple forms of racism and discrimination continue to be supported by government, laws, policies, institutions, and people.
Learn how you can help equip the individuals you work with to persevere through the problems of today’s society.
Develop a heightened sense of cultural responsiveness – know your own bias and worldview to better understand the individuals you work with.
Become aware of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), including how the death of a parent or racial violence, can affect academic performance.

Real Life Stories

“This is a powerful resource for practitioners seeking to gain a deeper understanding of the far-reaching impact of urban trauma on children and families involved in the juvenile justice system.”

Tasha Hunt

“Dr. Akbar connected with our families by sharing her own testimony of experiencing and coping with urban trauma. Hartford Public Schools (HPS) families were so inspired and challenged by Dr. Akbar, that she returned in September 2020 to open the school year with a message to our staff, teachers, and administrators. Her address to HPS challenged us to look at the ways we may be perpetuating trauma in classrooms, school buildings, and in our interactions with students & families.”

Nuchette M. Black-Burke, M.Ed.

Dr. Akbar has partnered with some of the world’s most powerful organizations in reenvisioning their commitment to antiracism and racial justice work.

These partnerships span across all industries, including professional sports, finance, law, philanthropy, and the nonprofit sector.

What exactly is Urban Trauma?

Anger
Mistrus
Manipulation
Fear
Perceptual Erro
Rejection

Urban Trauma® Informed A COURSE FOR PROVIDERS, HELPERS, AND HEALERS

Learn through this series of multimedia modules, curated by Dr. Maysa Akbar, a leading expert in racial trauma. Her critical viewpoints produce an in-depth dialogue that exposes the complexities of racial tensions and societal conflict in these divisive times.
These courses provide easy to use guidelines in order to create and sustain antiracism.
The course is solution-focused and anchored on the principles of Urban Trauma.

“I am relentless in my pursuit of racial justice and mental health.

Dr. Maysa Akbar, PhD, ABPP

Dr. Maysa Akbar is a groundbreaking psychologist, best-selling author, and healer. A thought leader and expert in racial trauma, allyship, diversity, equity, and inclusion, she is sought out by corporations, philanthropies, nonprofit organizations, urban school districts, and social service agencies to promote antiracism and advance racial equity. She brings insight, courage, and passion to her conversations with communities of color and white communities alike.
Early in her career, she recalls a pivotal moment: “I was sitting around a table, surrounded by people who did not look like me, who were trying to figure out how to help ‘these poor’ Black and Brown children. They spoke about our beautiful children as if they were defective and in dire need of salvation. They had no personal insight into how our children came to live in their neighborhoods, how their families struggled, or how their schools lacked the resources to provide them with a proper education. “I knew that structural racism was alive and well; I have often witnessed its path of destruction, both personally and professionally.
“At that moment, I decided that I would not be a spectator watching others make decisions for our kids, our families, our community – so instead I stepped up and challenged the status quo. “I refused to passively sit by one more day, as folks carelessly labeled our children – disenfranchised, troubled, at risk, noncompliant. I committed to being a disruptor who would educate and inform others about racism’s role in the collective traumatic experiences of diverse people. I committed to deepening my healing work with individuals to being an agent of systemic change for communities of color.
“I have been able to slowly dismantle racism with the support of allies who funded my work, the accomplices who lifted the Urban Trauma® framework, and advocates who secured my seat at the table. For all these reasons, Urban Trauma® framework and the Allyship Identity Model were born.” Dr. Akbar is a board-certified clinical psychologist and an Assistant Clinical Professor at Yale University, School of Medicine. The CEO and founder of Integrated Wellness Group, a psychotherapy practice specializing in treating race-based trauma since 2008, Dr. Akbar also represents the American Psychological Association at the United Nations. Dr. Akbar lives in New Haven with her husband and two children. In her spare time, she engages in meditation and yoga practices focused on healing and liberation from race-based trauma.

Becoming Urban Trauma Informed means . . .

You can define, understand and identify the six characteristics of Urban Trauma and its effects on urban populations.
You will better understand the impact racism has on BIPOC individuals – not just in instances of explicit racism but also in the everyday encounters with unconscious and implicit biases.
You have clearer insight into behavioral patterns and complex limiting behaviors.
You have the tools to help individuals find their balance and embark on the road to emotional wellness and healing.
You recognize the processes that help build mental toughness and grit.
You attain a greater sense of cultural humility and cultural responsiveness in your work with communities of color.
You will be part of a great learning community focused on antiracism and racial justice work.

What’s included in the Urban Trauma Informed program?

When you enroll in the Informed program, you will receive one-year access to:

A complete membership portal with all your essential resources in one place

Videos by Dr. Akbar and other experts that address the many facets of Urban Trauma

Emails to keep you
focused and on
track

Modules with assignments encouraging reflection, thought and growt

Audio lessons you can take with you during your busy day

You will also gain a lifetime benefit from:

The opportunity for self-reflection to explore your own identity and implicit biases.
A greater sense of commitment with clear applications to your community work anchored in racial justice.

The Urban Trauma Informed program comprises nine modules:

Each module includes information presented in multiple media – audio, video and online links to relevant articles – to reinforce lessons for all learning styles.
A homework assignment at the end of each module ensures you have mastered the material before advancing to the next module.
A time of self-reflection is programmed into each module to help you understand how urban trauma may have affected you or the people around you, especially those you work with.
Consider each module as more than a collection of information but also as a new step you can take to apply this knowledge to your everyday life.

MODULE 1

What is Urban Trauma?

Urban Trauma is not a diagnosis or a mental health issue. It is not present in everyone, nor is it self-inflicted. It is a deep-rooted psychological and genetic condition that is caused by racially motivated toxic stress in disenfranchised communities .

MODULE 2

Foundations of Urban Trauma

Grounded in history, biology and environment, Urban Trauma upacks the impact of centuries of chronic discrimination against Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities.

MODULE 3

Anger

One of the rawest emotions, anger is even more pronounced for people of color. Whether consciously or subconsciously, the majority of those with urban trauma intimately identify with anger because there is profound pain associated with experiences of racism.

MODULE 4

Mistrust

Systemic racism does not foster positive nurturing attachments or relationships. For that reason trust has been deeply broken for centuries and continues to be abused. So how can we expect those with urban trauma to develop trust in people, programs and systems that have caused extraordinary harm?

MODULE 5

Manipulation

Manipulation is very much a survival tactic. Those experiencing urban trauma may see relationships as leverage, a way to have personal and individual needs met, a means to an end.

MODULE 6

Anger

Fear is paralyzing, consumes our thinking, and stunts our growth. Fear does not allow for thoughtful planning and execution of self-empowerment.

MODULE 7

Perceptual Error

Through the lens of urban trauma, our motives, needs, and the stories we tell ourselves influence our perception in particular ways and often stem from a drive for survival.

MODULE 8

Rejection

A core element of urban trauma, rejection piggybacks on physical pain pathways in the brain. Most people who experience race-based trauma have been rejected or abandoned at some point in their lives. Rejection creates surges of anger and aggression.

MODULE 9

Wrap-up and Next Steps

Racism continues to reinvent itself at every point in history. We must become antiracist to dismantle systemic oppression. Understanding the different variations of racism allows us to break generational cycles and strive for a more equitable world.

100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Sharing the powerful impact that understanding Urban Trauma can mean for healing communities of color is Dr. Akbar’s life mission and passion. If you are not satisfied for any reason with the course materials and personal knowledge gained during the Urban Trauma® Informed program, however, we will refund your enrollment fee within 30 days.

frequently asked questions

How long does it take to complete this program?

We recommend that you spend a few days on each module in order to absorb the information, reflect on your own role in historic systemic racism, and complete the homework assignments. With nine modules, we estimate that it will take about three weeks. With the online format, you can learn at your own pace.

I feel uncomfortable about some of the topics this program will cover.

That’s a natural response to new learnings and perspectives you may never have considered. Becoming Urban Trauma® Informed requires that you move out of your comfort zone to confront serious issues associated with racial injustice. You should expect to experience some discomfort. Recognize those feelings and acknowledge them as signs of personal growth.

Can I return to previous modules to refresh my understanding of a topic?

Absolutely! You have access to the entire program for one full year after your enrollment. Feel free to review materials at your leisure.

Can I share my lessons with others in my community?

We encourage you to share your newfound knowledge with others in your community and the people you serve. You will also join a learning community of many Urban Trauma practitioners who will be training alongside you. But please recognize that your access to the membership site is limited to you and only you. The materials in the program are copyrighted by Dr. Maysa Akbar and are not available for duplication or distribution without her permission.

The Urban Trauma Informed program gives you access to all this for one full year:

A complete membership portal
A free copy of The Workbook for Professionals to facilitate your learning, with practical tools to evaluate your clients’ struggles and vulnerabilities and an opportunity for self-reflection.
Emails to keep you focused and on track
Assignments that encourage reflection and personal growth
Audio lessons you can take with you during your busy day

The Urban Trauma® Informed program is not available anywhere else.

Register now to become Informed. Help and heal those who suffer from the effects of Urban Trauma and restore their hope for a better future.