Ways I Try To Decolonize My Therapy Practice & Healing
Sometimes clients ask me how I decolonize my work and they can expect in session with me.
More recently, I've been contacted by organizations and agencies who want to actively address how systemic oppression shapes their culture, policies, unspoken rules, hiring practices, and retention. They want to know what skills, tools, or strategies are necessary toward decolonizing their organizations.
What is Decolonizing Therapy?
Decolonizing therapy is an approach and process toward healing from the dehumanizing effects of colonization, imperialism, state-sanctioned violence, and systemic oppression.
It is a way to center our own rich familial, cultural, and ancestral wisdom, experiences, knowledge, and strengths. It is the reminder that we do not need permission to heal.
Ultimately, while we may experience problems and distress, we also simultaneously carry our own internal solutions for healing, growth, and transformation.
There are many pathways to healing, and therapy is one, but not the only way toward growth, change, and liberation.
Let’s begin by addressing the myth of perfection. Perfection doesn’t exist.
Therefore, no therapist is perfect because perfection doesn’t exist. However, being a therapist requires lifelong (un)learning, (re)learning, and I am actively engaged in the following so I can provide clients a space for them to speak their truths.
Understanding, Unpacking, & Exploring
The effects of systemic oppression, white supremacy, colonization, war, enslavement, genocide, and imperialism on the human psyche and our families, communities, and relationships with others and ourselves;
How oppression and trauma creates mental health issues;
The limitations of mental health care, psychology, psychiatry, and therapy;
Addressing and redressing the way in which the formal mental health care systems and how my own role as a gatekeeper perpetuates inequality; and
Ways of de-stigmatizing mental health; challenging dominant social beliefs, de-centering individualistic values, expanding notions of wellness and well-being by reconnecting to ancestral and cultural wisdom.
Anti-Oppression & Anti-Racism Work
Educating myself on non-Western and non-Eurocentric theories, literature, and research;
Continuing to learn about the impacts of ableism, anti-blackness, racism, colorism, cissexism, transphobia, sexism, heterosexism, classism, poverty;
Unlearning ways internalized, unconscious patriarchal conditioning holds me back from vulnerability and connection; and
Deeply acknowledging, examining, and challenging my many implicit and explicit biases, fragility, limitations as well as my areas of power and privilege.
Providing A Liberatory Space
By paying close attention to how we develop and co-create our therapeutic relationship in terms of trust, safety, authenticity, and understanding;
Self-disclosing as appropriate in session if I feel that sharing something about myself will help you feel more connected, less anxious, and ultimately useful toward your healing; and
By continuing to participate in my own healing work as a wounded healer so I can center your stories and experiences.
Gratitude & Acknowledgment
Decolonizing therapy is lifelong and an ongoing, active process (not passive and something to check off as a competency).
I continually learn from my supervisors, colleagues, friends, family, clients, and from consciously choosing to read and consume media that showcases non-dominant ways of being and knowing.
My biggest teachers have been in relationships and this is where I learned to grieve, stumble, fall, fail, grow, laugh, celebrate, and thrive.
The type of clinician I am has largely been influenced not by my formal education or years of training, but people I’ve met and engaged in vulnerable relationships with.
The incredible perfectly imperfect people below shaped, supported, mentored, and fought for me (when I wanted to give up) on my clinical journey. Your relationship, friendship, and unwavering belief in me as a clinician has taught (and continues to teach me) me an indelible amount of knowledge.
Thank you.