Social Justice
Delve into the critical issues of social justice within psychotherapy. This section focuses on addressing disparities, promoting inclusivity, and ensuring that all individuals have access to high-quality mental health care.
64 articles found
Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Assist Individuals Facing Oppression
Many individuals in the U.S. experience oppression on the basis of their racial and/or ethnic identity, immigration status, socioeconomic status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religious identity, language, etc. (Benner & Wang, 2014; Corbett & Hill, 2012; Maira, 2004; Unks, 1995; M. S. Williams, 2000). Further, many individuals hold multiple marginalized identities that […]
Sannisha Dale, Ph.D., Ed.M. + 1 more
September 2, 2018
“Rockin’ Pneumonia”
Advancing Practice Together Just prior to the last winter blast striking our nation’s Capital, I was very fortunate to be able to attend the 35th annual APAPO Practice Leadership conference, along with former APA Presidents James Bray and Carol Goodheart. These gatherings are always the highlight of my professional year and it was especially exciting […]
Pat DeLeon, Ph.D.
August 18, 2018
A Personal Perspective on Systemic Change
I have approached life and my career with a genuine enthusiasm for adventure. I have also found my richest experiences in life to come from learning to be comfortable with the uncomfortable. Being asked to write about my career turning points as a relatively new psychologist evoked this uncomfortable feeling. Do I really have something […]
Rachele Vogel, Psy.D.
August 18, 2018
Ripple Effects
The day after the 2016 election dawned cloudy and rainy in Washington, DC. As I awoke from a few hours of fitful sleep to drive to work, I felt shocked, disoriented, and confused. The long election season had intensified political divisions, information silos, alternate worldviews, extreme partisan attacks, and disrespect and disgust for the other […]
David B. Sacks, Psy.D., ABPP
May 4, 2018
Is the DSM the Only Way to Diagnose Psychological Troubles?
A Proposal of Two Critical Questions for All Psychological Diagnosis I am now publishing a sequence of two books with Lexington Books. The first is A Democratic Mind: Psychiatry and Psychology with Fewer Meds and More Soul, and the second is Psychotherapy for A Democratic Mind: Treatment of Intimacy, Tragedy, Violence and Evil. Psychotherapy for […]
Israel W Charny, Ph.D.
April 22, 2018
Meaningfulworld’s Response to Suffering in Armenia
The landscape of the world is becoming increasingly connected and globalized. It is difficult to exist, even in the United States (U.S.), without hearing about the events happening across the globe: hurricane in Puerto Rico, earthquake in Haiti, war in Syria, mudslides in Sierra Leone, to name a few. Many of us living and practicing […]
Daria Diakonova-Curtis, Ph.D. + 1 more
December 30, 2017
The Perils of Denial
After reading the recent Hoffman report (Hoffman et al., 2015), I found myself wondering how respected individuals in my field could participate (even indirectly) in such horrific acts. As an intern who is soon to be an early career psychologist, I considered that, while there are many complex factors at the heart of any man-made […]
Mariya Dvoskina, Psy.D.
September 3, 2017
The Importance of Psychotherapists’ Feminist Identification
I am a therapist-in-training and I am a feminist psychotherapist. Just as it is important to identify my trainee status when I meet a client for the first time, I find it is equally important to identify myself as a feminist psychotherapist. Feminism has been defined and redefined a number of times over the years […]
Jake Wolf, M.Ed.
August 6, 2017
Difficult Dialogues
Developed by the psychologist/priest Ignacio Martín–Baró, liberation psychology examines contexts of oppression to foster critical consciousness, emancipation, and transformative action. In this article I use a liberation tool—testimonio—first person narration that expresses psychosocial experiences as a protagonist/witness (Aron, 1992). For over 35 years I have incorporated liberation psychology into my psychotherapy practice. Although classically trained, I have long […]
Lillian Comas-Diaz, Ph.D.
August 6, 2017
#Blacklivesmatter in Psychotherapy
Clinical Notes with Dr. J Psychotherapy and the therapeutic space are intended to be sanctuaries overseen by an ever-present, always-supportive clinician, but they not immune to societal pressures and challenges, such as racism and prejudice. Given my previous experience in psychotherapy as a young child and my recent experiences as a clinician, I truly value […]
Jonathan Jenkins, Psy.D.
November 25, 2016
Psychotherapy and Homelessness
An area of diversity often overlooked is socioeconomic status. Homeless clients are at an extreme end of the socioeconomic status continuum and present with concerns and stressors related to poverty. People often start psychotherapy due to a major stressor in their lives. Finally, after some apprehension, they make the initial leap to get help and […]
Astrea Greig, Psy.D.
November 15, 2016
Psychotherapists on the Difference Between Diversity and Social Marginalization
Diversity is an important thing to keep in mind as a multiculturally aware psychotherapist, but what about under served and socially marginalized populations? The difference between understanding diversity and understanding under served and socially marginalized clients is briefly highlighted in this video interview where Dr. Astrea Greig, diversity domain chair, interviews Dr. Beverly Greene, diversity […]
Astrea Greig, Psy.D.
August 18, 2016