LaVerne Collins | SpeakerHub

Personal Details

Bio

Dr. Collins is a highly-rated motivational speaker and trainer with over 25 years of experience promoting wellness at the intersection of race, faith, culture, and trauma. She works with individuals, groups, and organizations, empowering them to see the strengths in their stories and develop new responses to life. Dr. Collins is the founder and CEO of New Seasons Counseling, Training, and Consulting, Inc.

Dr. Collins is the author of two books, "OVERLOOKED: Counselor Insights for the Unspoken Issues in Black American Life," (Rowman and Littlefield Publishing, 2023) and "The Fruit of Your Pain: Experiencing Spiritual Renewal Through Seasons of Struggle" (Renewal Publications, 2002).

She has published several works in professional textbooks and trade publications, including a two-year "Honoring Diversity" series focused on cultural sensitivity in clinical work for the American Counseling Association's magazine, "Counseling Today."

Collins is a contributing author in Springer Publishing's 2022 textbook, "Multicultural Counseling: Responding with Cultural Humility, Empathy, and Advocacy" ( Summers and Nelson, eds.), and she is also a contributing author in the "Sage Encyclopedia of Multicultural Counseling, Social Justice, and Advocacy" (Dermer and Abdullah, eds).

Current position (1)

Owner

New Seasons Counseling, Training, and Consulting, Inc.

Degrees (2)

MS Ed, Community Counseling

Duquesne University

1991 to 1996

PhD., Christian Counseling

South Florida Bible College and Seminary

1998 to 2001

Presentations

Presentations (6)

Aiming Treatment at the Right Target: Commonly Overlooked Diagnostic Errors with Black Clients

The effects of racialization and marginalization on Black clients can often be overlooked, leading to underdiagnosis, overdiagnosis, or total misdiagnosis. This webinar addresses overlooked clinical bias and diagnostic disparities that affect treatment for people of Black/African American ancestry. This presentation assists in developing the participants' cultural consciousness and helps to improve the counseling experience and effectiveness for Black American clients.

Overlooked Ethical Issues in Multicultural Counseling and Supervision: Case Studies for Today's Wo

Ethical care for marginalized groups requires a commitment to cultural sensitivity. Since the 2014 revision of the American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics, a global justice and diversity movement has changed politically correct language and inclusivity standards. A worldwide pandemic changed how counselors deliver services, increased the demand for counseling services, and brought stress, fatigue, and burnout to counselors and clients alike. Artificial intelligence (AI) is taking the world by storm but raises concerns about ethical use in counseling. Against that backdrop, the ethical code continues to set the standard for professional counseling practice. Using contemporary case studies, this workshop examines ethical issues that may arise in counseling. The presentation invites exploration of the counselor’s personal ethical stance and encourages counselors’ continual self-monitoring of how their values and self-care practices may impact their effectiveness.

The Overlooked Grief of Everyday Racism: Counselor Insights for Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment

The losses caused by everyday racism run deep and wide in the lives of minoritized clients but are not generally recognized by society. The non-finite losses and chronic sorrow of minoritized clients are heavy weights on their shoulders and may have never been explored from a grief and loss perspective. In this presentation, we talk about the ways that professional counselors can recognize and respond to ambiguous loss and disenfranchised grief experienced by Black clients, with an emphasis on helping clients guard their mental health.

Reversing the Deficit Narratives: Overlooked Strengths in Black American Life and Culture

The most effective clinical interventions center on a person’s strengths and resources, both internal and external. Despite the abundance of literature and research on the importance of strengths-based work, much of the scholarly investigations into Black families have concentrated on identifying and responding to perceived weaknesses and problems. Consequently, counselors are frequently only prepared to pathologize Black clients, which is more disempowering than empowering for Black families and contributes to their general distrust of mental health providers. In this webinar, we'll tell the other side of the story, challenge the prevailing deficit narratives, and equip counselors to recognize overlooked strengths in Black families, faith, and resilience.

Understanding the Death Disparity: Overlooked Impact of Shorter Life Expectancies in Black Families

Disease, systemic racism, and the effects of toxic stress on Black American life commonly result in shorter life expectancies and the experience of family loss at an early age. Studies show the pattern of early deaths in Black families is an overlooked source of racial disadvantage that damages long-term mental and physical health. Consider that Black Americans have over three times higher odds of experiencing the death of two or more
family members by the age of 30 when compared to White Americans. Additionally, Blacks are about 90% more likely than Whites to have already experienced four or more deaths by the age of 60. In contrast, White Americans are 30% more likely to have never experienced a family loss by age 60. A challenge for counselors is that grief and early losses begin so young and are so commonplace that Black clients might not mention the extent of their losses. Counselors must invite this question to the foreground and be prepared to discuss its impact.

Disrupting Prevailing Ideologies How to Optimize Therapy with Black Clients

What have counselors been missing in caring for Black/African American clients? How do we make therapy with Black clients as effective and functional as possible? How do we disrupt treatment norms that pathologize, alienate, and dehumanize Black stories and experiences? The missing piece will not be found in an intervention, or greater' cultural competence,' or in addressing more barriers to care. We are missing a particular mindset that demands consideration. This presentation addresses the need for a crucial ideological and foundational shift in care for members of racialized communities. When we name this missing piece, participants will be invited to critically examine current practices and reimagine culturally and racially appropriate supports for Black/African American community members.

All (12)
Videos (3)
Photos (2)
Slides (2)
One sheet (1)
Press information (4)

LaVerne Collins" Introduction

Overlooked Promo 1 min

Overlooked Promo 2 min â Made with FlexClip

Authority Magazine asks Dr. Collins for the keys to becoming a highly effective public speaker.igh

Named one of Speaker Magazine's Rising Stars for 2025

Overlooked Promo Video 00:18:44

LaVerne Collins" Introduction

Collins Speaker One-Sheet

Seeing the Overlooked Issues in Black American Life.pdf

US Times

LaVerne Hanes Collins of New Seasons Counseling, Training and Consulting On The 5 Things You Need…

DR. LAVERNE HANES COLLINS | Speakers Magazine

Books & Articles (24)

OVERLOOKED: Counselor Insights for the Unspoken Issues in Black American Life

Rowman and Littlefield,

2023

The Fruit of Your Pain

Renewal Publications,

2002

Treatment Barrier or Counselor Bias?

Racial Colorblindness in Counseling Relationships: Ethics, Innocence & Harm

Healing the Soul Wound of Identity-Based Trauma

Beyond either/or: Serving Biracial, Multiracial and Multiethnic Clients

Faith-based Mental Health Promotion for Black Communities

Sorrow Buried Alive: Exploring the Grief of Racism

Race and Cultural Ruptures in Counseling

Religious Bias, Microaggressions, and Stigma

Racism, Rage, and Relationships

The Question of Racial Matching

Fighting Classism

Ethnic Bias and the Latine Experience

The Paradox of Age Bias (Part 1): Ageism

The Paradox of Age Bias (Part 2): Youthism

Colorism: The Complexion Privilege

Jewish Culture, Religiosity, and Mental Health

Risk, Race, and Racism in Maternal Mental Health (An interview with Dr. Kristy Holloway)

Military Culture and Mental Health

Can Racism Rob Children of Innocence?

When Clients Are Angry at God

Unraveling the Complexities of Mental Health in the AAPI Diaspora

Multicultural Consciousness in Continuing Education

Expertise (27)

Health & Well-being

Social & Political

Clients

American Counseling Association

Licensed Professional Counseling Association of GA

Center for Management and Organization Effectiveness

Chestnut Health Systems

Georgia Addiction Counselors Association

ICADD

Black Mental Health Symposium

Transformation Training Institute

American Inter-Faith Institute on Recovery

National Benevolent Association of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

Pineland Behavioral Health /Developmental Disabilities

Grady Hospital, Atlanta

The Neighborhood Counseling Center

Southeast Brainspotting Institute

NBCC Foundation

WAKE Area Health Education Center (AHEC)

Greensboro Area Health Education Center (AHEC)

Awards & certifications (1)

Trailblazer Award

Transformation Training Institute

2024

Reviews

Testimonials (1)

LaVerne is an exceptional speaker with a wealth of knowledge and insights to share. Her presentations are not only engaging but also packed with actionable advice that can be implemented immediately. I wholeheartedly recommend her to any meeting planner or corporate HR team seeking a dynamic speaker or a skilled consultant to inspire and deliver results.
Ryan Dohrn
Verified