Cultural and Systemic Oppression

Joaquin Lopez (he/him)

Licensed Professional Counselor Intern

MS, NCC

Systems of oppression permeate every moment of our lives. Racism, sexism, and classism are few of the many systems of oppression that have been part of our story whether we are aware of it or not. Understanding how oppression has affected my personal being, I am able to work with clients to create a safe authentic space to honor their whole experience, and see them for who they are.

caroline sabi (she/hert)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC

I have lived in three different countries and have a deep understanding and respect for cultural diversity.

Quinn Rivenburgh (they/them)

Art Therapist

MAAT, ATR-BC, LAT, LPCC

Our binary, individualistic norms in Western culture create shame and blame for people who are suffering--when in reality, so much of suffering are due to systems of oppression and power. ▵ Life is lived outside of check-marks on demographic forms; our experiences are nuanced and intersectional. We gain or lose access depending on our social location, in ways subtle and micro. I support you in mapping these systems, and strategizing with you toward surviving and thriving.

Rebecca Flatt

Clinical Social Work Associate

I have researched a wide verity of resources pertaining to the oppression faced by Black, African American, Latino, and Chicano communities. My clinical conceptualization of the oppression facing these communities comes from a Black of feminist/ Chicana feminist lens. It can help greatly to have someone who has walked a mile in the same type of shoes.

Cante Nakanishi (she/her)

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

I have the lived experience of interacting with Predominately White Institutions (PWI), personally and professionally, throughout my life. I am acutely aware of the cumulative impacts of cultural and systemic oppression. I invite conversations about how race, power, privilege, and difference impact your daily experiences.

Lolo Haha (he/him)

Professional Counselor

M.A., Dipl. PW

I have engaged in social movement work of different types for most of the last decade, with a specific focus on transformative justice and how to heal in relationship. Coming from several privileged identities, I have done significant work to deeply transform how that training shows up and how to support others to build this awareness as well.

Sarah Craig (She/they)

Licensed Professional Counselor Intern

M.A. Counseling and Guidance

Most of our mental health problems are directly related to our experience of oppression. I have direct experience with this as a queer person.

Danette Gillespie-Otto

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Prior to becoming a psychotherapist, I received training as a facilitator on issues of diversity and systemic oppression. Thus, my clinical lens is honed to not only recognize our individual and family experiences, but our group identity traumas as well. In therapy, we work with both your unique personal experience and your group identity experience.

Heather Simpson (she/her)

Marriage Family Therapist Intern

MA LMFT Intern

Navigating cultural and systemic oppression has been a lifelong journey. it's important that I share the knowledge that I have cultivated with others. As a Black queer woman, living in marginalized spaces, I am able to understand systemic oppression from different lenses. With coursework stemming from women’s and gender studies, to philosophy to psychology I built a foundation of understanding to help clients acknowledge how systems of oppression operate In their lives snd create change.

Erika Nelson (she/her)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

LCSW

Unlearning harmful internalized patterns relearning different patterns is one of the most important tasks one can pursue to create transformation for ourselves and our world. I have worked for years with communities actively harmed by systems of oppression and am actively involved in personal and community development for healing and changing these systems. I work primarily with those socialized as white to support the lifelong work of unpacking how we perpetuate the harm caused to us by this.

Colette Gordon (they/them)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC

Systems of oppression are at the root of so much suffering and disconnection from each other and they also intensify it. While systemic change is beyond the scope of therapy, therapy can provide support with the impacts of oppression and support you in any work you are doing to resist or fight oppression. A lot of my work involves working to reduce internalized oppression.

Miranda York

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

I enjoy working with historical and ancestral trauma and consider the impact of the cultural, social, and political context of your life and the lives of your parents and grandparents. This has an influence on all of us, and I believe it's important not to just look at the nuclear family as an isolated, apolitical unit with singular influence on our psychology, but to consider the broader context

Camillia Thompson, LPC (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

MA, LPC, CMA

Psychological theories and practices have historically perpetuated the cultural and systemic oppression of marginalized identities. Using the best of psychoanalytic and somatic modalities, I offer a safe space to challenge these inherited stories to support your growing into an identity that is truly authentic to who you are.

Korina Jochim

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

If you are part of a historically oppressed group or groups and this is significantly affecting your mental health and wellness, we can identify and work on strategies to balance your life. I approach these issues from an intersectional lense.

sandeep kumar

Licensed Professional Counselor

As a person of color, I understand the reality of coping with systemic oppression when one is of a cultural, sexual, gender or other minority. I make efforts to be sensitive to how this appears in my clients’ life, including challenging therapeutic modalities that are often conceived by and for those of majority status. I offer a safe space within today’s political climate.

Heather Asaadi (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC

I think it is important to explore how your identity and relational patterns are impacted by different systems: family, culture, society, & oppression. These systems can play a significant role in our mental health.

Andrew Conner (He/Him/His)

Marriage Family Therapist Intern

MA

I have worked extensively with youth who have immigrated to the United States from Latin America seeking safety and a better life. My work with women and people of color has given me insight into my privilege as a white cisgendered male. I make an effort to use this privilege to help undo racism and sexism, and to engage in dialogue when I inevitably make mistakes. I welcome clients of all racial, ethnic, national, religious, and caste backgrounds.

Desiree Guzman

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

My graduate program concentrated on incorporating cultural competence in my work with individuals. We examined the effects of ongoing systemic oppression as well as how the dominant narratives effect our sense of person hood. There are multiple realities within a sociopolitical and cultural context that are defined by race, gender, as well economic status.

dare sohei

Professional Counselor

Grow your capacity and become more resilient in our ongoing work for the liberation of all beings and the transformation of oppressive systems.

Rebeca Rocha, PhD, LCSW, MSW (She/Her)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

LCSW

I have 6 years of experience working with immigrants and people of color. I have a PhD in Clinical Psychology and Culture, and I am knowledgeable about issues of systemic oppression.

Jen Yerty, LPC, CADC I

Licensed Professional Counselor

'To the privileged, equality feels like oppression.' Oppression takes on many forms in the lives of the oppressed, from financial challenges to negative self-talk, substance use to mental health challenges. Working on eliminating systemic oppression is a focus of my life and therapeutic work with clients.

Ajay Dheer (He/They)

Marriage Family Therapist Intern

M.S. Marriage and Family Therapy

In my graduate education, I have both taken and taught classes on racism and systemic oppression. In my clinical practice, I see systemic oppression to be more then race; it also includes gender, sexuality, ethical non-monogamy, ability, citizenship, etc. Much of my experience working with cultural oppression include the manifestations of anxiety and depression.

Paige Matthews

Licensed Professional Counselor Intern

I have direct experience working with folks who experience oppression and marginalization, especially queer and trans folks, rural populations, and folks who live below the poverty line. My approach focuses on exploring the impact of oppression on mental health.

Elizabeth Raffer Anderson (She/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor Intern

M.a., NCC

As a person who has a bachelor's degree in women's studies, I have a strong foundation on intersectionality and the importance of including social justice in my work.

Larissa Kaul

Professional Counselor

I have over a decade of experience in studying social justice theory and participating in social movements. I have engaged in many community organizing efforts throughout the years and taught social justice workshops centered on issues around race, gender, sexuality, class, ability, and others.

Rachel Kendall (she/ her)

Licensed Professional Counselor Intern

MS, R-6458

Although I am not a person of color, I have taken dedicated time to address and confront my implicit biases to fight against cultural and systemic oppression at it's core: to challenge the mindset of the oppressor, instead of simply sympathizing with the oppressed. One related training I did included 'How to be (Less) Harmful: Training White Helpers to Serve BIPOC clients.' https://www.ar-tic.org

Sam Skye (he/him)

Licensed Art Therapist

ATR, LAT, LPC

My work with clients often explores the impacts of oppression on mental health. Activism and art making focused on making and envisioning change can be part of our healing process.

Neil Panchmatia MS, LPC-I, NCC (he/him)

Professional Counselor

As a therapist and individual, I am keenly aware of the challenges of today’s sociocultural environment in our country and strive to do therapy that meets the unique needs and challenges of my clients – from a place of cultural humility and understanding of my own intersections of privilege/marginalization. Therapy is your place to heal, thrive and rebuild your resources to continue living.

Erin Axelrod, MA

Licensed Professional Counselor Intern

I view suffering through a systems lens and am passionate about offering a safe space to support unveiling and shifting dynamics of oppression. I will honor your perspective and work with you to create empowerment and change where you desire.