Confessions of a Clinical Psychologist
I have a confession to make- I have been disenchanted with the field of psychology for a while now, personally struggling with the role that psychology plays in our society and whether it upholds systems of oppression rather than empowering us.
There is no denying the ways in which psychology fits into the oppressive colonial paradigm. Take the prison-industrial complex for example- did you know that mental health conditions are 4 to 7 times more common in the prison system than in the community? One of the reasons for this is because we actively defunded community health agencies during the Reagan administration in the 1980’s, sending those who critically required community mental health resources to the street. Because our police forces disproportionately arrest those with mental health disorders due to inadequate training and resources, it leads to the criminalization of mental illness. These individuals need care, not prison.
There is another dark example from field that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about ever since I learned about it. This one hurts my heart and soul as someone who has spent a large portion of my career aiding refugee and displaced populations, some of our most marginalized and traumatized populations in the world. Did you know that after 9/11 psychologists from our largest national professional agency who sets the standards for our field, the American Psychological Association (APA), collaborated with the U.S. government to enable torture, hide the fact that torture was happening, and discredited whistleblowers? All of this was done under the guise of “national security.” Since 1985, the APA has issued numerous policies condemning torture, but this is an especially dark period of our profession’s past.
I became a Clinical Psychologist to help people, to be a safe and affirming presence when people are experiencing the worst days of their lives, and to contribute to a world where all of us are liberated and well. For the past year, I have been on a mission to learn about decolonization and I believe it to be my ethical imperative to decolonize my practice so that I don’t perpetuate individual and societal harms onto those who are suffering most.
But the issue I have been struggling with is whether there is hope for our field. Are we too far gone? Is the field of psychology committed to upholding it’s position in the colonial paradigm, prison-industrial complex, and other oppressive systems? Or can we recommit to our core ethic, “first, do no harm,” unlearn the problematic theories & modalities that reinforce harm, and commit to doing better?
Enter the APA Convention 2025. This year was the first APA convention that I have ever attended, mainly due to cost but also because these conventions typically follow a similar format year in and year out- establishing psychology as a science so it can be treated with respect among our medical community peers. This year I attended the APA Convention with my colleague and friend, Dr. Kruti Patel, and we were pleasantly surprised to witness a major shift in programming. In the first keynote speech, we observed our APA President issue a formal apology for the harms our field has caused to indigenous peoples, presenters spoke openly about the importance of advocacy & activism, and more than a few presentations focused on decolonization, liberation psychology, and social justice. I never thought I would see the day!
Most extraordinary though were the experts presenting on liberation psychology and decolonization- Dr. Thema Bryant, Dr. Lilian Comas-Diaz, Dr. Shelly Harrel, and many others. Listening to these brilliant women speak, I was struck with an overwhelming feeling deep gratitude, inspiration, and awe. They are pioneers for a better psychology- a psychology that holds at its core that all humans are sacred, a psychology that recognizes the imperative of realigning with our spirituality and hope, and a psychology that centers indigenous wisdom and BIPOC women. It felt like coming home. For the first time in my career, I felt deeply aligned and hopeful that we could transform our field.
One of the core tenants of liberation psychology is using your imagination to dream into existence a better world. To get there we must envision and then create what a better world could look like. These incredible women experts shared with us their vision, and it is deeply beautiful. It challenges us to reconnect with our ancestral roots, come together in community to process pain and feel supported, prioritize joy and creativity as a means of resistance, remember our spirituality, contextualize our care to our sociocultural context, and create a better world.
One of the panels that I attended included creating a sanctuary space with Dr. Virginia Diaz-Mendoza and Dr. Erica King-Toler where we sat in community with our peers, expressed our authentic truths, and learned how to facilitate an affirming liberatory space. I cannot underscore the positive impact that this session had on my psyche and soul, and I didn’t realize until I was sitting in the circle with my peers how much I needed it. The next day I had the pleasure of sitting next to Dr. King-Toler at another presentation and was able to personally offer my heartfelt thanks to her for the beautiful space she and her partner created. I carried that meaningful sentiment with me through the rest of the conference and came back to it time and time again as a powerful example of the restoration that we can feel in community.
I want to offer a deep and heartfelt thank you to all the powerful leaders below. I am deeply grateful for your wisdom and leadership in these difficult times. Two leaders that I included in the below list did not present at the APA Convention this year, but both have had a big impact on my professional work and decolonization journey - Dra. Rocio Rosales-Meza and Dr. Jennifer Mullen.
I highly encourage you to learn more from these experts, and I am excited to create a new world with you moving forward. One that eliminates oppressive paradigms, recognizes that every human is sacred, and contributes to the liberation of all beings.
May you be sovereign,
May you be liberated, and
May you find yourself replenished in affirming community
Experts You Can (and should) Follow:
Dr. Thema Bryant, Dr. Lilan Comas-Diaz, Dr. Shelly Harrel, Dr. Erica King-Toler, Dr. Virginia Diaz-Mendoza, Dr. Diane Gallo, Dr. Roua Daas, Dr. Pani Farvid, Dr. Sedef Ozoguz, Dr. Amanda Young, Dr. Cerynn Desjarlais, Dr. Tina Lincourt, Dr. Maredyth Cheromiah Salazar, Dr. Alberta Arviso, Dr. Vernita Perkins, Dr. Talee Vang, Dr. Jungeun Kim, Dr. Yiheng Zhou, Dr. Guiying Zhong, Dr. Madeline Ofina, Dr. Amy Kobus, Dra. Rocio Rosales-Meza, and Dr. Jennifer Mullen
