About the Session

White Supremacy, systemic oppression, and Eurocentrism have shaped and pervaded psychological science, practice, and training (Guthrie, 2004; Mullan, 2023). Training programs model trainee development based on a master narrative constructed from this lens. “A master narrative is a script that specifies and controls how some social processes are carried out,” and “[acts] to universalize and cast dialogues in binary, contrasting categories that support the maintenance of dominant groups” (Stanley, 2007, p. 14). Internalizing a master narrative that does not align with their cultural experiences and worldview can lead marginalized trainees to have difficulty developing a positive clinical identity, and feel inadequate, confused, and without agency in the training process (Brunsma et al., 2017; Denu, 2023; Lund et al., 2014; Lykins, 2021; McLean & Syed, 2016). 

Supervisory relationships are foundational for developing trainee skill, practice, and clinical identity; thus supervision is a critical site for mitigating the internalization of the master narrative for marginalized trainees. Supervisors are in a unique position to support trainees in developing counternarratives, which seek to identify, deconstruct, and challenge the master narrative through creation of an alternative narrative grounded in their own perspective, culture, and values (Stanley, 2007). In the current digital landscape, supervision is often provided via telehealth or hybrid methods. As such, this program will present strategies for telesupervisors to (1) develop a strong working alliance with marginalized trainees; (2) address the impact of master narratives on trainees’ clinical identity, performance, and well-being during telesupervision; and (3) collaborate with trainees to develop personal counternarratives grounded in their strengths and resistance.

Learning Objectives

1. Define master narrative and counternarrative, and explain their relevance to telesupervision of psychology trainees.

2. Identify strategies for developing a strong supervisory relationship in the telesupervision setting.

3. Address the impact of master narratives on trainees’ clinical identity, performance, and well-being during telesupervision.

4. Identify ways to collaborate with trainees to develop personal counternarratives grounded in their strengths and resistance during telesupervision.

Instructor

Dr. Nadia Alsamadi is a queer and nonbinary Palestinian American clinical psychologist, educator, and speaker in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Dr. Alsamadi is the founder of Beyond the Binary Psychotherapy and Consulting, PLLC, where they collaborate with LGBTQ+, Arab/SWANA, BIPOC, and first/second generation immigrant clients to explore issues related to anxiety, identity, culture, oppression, and empowerment. They support their clients, students, and mentees in drawing strength and pride from their identities and culture, resisting false dichotomies, and reclaiming their own narratives. As a dynamic and engaging speaker, they build relationships with individuals and organizations to deepen cultural humility, critical consciousness, and compassion for the complexity of the human experience. 

About the Session

Described by psychologists as “racism’s most insidious consequence,” internalized racism occurs when individuals adopt societal prejudices that portray their own racial group as inferior, while upholding the perceived superiority of dominant racial groups (David et al., 2019). This CE course focuses on internalized racism among Asian Americans and its unique manifestations shaped by histories of colonization, the model minority myth, and U.S. racial hierarchies. Participants will learn about current research, including meta-analytic evidence on the psychological toll of internalized racism for Asian Americans, and will gain practical, culturally responsive tools for deconstructing internalized racism in this population. This course will demonstrate how clinical and community-based interventions can foster healing and liberation for Asian Americans and beyond (Chopra, 2021; Estrellado et al., 2023; Garrison et al., 2024; Hsu, 2024; Hwang, 2021; Singh, 2019).

Learning Objectives

1. Identify five unique forms of internalized racism among Asian Americans based on research

2. Explain how internalized racism shapes mental health outcomes among Asian Americans

3. Apply clinical and community-based interventions for deconstructing and healing internalized racism among Asian Americans

Instructor

Jacqueline (Jaki) Yi, Ph.D. is an assistant professor at the School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences at the University of Washington Bothell. She received a PhD in Clinical-Community Psychology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Yi’s research explores how Asian Americans navigate systems of oppression, particularly their experiences with race and racism and their engagement in social justice action. She teaches undergraduate courses on Asian American Psychology and Multicultural Counseling. Her clinical experiences include culturally responsive individual and group counseling, as well as outreach and prevention work with racially minoritized communities.