Barn Chat with Niloufer Merchant

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Dr. Niloufer Merchant is Professor Emerita at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota where she taught Counseling for 28 years. She is currently a Licensed Psychologist in private practice in Minneapolis, MN. Her areas of specialization include working with complex trauma with a focus on trauma related to racial/cultural issues. She is certified in EMDR and trained in Brainspotting, Emotional Freedom Techniques and other mind-body and mindfulness-based approaches. She has presented and published widely on multicultural counseling, cultural competencies, and group work. She has also held multiple leadership roles on local, state, and national levels. Throughout her career, Niloufer has advocated for creating safe spaces for people of color in schools, universities, and community settings promoting antiracism and systemic change. Most recently she has presented on the application of Polyvagal Theory (PVT) in understanding and healing racial trauma including a TEDx talk which connects the principles of PVT to cultural practices and ancient wisdom.