Decolonizing Our Mental Health Field

Description: Oppressive sociopolitical structures associated with economic, educational, and health disparities can be traced back to colonialism and the imposition of Western values on communities. A cultural overestimation of Western values may be seen in a variety of social systems, including those in the political, economic, educational, health care, and religious spheres. Historically, colonialism has also informed theory and practice in psychology, leading to non-inclusive and oppressive mental health models. This 2-hour workshop will contextualize the present mental health model, define colonization and decolonization, and provide alternative practical clinical interventions aimed at decolonizing mental health models and promoting culturally informed mental health treatment. Objectives Attendees can: 1. Identify two examples of colonization 2. Describe at least two western cultural values that have affected mental health treatment.. 3. List three mental health interventions both at a personal and institutional level