February is Black History Month - this serves as a reminder of the importance of acknowledging and confronting systemic injustices while celebrating the rich heritage, achievements, and resilience of Black people around the world. It is a time for dialogue, reflection, and action towards building a more equitable and inclusive society for all. While its origins lie in the United States, its message resonates globally due to the shared experiences of the African diaspora and the ongoing fight against racism, oppression, and inequality.
The IFS Institute honors diverse voices within and beyond the IFS Community. We are thrilled to highlight the significant contributions of Black individuals who play an essential role in our community. We are grateful to have talented and effective trainers in the IFS Community, thank you for your work.
David Allick – Co-Lead Trainer
David Allick, LCSW (St. Thomas University in St. Paul, Minnesota), Certified IFS Therapist, Consultant, Co-Lead Trainer, Certified EMDR Therapist and member of the EMDR Institute of Israel. David was born overseas and raised in the States and settled in Israel in 2015. He served in the United States Air Force in various positions such as a Recruiter, Industrial Organization Psychologist and Professional Military Education Instructor. After serving in the military, David taught first grade in an inner city school and later moved into work as an LCSW. David worked in a maximum security prison in Stillwater, MN, in CPS (child protective services), in hospice and at the County Jail in Milwaukee as a Psychiatric Social Worker and treated clients suffering from disorders such as anxiety, depression, bi-polar, schizophrenia, adjustment, PTSD and personality disorders. David currently has a private practice in Israel and has recently begun servicing clients with Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). David’s unique personal and professional history and experience along with his natural ability to connect to and support his clients encourages a lot of personal growth. His mission and passion is to provide client-centered therapy that will meet the growing needs of his clients and to help them to fully see themselves for who they are while accomplishing their goals and fulfilling their deepest desires in life.
Requina Barnes – Assistant Trainer
Requina Barnes, LICSW, has been in the field of social work for over 16 years. She has a private practice and works with adults and couples focusing on attachment, codependency, relationship challenges and trauma. She practices from an IFS lens with her clients. She is an adjunct professor and teaches social work classes at Boston University and Curry College.
Rosa Bramble Caballero – Assistant Trainer Mentee
Rosa Maria Bramble Caballero, LCSW-R, is a Certified IFS Therapist. She’s the President of Caballero Counseling & Consulting Services where she is specializing in the treatment of trauma survivors. In addition to IFS, she is trained in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, EMDR and Coherent Breathing. Sh facilitates supervision, trauma-informed workshops and retreats to community-based organizations and capacity building in the areas of migration trauma, diversity and inclusion, maternal infant health, community violence intervention and vicarious traumatization. Her IFS journey has been transformative and healing and she’s excited to integrate the model to her work with refugees, asylum seekers and immigrant communities. Rosa believes in the healing power of music and movement. She loves dancing salsa, drumming, traveling, art, cooking, sharing time with friends, family and her two children who bring he joy and inspiration. Rosa was born in Caracas, Venezuela and is bilingual Spanish- English.
Margaret L. Conley – Assistant Trainer Mentee
Margaret L. Conley is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in the Atlanta, Georgia area and happens to be licensed in Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Massachusetts, and Missouri. Margaret primarily uses the Internal Family Systems Model in her work with individuals, couples and families. She is particularly focused on working within the Black Faith Community integrating IFS and other relational methods of healing from an Afrocentric perspective.
LaTonya Demps – Assistant Trainer Mentee
LaTonya Demps, LCSW is a psychotherapist, trainer, consultant, and social justice advocate. In her private practice LaTonya is passionate about offering an affirming, collective healing community for individuals and couples. She specializes in complex trauma, perfectionism, anxiety, relational concerns, and caretaker burnout. LaTonya utilizes IFS, self-compassion, EMDR, and mind-body approaches in her work- with a focus on the impact of systemic racism and oppression. She facilitates mental health workshops, and feels honored to support practitioners and clinicians as they learn IFS. LaTonya is a Certified IFS therapist, consultant and trainer with the IFS Institute. LaTonya is also a Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory © where she focuses on supporting organizations to build supportive, culturally affirming environments for their teams.
Fatimah Finney – Assistant Trainer
Fatimah Finney, LMHC is a serial goal-setter, lover of new ideas, and imaginative thinker. She is a certified Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapist and maintains a private practice serving BIPOC and young adults. As an administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory, Fatimah is a consultant to individuals and organizations looking to build their capacity and skills in centering diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice. Fatimah facilitates workshops on intercultural competence, microaggressions and mental health awareness with an aim to make workplaces more inclusive and equitable. Prior to her counseling and consulting practice, Fatimah spent the majority of her career providing in-home therapy to children, adolescents and adults and serving in clinical leadership roles. Through her work in community mental health settings, she cultivated a strong commitment to helping therapists increase their cultural competence and clinical fluency with diverse populations.
Tamala Floyd – Solo Lead Trainer
Tamala Floyd, LCSW-BACS has over 25 years of experience as a psychotherapist working with children, families, and women with trauma histories. She has expertise in childhood sexual abuse, women’s sexual trauma and domestic violence.Tamala has worked in various settings including schools, criminal justice, hospitals, community mental health and private practice. She is an IFS consultant providing BIPOC therapists and practitioners with supervision towards IFS certification. Tamala provides business coaching to women entrepreneurs and therapist to assist in building their businesses and practices by overcoming mindset blocks that impede their success. She has authored a chapter in “Fiercely Speaking,” entitled, Healing the Wounded Mother and a chapter in an upcoming the book, “Internal Family Systems Therapy: Supervision and Consultation.” The chapter focuses on IFS consultation with BIPOC therapists.
Gerard Grigsby – Assistant Trainer
Gerard Grigsby, LCPC, LPC, is a proud Black, gay, first-gen college graduate (and HBCU alum) with roots in the world of recovery. He earned his M.Ed in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, as well as his Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision, from Ohio University. Gerard has over 10 years of clinical counseling experience — he has worked in college counseling and community mental health settings, and he currently manages a private practice in his home state of Maryland. Gerard’s practice is open to all, but he is most energized in his work with Black queer and same-gender-loving men. Gerard officially began his IFS journey as a member of the second BTR-IFS Level 1 cohort. Since then, he has served as a PA for several trainings and discovered a passion for teaching and supporting the learning of others, especially healers of color. Gerard is so grateful for the opportunity to develop his gifts and continue his personal growth within the IFS community. When he takes his therapist hat off, Gerard enjoys spending time with loved ones and making people laugh. He also enjoys dancing, boxing, singing, hiking, listening to audiobooks, and journaling.
Carmen Jimenez-Pride – Co-Lead Trainer
Carmen Jimenez-Pride is the founder, and Executive Director of Outspoken Counseling and Consulting. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Registered Play Therapist Supervisor, Certified EMDR Therapist, Internal Family Systems Therapist, Registered Yoga Teacher, Registered Children Yoga Teacher and a Certified Daring Way™ Facilitator. Carmen is also a LEGO® Serious Play® Facilitator.
Carmen is the developer of Diversity in Play Therapy Inc.; and creator/organizer of the Diversity in Play Therapy Summit. Carmen received her Bachelor of Social Work with a certificate in Child Protective Services from Benedict College. She was then accepted into the advanced standing program at the University of South Carolina earning a Master of Social Work with a focus on communities and organizations. Carmen’s passion is youth/ children, and she has dedicated herself not only to enriching the lives of children, but also providing the tools and curriculum for clinicians to ensure her goal to reach others has an even farther span in society.
Carmen is experienced in clinical treatment of children, adolescents and adults with culturally diverse backgrounds addressing a wide range of concerns. Carmen’s career in the mental health field spans more than 15 years. Her experience as a therapist, consultant, trainer, educator, coach and author encompass Carmen’s approach to practice, which is “Together We Will Grow”
Crystal Jones – Col-Lead Trainer
Crystal Jones, LCSW, is a Certified IFS Therapist and Lead IFS Trainer. She feels extremely grateful to have experienced and witnessed the healing benefits of the IFS model in her own life and in the lives of her clients. She has 20 years of clinical experience and owns a private group practice, Life Source Counseling Center in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Crystal is known for her compassion and heart-led approach to her work. She is passionate about creating safe spaces for BIPOC women to feel connected, seen, heard, and valued as they do their healing work individually and collectively. She also enjoys providing IFS clinical consultation to therapists and practitioners learning the model and pursuing certification. She truly looks forward to sharing in the healing journeys of all inspired by this model.
Vanessa Peavy – Assistant Trainer
Vanessa Peavy, LCSW, certified IFS therapist, and IFS-approved consultant. She is the Director of Field Education at the State University of New York, Brockport. Vanessa is also trained in the IFIO model and works with individuals and couples in her private practice. Training and organizational leadership are my professional passions. I utilize the IFS model across professional settings because I am driven to promote internal wellness within oneself and within organizations that render services, support their staff, and educate students.