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July 13, 2026
Sessions 1 and 2 build a foundational and applied understanding of how assumptions and mental shortcuts develop, how they show up in workplace interactions, and how teams can recognize and interrupt their influence on communication, collaboration, and decision-making. Session 3 focuses on healing-centered practices, grounding participants in approaches that promote wellness, transparency, and collective care during times of change and challenge.
Each 90-minute session is facilitated by Dr. Ashley Stewart and Dwayne Watkins, MPH of C4 Innovations, nationally recognized leaders in belonging-centered practice and organizational development. At the end of each webinar, participants will be invited to continue the conversation through individualized technical assistance or organizational consultation tailored to their needs.
Session 1: Understanding Assumptions — Foundations for Belonging-Centered Practice (Part 1)
Description: All people carry assumptions shaped by their experiences, upbringing, environment, and the messages they receive throughout their lives. This session introduces participants to how these mental shortcuts form, the different ways they can appear, and how they naturally show up in how we see, interpret, and interact with others.
Through reflection, examples, and discussion, participants will build shared language to talk about these dynamics in a grounded and non-judgmental way. The session focuses on increasing awareness of how our individual experiences shape perception and how ingrained patterns can influence workplace culture, decision-making, and the people we serve. This foundation prepares participants for applying these concepts in Part 2.
Session 2: Interrupting Assumptions — Strengthening Workplace Culture & Decision-Making (Part 2)
Description: Building on the foundation from Part 1, this session focuses on how ingrained patterns influence workplace interactions, communication, and collaboration. Participants will explore how unexamined assumptions can shape culture, affect relationships, and impact decision-making.
Through applied examples and practice, participants will learn strategies to recognize, pause, and reduce the influence of these patterns in real time. The session emphasizes accountability, psychological safety, and practical tools that help teams create responsive and supportive work environments.
Session 3: Prioritizing Wellness in Challenging Times
Description: Organizations and service providers continue to navigate increased demand, workforce pressures, and evolving community needs. This session explores resilience through a practical, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive lens, emphasizing wellness, transparency, alignment, and collective care.
Participants will reflect on what it means to sustain themselves and their teams during periods of uncertainty and change. Using tools that support communication, regulation, and connection, participants will explore how to cultivate environments that promote stability, adaptability, and long-term wellbeing.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand how assumptions, bias, and mental shortcuts develop and influence workplace interactions and decision-making.
- Recognize how unexamined patterns can impact communication, collaboration, workplace culture, and service delivery.
- Develop practical strategies to interrupt bias and strengthen belonging-centered and responsive practices.
- Explore trauma-informed and culturally responsive approaches that support resilience, wellness, and collective care.
- Identify tools and practices that promote psychological safety, accountability, adaptability, and long-term organizational well-being.