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276 microaggressive impact on mental health practice

about dealing with microaggressions are equally applicable to interpersonal
interactions of nearly all forms.
One of the greatest challenges facing mental health practitioners is how
to become culturally competent in delivering relevant services to people of
color, women, LGBTs, and other marginalized groups such as those with dis-
abilities, religious minorities, and immigrants/refugees. Traditional training
such as taking courses, workshops, and reading the professional literature
on diverse groups in our society may be helpful, but it seems to have mini-
mal effect on implicit biases (Boysen & Vogel, 2008). In other words, multi-
cultural training may help in acquiring expertise (knowledge and skills), but
if it does not tap into and change unconscious and unintentional biases,
trustworthiness will not be established. Researchers, practitioners, and profes-
sional organizations in mental health have come up with guiding principles
and suggestions that may best overcome aversive forms of racism, sex-
ism, and heterosexism that are manifested in microaggressions (American
Counseling Association, 1999; American Psychological Association, 2003;
CCPTP, ACCTA, SCP, 2009; Hughes, 2005; Johnson & Longerbeam, 2007;
Sue, 2003; Sue, Arredondo, & McDavis, 1992).
1. The development of a vision statement (as also discussed in Chapter 10 )
can guide areas of education and training and mental health practice and is
a necessity in framing the values/goals/objectives of mental health practice.
The Council of Counseling Psychology Training Programs, the Association
of Counseling Center Training Agencies, and the Society of Counseling
Psychology have been among the fi rst to create a “ Counseling Psychology
Model Training Values Statement Addressing Diversity ” (CCPTP, ACCTA,
& SCP, 2009). This model statement on the values associated with diver-
sity can serve as a valuable guide for the helping professions in general
(Winterowd, Adams, Miville, & Mintz, 2009). It explicitly states that (1)
respect for values different from one ’ s own is a central value of coun-
seling; (2) the fi eld exists within multicultural communities (race, gender,
sexual orientation, class, religious affi liations, ages, physical abilities, and
so forth) and openness to learning about others is a necessary attribute of
helping; (3) self - examination and openness about one ’ s biases and preju-
dices is a continuing and ongoing journey; (4) providing equal access and
opportunity — that is, social justice — is a central component of helping;
and (5) there is an ethical obligation to educate each other “ on the exist-
ence and effects of racism, sexism, ageism, heterosexism, religious intol-
erance, and other forms of invidious prejudice ” (p. 643).
(Continued)

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