Clinical and Forensic Psychology from a U.S. Perspective

Psychological practice has operated in the United States for more than 150 years, now representing a multitude of subspecialties. Hundreds of academic programs provide psychological training and supervision, and tens of thousands of specialized psychologists are employed throughout the US. However, despite this tremendous variety in psychological practice, there are some common cultural foundations that exist across all areas of US psychological practice. At its roots, US psychological practice operates largely in an individualistic context, placing accountability for change within the individual client, focusing on cognitive and emotional change while often diminishing cultural and spiritual belief systems, restricting access to care to those that can afford it, and relying on a medical model of “fixing” diseases and deficits rather than enhancing strengths and resiliencies. We will explore how these foundations impact the practice of clinical and forensic psychology in the US, how they may compare and contrasts with those found in other nations, and where progress and creativity is pushing these foundations forward. In addition, we will explore our own training and service model at the University of Denver, which emphasizes the role of community and strives to ensure that our clients’ intersectional identities are empowered, seen, and heard.

Dr Neil Gowensmith

Neil Gowensmith is a core faculty member at the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology, teaching exclusively in the Masters of Forensic Psychology program. In 2014, he created and became the director of the department’s forensic mental health institute, Denver FIRST (The University of Denver’s Forensic Institute for Research, Service, and Training), which operates a postdoctoral fellowship, an outpatient competency restoration program, and a robust forensic evaluation service. Dr. Gowensmith has worked in prisons, jails, courts, community mental health centers, and mental health hospitals throughout his career. He continues to serve as a national expert in forensic mental health, with consultation, research, and practice focusing specifically on outpatient competency restoration, standards for forensic evaluators, conditional release of insanity acquittees, and public forensic mental health systems.

Dr Lavita Nadkarni

Dr. Lavita Nadkarni received her Master’s degree in Forensic Psychology from City University-John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Adelphi University’s Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies. Her APA accredited clinical psychology internship was at New York University Medical Center/ Bellevue Hospital in New York City and Kirby Forensic Psychiatric Center. She is Director of Forensic Studies and Professor at the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology (GSPP), where she teaches graduate level students and supervises doctoral and postdoctoral students who conduct forensic assessments for those who are legally involved and underserved. She has been teaching, consulting, and presenting on issues related to forensic psychology for more than 25 years. As a clinical psychologist for the Courts, she has provided forensic psychological evaluations relating to the matters of domestic violence, trauma, immigration, and asylum, competency, parental custody and access, child abuse and neglect, and assessment of risk. Dr. Nadkarni has also supervised graduate students involved in research contracts assessing high-risk criminally involved populations, and those returning citizens who have co-occurring substance use and mental illness disorders. She has program evaluation experience with correctional and legally-encumbered individuals and programs. She has presented on animal maltreatment evaluations and collaborative responses to animal cruelty cases.

Decolonisation and Climate Psychology

The world is experiencing unprecedented global heating and associated adverse weather events with negative impacts on mental health, physical health, ecosystems, infrastructure and economic systems. Psychologists are playing an increasingly important role in attempting to understand the impacts of climate change and interventions to address it. However, psychologists have inadequately acknowledged the unfairness of climate change (marginalised groups are disproportionately affected by climate change and ecological destruction) and the colonial underpinnings of climate change that shape much of that unfairness. This presentation focuses on strengthening the role of the decolonial movement and its intersections with climate psychology. The presentation describes the role of psychologists in the climate emergency, including some potential problems with current approaches. It then discusses the colonial assemblages that continue to promote the structural biases of climate change. It outlines how decolonial ideas emanating from within (for example, decolonial psychology) and outside of (for example, decolonising climate justice) psychology may be useful in strengthening climate psychology, including examples of how this is happening. Lastly, the presentation suggests recommendations for future work.

Prof. Brendon Barnes

Brendon Barnes is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Johannesburg. His work focuses on environmental and climate change injustices through inclusive and action-oriented research. He writes in psychology and environmental health and contributes to the field in three ways: to deepen understanding of ‘behaviour’ in environmental studies, to strengthen critical methodologies, and to reveal how climate and environmental activism is undermined and enhanced.

An inquiry into the experiences of female victims of human trafficking in Ethiopia

The purpose of this study is to tell the story of female victims of human trafficking from Ethiopia. It relates to the cause of trafficking and how it affects their social and emotional wellbeing. The study is conducted in light of constructivist framework and involves in-depth interviews with five returnees whose experiences as victims are explored. This is done to get insight into the challenges faced by the wider population. Themes evident in the stories are discussed in line with relevant literature. The study shows lack of job opportunities, limited income and false promises made by brokers as the major factors drawing women into human trafficking. The findings also show that even after return, the victims experience further difficulties due to post-traumatic psychological factors.  Looking at the significance of the research outcome, the gleaned information could be of value for organizations working on migration, Rehabilitating trafficking survivors and countering human trafficking.

Keywords: Female, Human trafficking, Migration, Migrant workers, Psychosocial and victims of trafficking.

Prof. Assefach Haileselassie Redda

Asefach Haileselassie is a Psychologist, Certified Management Consultant and an expert on Migration & Human Trafficking & psychosocial support. She focuses on Psycho-educating her society through various media outlets, Training, Counseling and writing books and articles. She is the Author of two books in Amharic, the national language of Ethiopia and the books focused on parenting and family life. She is currently working on preparing her two books in English language to address African and the global audience at large. Asefach has served as a President and Vice President of the Ethiopian Psychology Association (EPA) in different times and she is the founding member of the Executive Board of the Pan African Psychology Union (PAPU). Asefach is married and a mother of 3, one daughter and two sons and one granddaughter.

Transformative Change through Clinical Supervision with Cultural Humility

Mental health needs in South Africa are significant.  An estimated one out of  every eight people currently have a diagnosable mental health condition (Sorsdahl et al., 2023); one in six adults met diagnostic criteria for depression, anxiety, or substance use in a 12-month period (Herman et al., 2009; Sorsdahl et al., 2023).  In addition, there is a significant and severe shortage of providers:  .97 public sector psychologists and .31 public sector psychiatrists per 100,000 uninsured in the population who include a historically marginalized, culturally, racially and linguistically diverse client population.  As Pillay and Nyandini (2020) concluded in their follow-up to a study by Pillay and Siyothula (2008), no increase in admissions of black students had occurred even though the Health Professions Council of South Africa had set a target for increasing training numbers of black African students two decades prior.

In their study of South African clinical and counseling supervisors’ perceptions, Hendricks, Cartwright, and Cowden (2021) concluded that currently, individuals begin supervising prematurely, without formal training or readiness.  This impacts quality of care, attitudes towards psychological intervention.

Addressing this crisis, clinical supervision through a frame of cultural humility has potential to be an agent of change.  In South Africa, data on admissions and completion of graduate training indicate critical need for attention to multicultural diversity recruitment, familiarity and comfort with cultural diversity in mental health, and availability of services, distinct needs of the client population, and demographics generally.  Introducing the study of psychology early in elementary school curriculum is a good entry point.

Mental health needs in South Africa are significant. An estimated one out of every eight people currently have a diagnosable mental health condition (Sorsdahl et al., 2023); one in six adults met diagnostic criteria for depression, anxiety, or substance use disorders in a 12-month period (Herman et al., 2009; Sorsdahl et al., 2023). However, there is a severe shortage of mental health providers: only 0.97 public sector psychologists and 0.31 public sector psychiatrists per 100,000 uninsured individuals in the population, which includes a historically marginalized, culturally, racially, and linguistically diverse client population (Pillay & Nyandini, 2020). Despite the Health Professions Council of South Africa setting a target to increase the training of Black African students two decades prior, Pillay and Siyothula (2008) found no increase in admissions of Black students.

Hendricks, Cartwright, and Cowden (2021) concluded that in South Africa, clinical and counseling supervisors often begin supervising prematurely, without formal training or readiness, impacting the quality of care and attitudes toward psychological intervention. Addressing this crisis, clinical supervision through a frame of cultural humility has the potential to be an agent of change. Data on admissions and completion of graduate training in South Africa indicate a critical need for attention to multicultural diversity recruitment, familiarity and comfort with mental health, availability of services distinct to the client population’s needs, and demographics generally, including introducing the study of psychology early in the elementary school curriculum.

Strategies to address interest in psychology training through use of a competency-based supervision model in the frame of cultural humility are presented to enhance accessibility, value attached, and perceived relevance of mental health treatment and career development.

Carol Falender, Ph.D. is co-author/editor of seven books on clinical supervision and consultation, has presented workshops on clinical supervision, the competency-based model, multicultural supervision, and ethics and regulatory issues in supervision in the U.S., Canada, and internationally. She received the Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy Distinguished Award for International Advancement of Psychotherapy in 2023.

Changing mindsets: Psychological assessment futures in South Africa

Psychological assessment has been integral to psychology but its applicability has often been debated, especially when assessments developed in the Global North are used globally. The universalist assumptions of these assessments have been challenged, recognizing the impact of cultural differences influenced by individual, community, and broader social and political conditions on assessment. In South Africa, the history of psychological assessment reflects not only Western influence but also complicity in apartheid. Despite the significant changes that occurred in the 1990s in assessment, issues of access and distribution persist. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a swift transition to online assessments, which increased access but also highlighted and perpetuated existing inequalities. After three decades of democracy, it is crucial to reconsider the role of assessment in South Africa. This paper draws on peer-reviewed research and personal experiences to provide a historical overview of both global and local assessment practices, focusing on South Africa’s unique journey. It discusses current challenges and progress in psychological assessment, emphasizing the need for inclusion, indigenization, and innovation. The paper advocates for an agenda that prioritizes accessibility, relevance, and responsiveness to societal needs in South African psychological assessment, aiming to create a more equitable and effective system.

Prof. Sumaya Laher

Prof. Sumaya Laher is a psychologist specializing in psychometrics, cultural psychology, and mental health. Based at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa,  Prof. Laher’s research focuses on the intersection of culture and psychological assessment, advocating for culturally relevant psychometric practices. She is the Editor of the African Journal of Psychological Assessment and Past President of the Psychological Society of South Africa.

Emancipatory Brief Therapy—Liberating Self from Oppression within and without.

EBT is a treatment approach designed to help persons free themselves psychologically and behaviorally from social, political, or relational systems that undermine their well-being, compromise their integrity, diminish their potential, and/or leave them stuck in pathological states of learned helplessness and unwitting cooperation with oppression, subtle or blatant.  Although benefiting from time-tested and cross-cultural therapeutic approaches for changing human behavior, this approach stands in contrast to the established Euro-American approaches that, at best, ignore or minimize the pervasiveness of oppression in interpersonal and social life and, at worse, justify or promote it in therapy and everyday living. Building on the seminal insights of Dr. Frantz Fanon and other critical thinkers, Emancipatory Brief Therapy rests on a conceptual model analyzing oppression in everyday living. It selects foci and sequences of self-liberating action suitable to each person’s goals and life situation. The approach has individual, family, group, and public health applications. Cognizant of the well-documented alienation and high dropout rates of the non-European populations from Eurocentric treatment modalities, EBT is designed to be relevant, effective, and brief in number and length of sessions, leaving options for subsequent booster or consulting sessions.

Prof. Hussein Bulhan

Professor Hussein A. Bulhan is a graduate of Boston University’s Clinical Psychology Program and Harvard University School of Public Health. While serving at Boston University Medical Center and the Boston City Hospital, he taught at Boston University’s Clinical Psychology Program for 12 years. Still, he resigned after earning tenure in protest to its President’s racist and pro-Apartheid public declarations. He subsequently developed a thriving health consultant firm in the United States, later returning to his country of origin in the throes of war and war trauma to help promote peace and treatment of victims.