Psychology, Diversity, and Allies

Cultural Competence, Diversity, and the Future of Psychology in Healthcare

How many times have you been in this situation: a colleague asks “Don’t we already to a lot to promote diversity?” in a room predominated by mostly white, mostly heterosexual, and mostly male colleagues. The answer often is “Yes, we do a lot, and that’s a good thing, but no, we’re clearly not doing enough (or the room would look different—and someone wouldn’t be asking that question).” We know that ensuring a diverse workforce of psychologists, as well as psychologists prepared to work with diverse populations, is crucial to the future of our profession and the delivery of competent psychological services to an increasingly diverse U.S. population. And yet, it is often difficult to achieve progress.

I became interested in diversity issues as an undergraduate discovering feminism. It was clear to me that the discrimination that women face was only compounded by race, sexual orientation, disability and other minority statuses, and to advocate on behalf of women, I need to advocate on behalf of all types of diversity. As I moved into graduate school, I was fortunate to have a fabulous faculty and curriculum that valued diversity at the Ohio State University Counseling Psychology program. My training there helped me to explore my own cultural background, biases, and assumptions, and increase my awareness of the privilege s I gained as a white middle class heterosexual female.

I have been fortunate as a professional to work with diverse populations as part of large institutions such as the Veterans Administration and currently at the Cleveland Clinic. One of things I like best about my work is that I see people of all races, cultures, SES, and experiences. I believe this experience enriches me as a professional and has made me a better person.

I believe that it is every psychologists’ duty to promote cultural competence and diversity issues, and I would bring this attitude toward APAPO CAPP. One of my prouder moments as a psychologist was helping to introduce a cultural competence program into a national conference that previously was lacking attention to this issue. I have been privileged to work with many diverse psychologists whose passion, dedication, and action inspires me. However, I also feel that allies must be a strong voice for diversity issues and continue to promote diversity initiatives in the APAPO as well.

I am by no means perfect. I strive to recognize microaggressions, accept feedback without judgment, and grow in my awareness, understanding, and skills as a person and professional. I look forward to helping APAPO continue to grow diversity and cultural competence initiatives.