An Introduction to Class in Mental Health and Therapy
On November 13, 2023 by sarmientoveranoFeatured photo credit: Mathieu Stern Something to be noted about class is that, like other axes of privilege and oppression, it has a deep impact on people’s material and emotional
It’s time to speak up. An open letter to mental health professionals.
On October 15, 2023 by sarmientoverano“And no part of this enormous wound has held you back in any way.And no part of this enormous wound has pushed you in any way.You have been free to
Therapy as a site of resistance PART 2: the therapist’s stance
On August 21, 2023 by sarmientoveranoIn the first part to this piece, I wrote about the therapist needing to always consider what the client brings to the work from a socio-historical perspective, in order to
Therapy as a Site of Resistance PART 1: Being in the Client’s Corner
On July 24, 2023 by sarmientoveranoFeatured photo credit: Alexandre Dinaut Last year, I wrote about Epistemic Justice in the therapy room and what it may look like through practices like Conscientization and naming oppressive dynamics.
Mystification & Exceptionalism as Vectors of Power in Therapy
On April 18, 2023 by sarmientoveranohow exceptionalism and mystification happen in the mental health professions, how they act as vectors of power, and why they enable and heighten the risk of harm to clients and our colleagues.
It’s A White Woman’s World – Group Whiteness in Process
On January 2, 2023 by sarmientoveranoFeatured photo credit: Teslariu Mihai I don’t want this text to be read as “I didn’t like group process so now I’m making a disparaging piece about it”. Rather, this
Book: Learning Whiteness – Arathi Sriprakash, Jessica Gerrard & Sophie Rudolph
On January 2, 2023 by sarmientoveranoWhat is this book about? The process of learning and internalising whiteness with a focus on how this educational project works in a settler colonial state such as Australia, including
Book: Class and Psychoanalysis – Joanna Ryan
On November 21, 2022 by sarmientoveranoWhat is this book about? The emotional and psychic processes of class and classism. Main topics explored: What is radical/new/different about it? The level of interdisciplinary thinking. Unlike most therapeutic
Dialogue is STILL not enough: further thoughts on power and multicultural therapy
On October 5, 2022 by sarmientoveranoI wrote about the idea of dialogue, dialogical relationship and working across cultures in psychotherapy a year and a half ago. In fact, it is that post that started this
Defensive Minds: harm across neuro-cognitive difference
On June 21, 2022 by sarmientoveranoBy: Lucia Sarmiento Verano Image credit: https://unsplash.com/@joshriemer Disclaimer (June 2024): I have recently being diagnosed autistic. This article was first published before I even suspected this, so it has now
