Shawn LaRe' Brinkley, MS, LMFT, Diversity Chair

Diversity: More than Just a Word

These days there are so many "buzz" words, #hashtags, acronyms that rule our conversations, whether among friends, strangers, co-workers, or colleagues. As clinical professionals, we must accept a certain responsibility to not only be well-informed about such issues but to consciously check in with ourselves to see where we stand personally on issues that may impact us publically.

Diversity is one of those words tossed around often but it is imperative it land on a safe, well-informed, honest, and well-reflected place. It is much more than just a word, like many of these "hot-button buzz words," diversity is a movement. This movement represents opportunities to move toward inclusion, acceptance, tolerance, and grace.

So often, when we consider the meaning of diversity, we think of race, ethnicity, and maybe gender . . . and, yes, these identifiers are components of diversity. However, the concept of the word embodies so much more. America, and locally, California, is a melting pot of cultural differences lending to the rich tapestry that is our community. This is all the more reason we must explore our personal components of diversity and be open to taking stock of where we stand and how we can contribute to stirring this cultural melting pot to empower the masses rather than resting comfortably in what we know.

In the helping professions, we have the opportunity and gift to interact with people from all walks of life. This is the good news. The not-so-good news is that without cultural competence and awareness and the tools to address the pink elephant in the room, we may not live up to our intention; "do no harm." The newly formed, SFV-CAMFT Diversity Committee is looking to explore thoughtful ways to bring our membership along on the journey of increasing our organizations diversity profile.

Some may ask, "Why a Diversity Committee?" The committee, made up of members of our Chapter: Negah Yazdi, Doreen Schnider, Parshaw Barati, Solange Zelman, and chaired by myself, came up with these ideas:

• The valley is a diverse community
• An opportunity to bring people of various diverse components together to celebrate the differences and learn about the likenesses
• To replace myths and stereotypes about "others" with truth, kindness, tolerance through curiosity and learning
• To assist the therapist community with cultural competence, sensitivity, knowledge, and more curiosity
• To become "in touch" with our own biases and work through them in healthy well-informed, safe manner
• To be empowered to examine, acknowledge, and address the inequities we see surrounding us in a culturally sound manner
• To enjoy learning about one another in healthy, warm, relaxed environment that helps expand and develop unity
• To empower clinicians to be aware of culturally important issues specific to the client's cultural make-up
• To be able to consult with the committee or other chapter members on issues that may arise in practice setting our personally that may require helpful input

The group has been meeting to develop the purpose and direction of the committee as well as to fine tune our vision and brainstorm avenues to take, which that vision to life. It has been an exciting time for us, as a baby committee, to find our footing and create a platform from which to spring into focused action. Some of the ideas of we have come up with include, providing more diverse speakers on the dais at the membership meetings covering topics related to diversity issues or from a diverse perspective relative to a diverse population, as well as asking speakers, no matter the topic, to speak briefly on the diversity issues if it applies to his or her topic; including diversity questions as part of the table topics discussed following the speakers at membership meetings; provide educational opportunities as well as a resources list of events, services in the community as it relates to diversity items; sponsoring outside social events with a cultural focus (celebrating cultural traditions etc.); partnering with the Outreach Committee to see what is possible in collaboration.

This is just a peek into the window of the Diversity Committee as it develops. We look forward to the input of members to share what you might like to learn, experience, or see happen within our chapter and suggestions on how the committee can serve you. For anyone who has some time, no matter how little, please join us in our efforts to make a difference. Lastly, we would like to share our mantra: "Embrace the humanity, and unity in diversity."

Shawn LaRe' is a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist in private practice. Her practice, Living Loved Pathways to Holistic Healing is located in Tarzana. In addition, Shawn LaRé, sees clients at SoCal Therapy Center in Woodland Hills. She specializes in trauma work, including human sex trafficking and working with adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Other specialties include working with non-traditional therapeutic modalities such as art, music, drama, and Shawn LaRe' is a certified Laughter Yoga Instructor.