Description:

Contemporary minority professionals, with college degrees, positions in higher education, private practitioners, and other workspaces, often encounter dilemmas about their lack of advancement or self-efficacy. The within-group diversity among these women requires a cultural competency mindset, one that engages clients from a strength versus deficit or stereotyped-based perspective. In this workshop, participants will engage in activities to foster social identity examination as a bridge to recognizing the Latina social identities paradigm. Dilemmas that emerge because of the Maria Paradox messages, sexualized societal attitudes about Latinas, and “presumed incompetence” will be examined. Participants will leave with a guide for empowering professionals through solution-oriented culture-centered psychotherapy practices.

Educational Objectives:

1. Recognize the double-binds experienced by minority professions based on cultural messages.
2. Guide clients to recognize contextual factors that communicate deficits and disempowerment of minorities.
3. Learn ways to invite clients to affirm their cultural values, interpersonal and professional strengths, and self-worth.

*Sessions may be edited for content and to preserve confidentiality*