Like other helping professions (e.g., physical health service providers), psychotherapists are expected to serve clients without expecting anything in return (Guy, 2000). Although the helping within psychotherapy is unidirectional, therapy involves a bidirectional flow in which the client and the therapist impact each other (Kottler, 2010). The role of a psychotherapist departs from other helping […]
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 […]
As Mother’s Day approached this year, I found myself reflecting on my experiences the previous May. It was a watershed year for me, both professionally and personally, as I navigated the challenges of a postdoctoral residency in child community mental health while learning to parent. Last year, I was midway through my residency and deeply […]
Previous research has demonstrated a clear link between perceived racial discrimination and negative health outcomes for those perceiving and experiencing discrimination. The researchers studied the effect of “actual” racial biases on health outcomes of Blacks (i.e., African-Americans). They measured the predictive strength of Whites’ implicit and explicit racial biases on Blacks’ access to affordable health […]
As the multiracial population is vastly growing in the United States (Humes, Jones, & Ramirez, 2011), it is important to know about the unique experiences that affect multiracial people, as these can arise in psychotherapy or during casual interactions in the clinic or office. Multiracial people are racially and culturally diverse and identify with two […]
The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. So said Martin Luther King Jr. (1968). As I write this, on April 29, 2014, the sports world gave us proof of this. When the National Basketball League banned Donald Sterling for life from the NBA family and pressed for his removal […]