Anti-Oppressive Psychodynamic Leadership
Program Overview
The Certificate in Anti-Oppressive Psychodynamic Leadership is a post-graduate continuing education program designed for leaders, managers, supervisors, and senior practitioners in social work, healthcare, and allied helping professions. The certificate integrates psychodynamic theory with anti-oppressive and equity-oriented frameworks to support ethical, reflective, and relational leadership in complex organizational environments.
The program examines how unconscious processes, power, privilege, emotion, and group dynamics shape leadership, workplace culture, and decision-making. Learners develop practical strategies for navigating conflict, resistance, burnout, and organizational change while fostering psychological safety and professional sustainability.
Program Structure
Total Modules: 14
Total Instructional Hours: 60 CE hours
Format: Fully online, asynchronous
Estimated Duration: 6–9 months (self-paced)
Assessment Model: 100% auto-graded interactive assessments
Delivery Platform: Thinkific with H5P interactivity and Motrain gamification
Each module is equivalent to 4–5 CE hours and includes structured instructional content, reflective activities, applied scenarios, and an auto-graded knowledge check.
Intended Audience
This certificate is intended for:
Organizational leaders and managers in social services, healthcare, education, and nonprofit sectors
Clinical supervisors and program directors
Senior practitioners transitioning into leadership roles
Consultants and trainers working in people-centered organizations
The program assumes professional experience in a helping or leadership role. No prior psychodynamic training is required.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the certificate, participants will be able to:
Apply anti-oppressive principles to leadership practice with attention to power, equity, and systemic harm.
Analyze unconscious group dynamics and emotional processes that influence organizational functioning.
Use reflective and emotionally intelligent leadership strategies to foster psychological safety.
Navigate conflict, resistance, and challenging workplace behaviours without escalation or moral injury.
Design adaptive leadership responses to organizational change and transition.
Implement equitable performance feedback and accountability practices.
Sustain leadership wellbeing and resilience while managing relational and emotional demands.
Curriculum Outline
Level 1 – Foundations of Psychodynamic & Anti-Oppressive Leadership
Goal: Establish core concepts linking leadership, power, and unconscious processes.
Module 1: Power, Privilege, and the Unconscious
Module 2: Fundamentals of Psychodynamic Theory in Leadership
Module 3: Group Dynamics, Bias, and Psychological Safety
Module 4: Envy, Shame, Anger, and Guilt in Organizations
Module 5: The Anatomy of Organizational Culture
Estimated Hours: 22–25 CE hours
Level 2 – Applied Psychodynamic Leadership Practices
Goal: Develop practical leadership skills for managing people, conflict, and performance.
Module 6: Adaptive Leadership and Organizational Change
Module 7: Conflict Management and Relational Repair
Module 8: Performance Feedback and Developmental Coaching
Module 9: Intercultural Competence and Inclusive Communication
Module 10: Managing Workplace Dynamics and Challenging Behaviours
Estimated Hours: 20–22 CE hours
Level 3 – Advanced Integration & Leadership Sustainability
Goal: Support integration, complexity, and long-term leadership sustainability.
Module 11: Building Team Cohesion and Collective Resilience
Module 12: Working Through Resistance and Unconscious Dynamics
Module 13: Sustaining Motivation and Leadership Wellbeing
Module 14: Applied Case Studies in Leading Through Transitions
Estimated Hours: 13–15 CE hours
Learning Activities & Time-on-Task (Per Module)
Each module is designed to meet CE requirements for structured learning and includes:
On-Screen Learning (1.5–2.0 hrs): Short lectures, conceptual slides, and applied examples
Guided Reflection (0.75–1.0 hr): Structured prompts connecting theory to leadership practice
Interactive Application (0.75–1.0 hr): Scenario-based decision paths and case simulations
Assessment (0.75–1.0 hr): Auto-graded quiz or applied knowledge check
All activities are completed within the learning platform and count toward CE credit.
Assessment & Certification Requirements
To earn the certificate, learners must:
Complete all modules
Achieve passing scores on auto-graded assessments
Complete required interactive and reflective activities
There are no written papers, exams, or live attendance requirements. Progress and completion are tracked digitally.
Accessibility & Learning Design
The program is designed to be accessible and inclusive:
Captioned videos and downloadable transcripts
Plain-language instructional materials
Trauma-informed framing and content warnings where appropriate
Flexible pacing to accommodate diverse learning needs
Continuing Education & Ethical Scope
This certificate is designed to align with continuing education standards for social work and allied helping professions. Content focuses on leadership practice, ethics, organizational dynamics, and professional development.
The program does not include business management, financial administration, or personal wellness content unrelated to professional leadership roles.
Certificate Award
Upon successful completion, participants receive a Certificate in Anti-Oppressive Psychodynamic Leadership indicating total CE hours earned. This certificate may be used for professional development portfolios, leadership advancement, or continuing education documentation, subject to jurisdictional requirements.
