Psychotherapy and Politics International (E-Journal)
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What’s ‘wrong’ with my names? : An exploration of Eurocentrism, microaggression, and social justice actions in counselling and psychotherapy
Full text linkUsing the story and experiences of microaggression relating to the names of a trainee counselling psychologist from a racially minoritised background, this article attempts to illustrate how easy it can be for therapists to practice in ways that produce additional and intense distress in the form of microaggressions enacted by therapists unconsciously. To understand this, the author reflects upon and challenges three assumptions commonly held by counselling and psychotherapy professionals, namely, that: (1) therapists are aware of the impact of Eurocentrism; (2) therapists behave and work in a non-discriminatory manner; and (3) therapists embrace the values of social justice. The article ends with some proposals for how to incorporate simple social justice and anti-oppressive actions into practice, and a reminder to always examine and acknowledge one’s privilege, power, and limitations inside and outside the therapy room
Unsettling the ‘master’s house’: A critical account and reflections on developing a clinical psychology anti-racism strategy
Full text linkPsychology and psychotherapy have long been regarded as a Eurocentric and largely homogenous field primarily dominated by white, socioeconomically privileged/middle-class women. This lack of racial/ethnic diversity and inclusion within the field has become an area of increased focus of discussion within psychological professions due to its significant impact on the care, experience, and outcomes of service users. Individuals from racially minoritised backgrounds face multiple systemic barriers when accessing the profession during their training and as qualified psychological professionals. Extensive research indicates that clinical psychologists from racially minoritised backgrounds experience racism in clinical psychology and this has persisted over the years. Similarly, in the psychotherapy literature, there has been an emphasis on addressing the lack of acknowledgement of racial disparities in psychotherapy training. As a result, it feels imperative that there is a radical shift in psychology and psychotherapy which involves acknowledging its role in creating and perpetuating racism and discrimination, as well as an urgent need to adopt a decolonised, socio-constructionist approach.
Despite this, there has been little focus or momentum on clinical psychology training programmes to actively address issues of racism and to develop anti-racist practice. The Newcastle University Clinical Psychology Doctorate Programme recently made an active stance to adopt anti-racist practice and implement an approach that supports collective responsibility and accountability. In this article, the authors engage in a critical, radical, and collective dialogue around their experiences, and share their reflections on developing a clinical psychology anti-racism strategy, attending to power, discomfort, and the role of systemic oppression. The diverse voices of trainers, trainees, and aspiring clinical psychologists presented suggest that collective action, solidarity, as well as attending to power and relationality, had a profound impact on the development of the anti-racism strategy, as well as on relationships, trust, and relational safety. The authors offer critical reflections on how these experiences can be helpful in further understanding the complexity and multi-faceted nature of anti-racist praxis in clinical psychology and psychotherapy
Review and tribute to Keith Tudor
Full text linkThis commentary is based on Julia, Catherine, and Keith’s article, ‘The challenge of security and accessibility: Critical perspectives on the rapid move to online therapies in the age of COVID-19’, published originally in 2021, which can be found here: https://ojs.aut.ac.nz/psychotherapy-politics-international/article/view/643
Keith Tudor, ‘conscientious objector’: On transactional analysis and politics, 2020
Full text linkThis commentary is based on Keith’s article, ‘Transactional analysis and politics: A critical review’, published originally in 2020, which can be found here: https://ojs.aut.ac.nz/psychotherapy-politics-international/article/view/55
Firearms in clients’ homes: Role of clinical mental health counselors’ political beliefs and treatment objectives
Full text linkA large body of research has pointed to the potential impact of clinical mental health counselors’ (CMHCs) personal, social, and religious beliefs on their treatment objectives, but no research has examined the role of CMHCs’ political beliefs on their treatment objectives, especially with politicized issues such as firearms in homes with young children. In the present study, we examined the treatment objectives for clients with firearms at home in relation to American CMHCs’ political beliefs (operationalized as political ideologies and political party affiliations), perceived level of seriousness of firearm storage in a home with small children, and general assessment of biopsychosocial status of new clients. Survey data were collected with Qualtrics from 147 licensed CMHCs who were members of the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA). Perceived seriousness of firearms at home and treatment objectives related to firearms at home (e.g., discouraging firearm storage at home) were assessed using a vignette depicting a 38-year-old male client with two small children at home. General assessment of biopsychosocial status of new clients was measured with the frequency that the CMHC would inquire about 10 topics (e.g., substance use) during the initial appointment with new clients. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that perceived seriousness of firearms at home and general assessment of biopsychosocial assessment were the most robust and expected predictors of the American CMHCs’ treatment objectives. However, the CMHCs’ political ideologies and political party affiliations were not significant, suggesting that CMHCs’ clinical interactions with the client were guided by professional training/experiences, not by political beliefs
For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy (Play review): By Ryan Calais Cameron and co-directed with Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu (The Royal Court Theatre, London, April 2022)
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Power: Its biological nature and human elaborations
No full textThis article focuses on the evolutionary reality of power-driven competitive humans. It documents how evolutionary biologists describe successful power-driven males as ‘alpha males’ and later references Darwin’s extensively documented account of ‘the law of battle’ that drives male–male competition for females on behalf of reproduction. The article proceeds to show how male–male competition across species has been exapted by humans in their harming and killing of other humans in wars of all kinds: ethnic, religious, territorial, racial, and so on. The article questions whether war is an inevitable practice of humans. It continues by exemplifying wars in today’s global world; wars activated by power-driven autocratic leaders and their power-driven followers. The closest psychotherapy comes to recognizing the sickness of such power-driven humans is via diagnoses of narcissism that take addictions into account. Self-addiction, however, is not among the addictions taken into account. In effect, no matter the cost to other humans, power-driven self-addicted humans are not recognized as psychologically deficient but remain free to perpetuate their own glory
Announcement from the Black, African and Asian Therapy Network
Full text linkoai:psychotherapy-politics-international.ojs.aut.ac.nz:article/1