2015 Association for Women in Psychology Conference

This presentation will focus on the trials and tribulations faced by students of color when negotiating the predominantly White system that is academia. White people, specifically, White women are the majority demographic of doctoral program graduates in the United States and the field of psychology (APA, 2012). Students of color occupy a liminal space in which they are celebrated for their diversity; at the same time, existing stereotypes of minorities are used to create narratives of their identity for them. The expectation to fit this narrative creates internal conflict for these students. Additionally, when minority students do not act according to these expected stereotypes, academia is ill-equipped to respond. Therefore, these students of color end up being typecast as “problematic” and “atypical.” This issue, though an important piece in the broader mosaic of multicultural issues in psychology, is not frequently acknowledged or deconstructed. Ignoring the problem perpetuates a system wherein students of color are disempowered and then question their ability to succeed (Ewing, Richardson, James-Meyers & Russell, 1996). This influences their progress through their graduate program of study. The presenters will deconstruct how this issue affects students’ progress in their academic program and negatively impacts overall well-being. For instance, this disempowerment can manifest itself as students of color trying to change their behavior to become a tokenized minority, between-group struggles, within-group distrust, and trying to “act White.” The presenters will also discuss factors that aid in graduate students’ success and overall well-being. These factors, internal and external, include identifying this phenomena as it occurs, not internalizing it, developing discourses of empowerment, forming healthy support systems, self-care, and confronting impostor syndrome, among others.

A significant portion of time during predoctoral internship is dedicated to clinical work and ensuring that we are providing adequate services to empower clients to facilitate and enable positive change in their lives. One aspect often not given sufficient attention is how counselors-in-training can cultivate their own personal empowerment to advocate for their own training needs. How can one apply a feminist approach to one’s training within a hierarchical structure? More specifically, how can one advocate for oneself in a way that respectfully adheres to one’s work policies? According to Page and Czuba (1999), empowerment is a multidimensional process that facilitates one to obtain a sense of control over their lives. It is obtained by having the autonomy to act on issues that are defined and perceived as important. Research has suggested work environments that facilitate employee empowerment tend to have a higher employee performance and satisfaction, as well as a decrease in dysfunctional collegial relationships (Vecchio, Justin, & Pearce, 2010). Given that predoctoral interns tend to be at the ‘bottom of the totem pole’ in terms of power within the work environment due to their trainee status, is it possible to navigate power differentials and cultivate a voice that fits the needs of the trainee as well as compliments the needs of the work environment? The analysis of this topic seeks to explore how feminist aspects of empowerment such as creativity, authenticity, and advocacy can be cultivated as a trainee. This discussion will explore obstacles to feeling empowered in a training program, as well as seek solutions toward advocating for oneself on both an individual level as well as within the changing system of University Counseling Centers. Social justice considerations will also be explored and examined. References Page, N., & Czuba, C. E. (1999). Empowerment: What is it. Journal of extension, 37(5), 1-5. Vecchio, R. P., Justin, J. E., & Pearce, C. L. (2010). Empowering leadership: An examination of mediating mechanisms within a hierarchical structure. The Leadership Quarterly, 21(3), 530-542.

As psychology continues in its journey of multicultural awareness and inclusion, academic programs strive to make their faculty more diverse, particularly recruiting women of color psychologists. However, some women of color academics might argue that the academe is still an unwelcoming environment and that fosters “ambiguous empowerment” (Turner, 2002). Women of color often experience being treated as a “token” and feel pressured to assimilate while also serving as sole ambassadors for their culture and cultures of other minority individuals (Kanter, 1977). These can lead to increased levels of stress and job dissatisfaction for women of color as they try to navigate authenticity between their person and professional selves (Hume, 1998). The purpose of this roundtable is to provide an opportunity for women of color to share their experiences in professional psychology (both practice and academic) and provide safe space for psychologists to brainstorm how to make counseling psychology a more inclusive environment for women of color. In particular, the discussion will be centered around experiences of multiple marginality, making academic and professional programs more aware of the unique challenges that women of color face and to help make campuses more inclusive for this unique population.