In an increasingly diverse world, the ability to effectively understand the unique intersections and shifting needs of clients allows for the effective implementation of mental health treatment, especially for historically marginalized clients. Yet, many clinicians may feel uncertain about how to best engage with their own understanding of self while incorporating their clients’ unique identities into therapy.

Educational Goals:

This interactive presentation will expand the participants’ understanding of intersectionality and how to apply it to clinical practice regardless of theoretical orientation. In this way, participants will gain skills that allow them to implement anti-oppressive clinical practices into their work.

Ultimately, this is a space that will cultivate awareness and skills around creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for therapy clients. To this end, a combination of instruction, thoughtful questioning, and illustrative case presentations will ground participants in the best practices for engaging in clinical practices that increase feelings of psychological safety with historically marginalized clients.

This is an introductory guide appropriate for all levels of training and experience.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to

• Describe the origins of the term intersectionality.
• Describe how social identities impact their experiences as clinicians.
• Describe and define intersectionality as it relates to therapeutic practice.
• Identify at least one (1) disadvantage associated with not effectively implementing intersectionality-related practices in therapy.
• Describe at least one (1) radical healing tenet and/or intervention.

About Tanisha Thelemaque, Ph.D.:

Dr. Tanisha Thelemaque is a licensed psychologist with over a decade of experience furthering equity-focused initiatives and advocating for social justice. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in Psychology (with minors in Spanish and History) from Arcadia University as well as her M.S. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in trauma from Saint Louis University. Her research interests have focused on the mental health impacts of racial discrimination on Black Americans with an emphasis on the intersections of trauma and gender.

Currently, Dr. Thelemaque owns a Bay Area therapy practice in addition to holding numerous roles within the psychological community. She works with renowned mental health organizations including the National Center for PTSD as a mobile applications tester, content writer, and subject matter expert on issues of race; she also conducts psychological evaluations focused on disabled military veterans and maintains a leadership role within the California Psychological Association as the Chair-Elect of the Division for Diversity and Social Justice. Additionally, she collaborates with individuals and various organizations including Warner Bros. Discovery as a diversity, equity, and inclusion consultant. Her focus is on developing psychologically safe, trauma-informed work environments and navigating racial trauma in people of color.