Anti-Racism Speaker Series: Intersectionality in Clinical Work

Speakers will share knowledge on intersectionality in clinical work, including:

• Using an intersectional lens to examine different cultural conceptions of attachment and caregiver-child relationships, including sources of intra- and inter-cultural variation
• Identifying and exploring varied possibilities for implementing culturally-responsive attachment-based clinical interventions
• Applying intersectionality within research by discussing relevant theories, current practices and their pitfalls
• Research regarding how everyday intersectional experiences relate to daily fluctuations in psychological well-being
• Intervening with intersectionality in clinical contexts  

Dr. Linda Iwenofu, C.Psych, is an Assistant Professor in the department of Applied Psychology and Human Development at Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, and a clinical child psychologist registered with the College of Psychologists of Ontario. Dr. Iwenofu specializes in the psychological assessment and treatment of children, youth and families presenting with a wide range of difficulties (e.g., learning problems, relational issues, trauma, ADHD, behavioral problems). Her current research and teaching broadly focus on understanding the ways in which individual differences such as race, ethnicity, language, poverty, immigration and exposure to adverse events impact child and youth trajectories toward health and wellness. Dr. Iwenofu specializes in research examining the mechanisms through which anti-Black racism impacts child health outcomes. She provides clinical training and teaches graduate-level courses on anti-racist approaches to professional work with children, youth and emerging adults within educational and clinical contexts. 

Dr. Skyler Jackson is an award-winning stigma researcher, inclusive mental health clinician, and experienced organizational consultant. Currently, Dr. Jackson is an Assistant Professor within the Social and Behavioral Sciences at Yale School of Public Health. Relying on a broad range of methodological approaches, Dr. Jackson's current projects examine complex, understudied manifestations of stigma across sexual, racial, and gender minority populations, including (a) intersectional stress among individuals holding multiple marginalized identities (e.g., LGBTQ+ people of color, Black women), and (b) border identity stress among populations holding identities that defy binary categorization (e.g., bisexuals, multiracial people, gender nonbinary individuals). In addition to his work as a researcher, Dr. Jackson is a trained psychotherapist. With experience across a variety of clinical settings, he has developed expertise concerning how clients' experiences of stigma (e.g., anti-LGBTQ+ stigma) produce unique risks and resiliencies that should be considered during psychotherapy treatment.

Shayan Asadi will moderate the event. Shayan is a third-year Clinical Science PhD candidate at the University of Michigan in the SPLAT Lab with Dr. Craig Rodriguez-Seijas. He received his B.A. from York University in 2019. Shayan uses latent variable modeling and item response methods to understand how mental health disparities are measured in minoritized groups. Shayan also uses longitudinal methods to examine the psychological mechanisms that underlie mental health disparities across LGBTQ+ status, race, and gender/sex. Clinically, Shayan provides evidence-based psychotherapy to adults with mood, anxiety, and personality disorders.