Dr. Jackson discussed intersectionality and how it addresses the differing categories or dimensions of discrimination/stigma that people experience daily due to the different identities they hold and the different ways they interact with each other (e.g., being Black and being a woman). Dr. Jackson explained how perceived discrimination predicts health outcomes and that teenagers with multiple stigmatized identities were more likely to have issues with their identities, the law, and a host of other problems. Dr. Jackson encouraged us to “draw outside the lines” of specific categories (e.g., racial identity, gender, and sexual identity) and look at people’s experiences across these categories. Rigid adherence to looking at one aspect of identity may be obscuring different forms of liberation that could be used to combat oppression (e.g., an Asian lesbian woman described “coming out” as also involving her cultural identity due to a lack of Asian representation in the LGBTQ+ community). He emphasized that internal conflicts could arise between one’s race and sexual orientation when racial and sexual minority community norms seem incompatible. Dr. Jackson’s research found higher levels of identity conflict in Black LGBTQ+ people than their White counterparts. Dr. Jackson suggested that in clinical practice, we should (1) shift focus from inherent vulnerabilities to environmental stressors, (2) focus on the intersectionality of multiple identities, and (3) shift from cultural competency (i.e., knowing the facts around groups) to cultural humility (i.e., creating space to best serve the unique experiences of clients). Dr. Jackson’s slides can be found attached below.

Dr. Iwenofu discussed intersectional approaches to clinical work with children and her work, which re-examines attachment theory and its application in clinical settings. She highlighted that attachment theory, which examines different ways that infants bond with caregivers, is not as universal as we might think. Dr. Iwenofu highlighted that we often use WEIRD (western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic) populations as our bases for theories, but these populations are not representative of the rest of the global population. Further, attachment theory assumes that secure attachment is normative (i.e., other attachment styles are seen as maladaptive), and that responsive behaviour centred around the child is the best for their development. She reiterated that it is important to look through the lens of other cultures where behaviours deemed universal (e.g., stranger anxiety) and the nuclear family structure are not the norm. For example, children in more collectivist cultures may have multiple significant caregivers (some of whom can be strangers), and other cultures may teach children to be emotionally neutral when interacting with caregivers and place more importance on physical contact. As attachment style is the basis for much of child assessment, Dr. Iwenofu urged us to consider a more holistic approach to the assessment of attachment and what is considered adverse or adaptive. Dr. Iwenofu’s slides can be found attached below.

You can learn more about our speakers and their work here:

Dr. Skyler Jackson, Ph.D.

Jackson, S. D., Mohr, J. J., & Kindahl, A. M. (2021). Intersectional experiences: A mixed methods experience sampling approach to studying an elusive  phenomenon. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 68(3), 299.

Sarno, E. L., Mohr, J. J., Jackson, S. D., & Fassinger, R. E. (2015). When identities collide: Conflicts in allegiances among LGB people of color. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 21(4), 550.

Dr. Linda Iwenofu, Ph.D., C. Psych

Twitter/X: @dr_iwenofu

Shayan Asadi, Doctoral Candidate in Clinical Science

Twitter/X: @shayanasadi_

Now what? Being changemakers requires that we do something. Here are some suggestions on actionable items:

• Reflect on the approaches to assessment that you use and evaluate how inclusive they are of intersectional experiences. Identify what these approaches may or may not tell you and look into ways to address any gaps.

• Practice different skills for addressing intersectional experiences in therapy. One starting point is to try Dr. Jackson's practical tip for asking about intersectional experiences in a way that does not make assumptions or stigmatize clients. To do this, use cultural competency to acknowledge an experience you know of, anchor it with an opposite experience/perspective to reduce pressure, and then invite the client to share their experience. One way to structure this can be: "I know sometimes ___ is true, but I also know sometimes ___ is true. Where do you fall?

• Take a systems approach when thinking about how clients' personal experiences are relational to their environmental and sociocultural contexts. Consider how external factors interact with individual experiences and how this may lead to the outcomes you see in clinical settings.