4.6 Practice
Journal Prompts
- After examining the ADDRESSING model in Figure 4.4, reflect on your own identities. Which of your identities represent more power and which represent less power? How might these influence your view of others? What can you do to make sure your work with clients is free from implicit bias?
Self Care Activity
- An effective approach to identifying our implicit biases is to practice mindfulness. Simply staying in the moment can help us tune into our thoughts and respond to situations in an intentional manner rather than relying on automatic responses. One of the easiest methods to become more mindful is focusing on your breath. The Free Mindfulness Project provides free downloadable exercises on breathing and mindfulness at their website. Choose one or two of the exercises to try. Practice one of these techniques while at your internship, and see how it impacts your awareness.
Class Discussion Topics
- Watch the TED Talk “The Urgency of Intersectionality” by Kimberlé Crenshaw. How would you define intersectionality? How do you see it operating in your own life? How do you see it operating at your placement agency? How can you, as interns, address the challenges presented by intersecting identities?
Practice Licenses and Attributions
“Practice ” written by Yvonne M. Smith LCSW is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
definition
attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, decisions, and actions in an unconscious manner.
A credit class in which students apply theory to practice by using what you have learned in coursework in a real-world setting with a supervisor/mentor who is invested in your growth and development (often also referred to as fieldwork or practicum).
inequalities produced by simultaneous and intertwined social identities and how that influences the life course of an individual or group.