Clinical Supervision: Talking About Oppression and Other Biases in Therapy
How do we tackle the difficult societal topics of racism, sexism, and other forms of bias, stereotyping, discrimination and oppression when working with our clients in therapy?
We embrace these issues just as we embrace our clients - with the clinical skills we’ve been taught and the inherent attributes we have as mental and behavioral health professionals. Take a moment to think about what those skills and attributes are. Whatever these mean to you, a key denominator for mutual respect and authenticity in a therapeutic relationship is an understanding that no topic is taboo.
We’ve all had some experience, personal or professional, where the matter of race, culture, sexual orientation or other classification has become a focal point. Whatever this experience has been, it’s contributed to a cumulative storage bank of memories, associations, beliefs and values that has shaped the way we practice and the way our clients perceive us. It’s also done the same for them in their lives.
We all know that discrimination, bias, stereotyping and oppression profoundly impact how individuals, families and communities function. At the core, these concepts dehumanize attributes of certain groups which likely result in repetitive attacks on the minds and spirits of all those affected. For those on the receiving end, countless messages, behaviors, and experiences around unfair treatment can erode self-confidence, identity, self-efficacy, trust, internal locus of control and future orientation. As mental/behavioral health providers, we’re in a unique position to address such impact issues and partner with our clients to promote holistic healing.
Here are a few reminders to keep us on track:
Be Conscious: We’ll be the most “receptive” and the most “present” during our sessions when we are conscious about our practice. This means making time for “preparatory empathy”; being mindful of transference and counter-transference; listening for our clients’ operational definitions of life and life experiences; and paying attention to current social contexts and related zeitgeists that are affecting our clients. Lastly, it means we remain sensitive to the fact that we represent a history of interactions our clients have had with other providers that may trigger unresolved discrimination/race/sex/other bias based issues.
Acknowledge: By role modeling conversational tones that permit respectful exchanges of multiple topics, including subjects that would otherwise be considered taboo, we communicate to our clients that we understand their contextual reference points are unique from our own. A great way to do this is by asking trauma-informed and open-ended questions. This type of engagement promotes authentic disclosure, provides an empowering space and communicates our belief in our clients.
Listen: In order to understand our clients’ perspectives, we have to hear about what it’s like to be them. Even if we share or identify with the race/sex/other bias-based issues as our clients, they are the experts in their own lives. Inviting them to talk/tell stories about times they’ve been treated differently and asking how these experiences impact them provides our clients opportunities to take ownership of their memories. In other words, being heard validates and confirms their perspectives while also clarifying values and belief systems. Imparting anecdotal events is a perfect segue to bring narrative therapy into the sessions which supports other meaning-making techniques such as strengths-based, insight-oriented, psycho-educational and solution-focused approaches. Lastly, articulating thoughts and expressing emotions helps our clients reclaim defining moments in their lives around bias, discrimination, stereotyping, oppression, and hatred.
Unify: Healing transcends the divisive, degrading, dehumanizing components of racism/sexism/”otherism”. Our clients have been finding ways to manage, cope, recover, rebound and reinvent themselves for years as a matter of personal healing and survival. When we talk about things that are taboo, we humanize each other. When we choose not to assume, we embrace our clients as individuals. When we join with our clients, seeing them with dignity, we inspire hope. When we integrate our clients’ coping skills with psycho-educational information, we reaffirm self-efficacy. When we remain flexible, humble and highlight our clients’ accomplishments we promote their empowerment.
When we apply these concepts to our practice, we personify the values we uphold. By treating each other as equals and taking the time to communicate, our clients will flourish in their personal development and psychic healing. And we will continue to evolve as helping professionals.
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Written by: Melissa Cole, LCSW-C
Photos: National Cancer Institute and Dan Edge on Unsplash
Date of Download: 6/16/2020
