DEI: Leadership drives success
Psychologists can play critical role
The civil rights movement of the 1960s led to the creation of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in schools, businesses, and various organizations. In recent years, DEI (also known as EDI) has come to encompass more than just racial justice. The movement addresses disparities regarding sexual orientation, gender identity, religious affiliation, ethnicity, educational opportunities, and other issues.
Aliya Webermann, Ph.D., private practitioner in Hampden, CT, works with LGBTQIA+ clients facing bias related to gender identity and sexuality, utilizing her expertise in trauma-informed psychotherapy. “I provide support during the transition affirming process for those coming out as queer, gay or some combination,” she said.
When her clients present with interpersonal problems, minority stress or complaints of hostile work environments based on their gender identity, Webermann helps them navigate the issues and develop coping skills through a unique practice of identity conceptualization in a cultural social framework. “I look at the context in which things happen, the sociopolitical environment in which issues develop,” she said. “Things are not black and white.”
In the workplace, DEI inclusion policies are driven by leadership, but may not always be a priority. “It’s not what you do only on special days but should be a larger movement tailored to individual care,” Webermann said.
DEI initiatives and DEI-related training will not make employees feel safe if leadership is not supportive and reflective of its staff. “It’s good to have diverse representation in organization leadership. But that’s not sufficient in itself and won’t necessarily make a person feel welcome,” Webermann said.
Webermann acknowledges that DEI programs are definitely “pulling back.” Some of these decisions are perpetuated by those who have no understanding of gender affirming care and difficulties accessing care.
Shiva Reznan, Ph.D., co-chair of the Connecticut Psychological Association’s social justice committee, created Modern Unconscious, a course designed to inform students about the critical role implicit bias plays in the clinical field, in society, and in daily lives.
Reznan is an assistant professor of psychology at Albertus Magnus College and a practitioner in Cheshire, CT.
Following the murder of George Floyd, the college began to sponsor monthly events to create a conversation about bias related to race, disability, environmental justice, teaching, and other topics.
Surveys and feedback from faculty and students indicated that these issues negatively impact the workplace and impede personal and professional growth.
Reznan noted that DEI can serve as a cornerstone in hiring staff and recruiting students. Faculty that looks like the diverse student body promotes a sense of safety and better understanding. Practitioners must acknowledge the differences of multiple groups and try to comprehend their experiences. “We need a voice from each group,” she said.
According to Reznan, it is important to recognize bias and refrain from acting on it. Psychologists can help the student overcome their biases and empower them. “Through practice, this becomes natural and carries into the community. We also need to work on language, which might have hidden biases,” she said.
A clinical educator in the School of Psychology at UMass Amherst, Jesslyn Neves, Ph.D., addresses equity, inclusion, and the quality in the K-12 school environment. She teaches and trains a diverse pool of applicants to be culturally responsible and matches placements, based on race, abilities, socio-economic status, and other factors.
Neves cited The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015, which “…upholds critical protections for disadvantaged students…” She believes that cultural acceptance and inclusion help create a more positive school environment. “Students need more than just an academic education,” she said.
Her research draws upon the Georgia School Climate Survey, which sought input from students, parents, and school personnel on a variety of topics, including school connectedness; character; physical environment; adult and peer social support; cultural acceptance; order and discipline; and safety.
“[Students who are marginalized] have a low perspective of school climate. It’s alarming to think that students have to grapple with disparities in the school setting,” she said.
Schools are representative of the larger community, according to Neves. “Students and teachers should feel pride. Students are served and should feel they can serve. This collective culture [translates] to greater teacher satisfaction,” she said.
Neves added that schools should be a vehicle for change and social justice, an important factor in reducing disparity.
She promotes “shared power,” a dynamic in which students are encouraged to give their input, empowering them.
The University of Vermont Medical Center (UVMMC) has adopted several initiatives in recent years that address DEI issues. Courtney Landau Fleisher, PhD, ABPP, UVMMC’s clinical psychologist and clinical assistant professor, offers a DEI series for psychology residents in which she raises issues, helps develop health equity rounds, and teaches the pediatric psychology community to reflect on biases and how to address them.
Fleisher also brings her social justice advocacy efforts into the greater community where she leads group discussions about racial justice. She is working with the Vermont Professionals of Color Network to develop a process for residency applicants separate from standard interviews.
Panelists discuss social justice topics, especially those affecting BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) individuals in the community, to help promote better understanding of what it means to live in a predominantly white society.
Since 2021, Marissa Coleman, Psy.D., clinical psychologist, and vice president of DEI at UVMMC, has made significant strides in implementing several DEI initiatives. Feedback from racial equity listening sessions and workforce assessment survey results prompted her to create two employee resource groups: one that supports those who identify as BIPOC and the other focuses on those who identify as LGBTQ+.
Coleman’s DEI work is informed by liberation psychology, which understands an individual by examining their sociopolitical, cultural, and historical context. Rooted in this discipline, UVMMC created a three-year system-wide health network strategy aimed at relationship and collaboration building. The plan reflects a global vision with a local voice, and is built on three pillars: one that focuses on community, patients, and family, and the other on people and culture.
Advocacy helps promote equity for all, according to Coleman. She emphasized the critical role psychologists can play in drawing attention to disparities and finding solutions. “How psychology and DEI come together to advocate is an important part of the work we do,” she said.
Reznan said, “We’re advocates in society and it’s our responsibility to create courageous, respectful conversations to help clients better understand their biases.” She added that psychologists must to put aside their egos and “listen, see, hear, and understand their clients.”