Nationally Recognized Expert on Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome to Speak at Holy Cross

WORCESTER, Mass. – In honor of Black History Month, Joy Leary, assistant professor of psychology at Portland State University, will give a presentation titled "Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome" on Thursday, Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. in the Hogan Campus Center Ballroom at the College of the Holy Cross. The event, sponsored by the Black Student Union (BSU), is free and open to the public.

The presentation is based on her current book Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome: America's Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing (Uptone Press 2005). Leary will discuss how different levels of clinically induced and socially learned residual stress-related issues were passed along through generations due to slavery.

“The theory of Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome suggest that centuries of slavery followed by systemic racism and oppression have resulted in multigenerational adaptive behaviors, some of which have been positive and reflective of resilience, and others that are detrimental and destructive,” according to Leary’s Web site.

Leary received her B.S., M.S.W., (master's degree in social work) and her Ph.D. from Portland State University. She has over 20 years of experience as a professional in the field of social work. Performing workshops all over the country, her seminars are regarded as the most dynamic and inspirational currently being presented on the issues of culture, race relations and contemporary social issues.