Niquanna Barnett Presents “Understanding Historical Trauma: How to Heal and Move Forward”

Niquanna Barnett, In-Home Family Therapist and Intake Specialist at Orion Family Services, developed and presented the workshop “Understanding Historical Trauma: How to Heal and Move Forward”, and has future speaking engagements to continue this important discussion.

The workshop provides education on historical trauma and the impact it has on African Americans, Native Americans, and other ethnic communities. Ms. Barnett explains that through this workshop attendees will “gain a better understanding of how past events have shaped the culture and DNA of different ethnicities and how it shapes and plays a role in regards to intergenerational trauma. This workshop will help people to work together to combat the effects of racism, prejudices, microaggressions and misogyny. This workshop will also serve as a call to action for us to continue to be a diverse organization, society, and institution and work on combating these issues. .…We as a society can better understand historical trauma, work with cultures that suffer from it and how to hopefully break the cycle of it continuing. It is important for anyone working with minorities and other ethnic groups to have cultural competency, and knowledge of historical trauma is a significant part of that. Understanding historical trauma and microaggressions can also help with understanding the different cycle of emotions many African Americans are experiencing in conjunction with current societal events.”

Niquanna first presented her workshop at the UCC Council for Health and Human Service Ministries (CHHSM) national conference in Memphis, Tennessee on March 5th. She explained, “It was a very exhilarating time for me. I enjoy talking about this and educating people on it because if I can get one person to really hear what I am saying and making changes then that means a lot to me. Given what is going on in our society this is more important than you could ever know.”  

She has now presented to human service agencies in Madison and in Arizona, and will be presenting at Carroll University, for agencies in Door County and schools in the Madison area. She will also provide this timely workshop to Orion staff at the next all-staff training day in September.

If you are interested in having this important workshop presented to your organization, please contact Niquanna Barnett at niquannab@gmail.com