*Note* This scheduling program was not designed by folks who do a lot with APA Style and unfortunately it defaults to listing authors in alphabetical order. We cannot fix this for this online schedule, but the author orders are posted in the order submitted in the printed program available via pdf here.
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 feminist psychologists, we value generativity, mentoring the next generation, and working together for social change. These values can lead us to take on a multitude of responsibilities, resulting in overwork, stress, and an unbalanced life. Feminists from marginalized groups (e.g., sexual minorities, underrepresented ethnic/racial minorities) can be especially vulnerable to overwork, as they receive many requests to serve and may feel a special sense of responsibility to ensure that multiple perspectives are represented. Overwork and imbalance are unsustainable, yet simply saying "no" to service requests is not necessarily the best option, especially if the underlying goals are ones we share. How can we navigate the tension between our feminist values and the inability to do it all? This session will provide a venue for participants to share experiences and strategies. The facilitators are mid-career academics and will briefly speak to these issues from their own positionality. However, we anticipate that the tension between feminist values and limited bandwidth is relevant to professors at all levels, to students and postdocs, and to therapists and others whose careers are outside of academia. The structure will depend on the number of attendees and may include: discussions in pairs or trios, brief individual sharing, large group discussion, or brainstorming about a particular specific dilemma. If the group is small, we will allow time for each individual to present a specific situation where they felt a tension between their feminist goals and values and their ability to have a balanced life. If the group is larger, we will first generate specific questions via large group discussion, and then break into smaller groups to discuss one or more of those questions. In all cases, we'll come back to the large group at the end, and provide a summary of insights and strategies.
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.
