Diversity Affirmative Mission Statement
Providing diversity-affirmative services is a critical part of my personal beliefs and professional identity as a psychologist. As a result, my professional training has been specifically designed to acquire the knowledge, skills, and experience to competently affirm diversity and work for social justice. Based on my commitment to provide diversity-affirmative services, I am dedicated to:
(1) honoring the uniqueness of every person
(2) understanding each person in their cultural context based on their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, social class, age, ability, religious/spiritual practices, health status, family of origin, region, size/body type, and political beliefs.
(3) addressing systemic forces including power, privilege, prejudice, discrimination, and oppression that hinder optimal development
(4) incorporating the client’s cultural values, beliefs, perspectives, and attitudes into counseling
(5) continuing to engage in personal and professional development on issues of diversity
Culturally Affirmative Training and Experience
I draw from multiple experiences and roles in providing multiculturally competent counseling. Some of these roles include:
Multicultural Educator, Indiana University
Diversity Coordinator, University of West Florida
Safe Space Trainer, University of Georgia
International Student Counselor, Georgia Institute of Technology
Workshop Presenter (Privilege, Class, and Multicultural Assessment), University of Florida
HIV Counselor, Bloomington Hospital
GLBT Counselor, GLBT Student Support Services Office at Indiana University
Published Research, Career Development of Black Males, Georgia State University
Transgender Group Discussion Leader, University of Georgia
Classroom Presenter (Race, Cross-Cultural Dating, Culturally Informed Counseling) University of West Florida
Men’s Issues Group Leader, University of Florida
Published Research, Ethnic Identity, Indiana University
Conference Presenter, Valuing Diversity and Cross Cultural Social Support, Auburn University
Diversity affirmative counseling services can be a complicated process involving multiple clinical dimensions that need to be incorporated into counseling. Multiculturally competent counseling often involves (but is not limited to) a unique combination of the categories listed below:
Diversity Issues | Skill Building/ Development | Counseling Issues | Counseling Relationship |
Combating Racism | Code Switching | Anxiety | Learning Cultural Background |
Combating Sexism | Coming Out | Depression | Identifying Cultural Values |
Combating Homophobia | Acculturation/Assimilation | Relationship Issues | Understanding Problems within a Cultural Context |
Combating Classism | Managing the Majority Culture | Family/Career Concerns | Providing Cultural Empathy |
Combating Transphobia | English as a Second Language | Managing Hurt/Anger | Creating Culturally-Informed Directions towards Change |
Combating Heterosexism |
Identity Development and Integration |
Paths towards Success | Ensuring counseling "progress" is integrated w/cultural values |