Culture and Diversity

Multicultural guidelines and ethical standards dictate that White therapists examine their own racial identity, privilege, and fragility to better serve BIPOC clients. Dr. Fat- ter will review current trends in multicultural competency and discuss the clinical cost of the therapist being ‘colorblind’. This webinar will specifically focus on aspects of White supremacy culture, White privilege, White fragility, and Helms’ White racial identity model to help therapists self-assess their own White racial identity. Dr. Fatter will discuss clinical examples of ways ‘whiteness’ can show up relationally in clinical settings as well as skills needed to build racial stamina. In addition, Dr. Fatter will also describe examples of specific types of microaggressions that can dam- age the therapeutic relationship. Dr. Fatter will also discuss practical ways to bring up racial identity with all clients, practical ways to honor cultural strengths using a Commu- nity Cultural Wealth approach in therapy, and how to do a therapeutic repair when a relational rupture has occurred.  

In racialized societies, race divides people, prioritizes some groups over others, and directly impacts opportunities and outcomes in life. Racism is a pervasive problem in Western society, leading to mental and physical unwellness in people from racialized groups. Psychology began as a racist discipline, as many prominent early leaders in the field actively promoted eugenics and the use of intelligence testing to prove the inferiority of people of color, which creates a problematic foundation for a science that is now tasked with embracing diversity. As such, most clinical training and curricula do not provide an anti-racist framework, which is long overdue for a profession that began with many openly racist ideals. This workshop will discuss how therapists can embrace an anti-racism approach in their practice and their lives in general as an essential prerequisite for authenticity in the work of supporting clients of color. This webinar will address harmful fallacies about race and genetics, explain the development of aversive racism, detail the difference between being a White ally versus a White savior, and share new research of what it means to be a genuine racial justice ally. 

Racial problems are evident at every level of society, and are prominent in political messaging. The problem of racism cannot be corrected merely by good wishes of individuals – purposeful actions and interventions are required. To create equitable systems, civil courage is vital. Therapists can play an important role in tearing down barriers and facilitating change. People who are racial justice allies demonstrate civil courage despite awareness of the consequences and social costs but choose to persist based on a moral imperative. After defining allyship and providing contemporary and historical examples of civil courage, this presentation will explain the difficulties and impediments inherent in implementing racial justice. The presenters will describe exercises based on cognitive-behavioral approaches to help individuals increase their awareness and ability to demonstrate racial justice allyship in alignment with valued behaviors. She explains how these approaches can be utilized, how they can help individuals grow, why they can be difficult, and how clinicians can make use of them for their clients and society.

This course will satisfy your ethics requirement.

Religion and spirituality are important dimensions of most individuals’ lives. Yet, many mental health clinicians do not receive education and training focused on how to address these issues, when appropriate, with their clients. This webinar provides information on the roles of spirituality and religion in many clients’ lives, how to address our own biases about them and how our own beliefs may impact how we view and address them, how to appropriately assess each client’s treatment needs to include religious and spiritual issues and concerns, and how to tap into clients’ beliefs, practices, and faith communities as sources of strength that may enhance the professional services we provide. Ethics issues, challenges, and dilemmas are addressed, and an ethical decision-making model is shared and clinical examples are provided and discussed to illustrate its application. Recommendations for ethical and clinically effective practice are provided. 

Multicultural guidelines and ethical standards dictate that White therapists examine their own racial identity, privilege, and fragility to better serve BIPOC clients. Dr. Fat- ter will review current trends in multicultural competency and discuss the clinical cost of the therapist being ‘colorblind’. This webinar will specifically focus on aspects of White supremacy culture, White privilege, White fragility, and Helms’ White racial identity model to help therapists self-assess their own White racial identity. Dr. Fatter will discuss clinical examples of ways ‘whiteness’ can show up relationally in clinical settings as well as skills needed to build racial stamina. In addition, Dr. Fatter will also describe examples of specific types of microaggressions that can dam- age the therapeutic relationship. Dr. Fatter will also discuss practical ways to bring up racial identity with all clients, practical ways to honor cultural strengths using a Commu- nity Cultural Wealth approach in therapy, and how to do a therapeutic repair when a relational rupture has occurred.