If the United States were your therapy client, what would the intake assessment look like? What kind of treatment and modalities would employ to help this client? How can liberation psychology assist us in remembering the power of the collective in the face of oppression?

In this podcast episode, Joe Sanok discusses the question, “What if the U.S. Was a Client?”: trauma, collective grief, and liberation psychology with 2023 APA President Dr. Thema Bryant. 

Podcast Sponsor: Headway















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Meet Dr. Thema Bryant







Dr. Thema Bryant is a clinical psychologist, professor at Pepperdine University, and past president of the American Psychological Association. A leading voice on trauma, resilience, and liberation psychology, she directs the Culture and Trauma Research Lab and has worked globally on issues of violence, oppression, and healing.

An ordained minister and sacred artist, Dr. Bryant integrates faith, creativity, and psychology to make mental health accessible and transformative. She is the author of Homecoming: Overcome Fear and Trauma to Reclaim Your Whole, Authentic Self and hosts The Homecoming Podcast, where she explores the intersections of culture, identity, and well-being.

Visit Dr. Bryant’s website and connect on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

In This Podcast



* The United States’ intake assessment 

* Where trauma is and is not named

* Potential modalities 

* Approaching resistance without burnout 

* Dr. Bryant’s advice to private practitioners 



The United States’ intake assessment 

Looking at the United States as a client, I would say that this client is filled with trauma: collective trauma, intergenerational trauma, and collective grief and loss. We are dealing with a client where everyone is aware of the violence, the abuse, and the trauma, but it is not allowed to be spoken about. (Dr. Thema Bryant) 

Dr. Thema Bryant and Joe embark on a compelling thought experiment in considering what the United States of America would be like as a client, sitting in your chair in the office. 

Dr.