2020 Conference

The 2020 Epps Conference featured keynote speakers Dr. Tahirah Abdullah-Swain from University of Massachusetts–Boston, and Dr. Jessica Graham-LoPresti from Suffolk University. Their organization, Bare Mental Health and Wellness, focuses on promoting healing from racial trauma and mental wellness, with a particular focus in higher education and underrepresented faculty. 

 

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    Jessica Graham-LoPresti, Ph.D.

    Dr. Graham-LoPresti is co-founder of BARE Mental Health & Wellness, and an Assistant Professor of Psychology in the clinical psychology doctoral program at Suffolk University. Dr. Graham-LoPresti graduated from Williams College with a B.A. in Psychology and American Studies and received her M.A. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Massachusetts Boston. She has focused her career on promoting the resilience, health, and well-being of people and communities of color and has published extensively on the multi-level impact of racism on mental health as well as barriers to quality and effective mental healthcare for underserved and underrepresented communities. In addition, Dr. Graham-LoPresti owns a clinical private practice where she helps clients cope with a range of psychological struggles including anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship challenges, as well as stress associated with marginalization and oppression.
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      Tahirah Abdullah-Swain, Ph.D.

      Dr. Abdullah-Swain is co-founder of BARE Mental Health & Wellness, and an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Massachusetts Boston. She received her B.A. in Psychology and Africana Studies from the University of Miami, and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Kentucky. Dr. Abdullah-Swain's research focuses on the impact of racism and discrimination on mental health, barriers to help-seeking for mental health problems, mental illness and mental health treatment stigma, and understanding Black Americans' therapy experiences. She aims to use the knowledge gained from her research to improve the quality and accessibility of mental health services for Black Americans, and reduce the stigma associated with mental illness and mental health treatment. In addition to her research, Dr. Abdullah-Swain mentors doctoral students and teaches introduction to psychology classes, undergraduate Race, Culture and Relationships classes, as well as doctoral-level Culture and Mental Health and Clinical Intervention Strategies courses.
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