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January 2008 E-Bulletin

January 18, 2008

Feature: "Reflections on Multiculturalism and Its Impact on My Work as a Psychologist" by Erika Yomtobian, Psy.D.  


Events: Jody Kussin, PhD, "Sane Parenting for an Insane World" |  Grad Picnic  l  2008 Annual Conference  l  Alumni Luncheon  |  Become a Non-Smoker in 90 Minutes  l  Training for Counseling Latinos  

News: Catch Them Being Good, Guide to Positive Parenting Now Available  |  Aaroe Associates Charitable Foundation Grant  l  A Fine Arts Exhibit of Artists with Developmental Disabilities 


Get Involved: Increase the Value of Your Degree  l  Communications Bureau  l  Class Notes  l  Lend a Hand to Phillips Students  l  Attention All Authors!  l  Your Alumni Board Needs You  


Feature

Reflections on Multiculturalism and Its Impact on My Work as a Psychologist

by Erika Yomtobian, Psy.D.  


"Other than confidential self-reflections as part of course requirements, I have never publicly written about my life experiences. Sharing my personal, familial, and cultural history is not something I am used to, especially growing up with messages from cultures (Persian and Jewish) that value privacy. Each time I reflect on these experiences I recall painful struggles and emotions, which leaves me feeling more empathy and sensitivity for those who have faced similar oppressive experiences.  

Briefly, my background includes being first generation American on both sides of my family (my mother is Hungarian and my father is Persian). I am the second generation of a Holocaust survivor of the Nazi concentration camps in Auschwitz. Growing up in the 1980s and during the Iran hostage crisis, I watched my father be discriminated against based on his ethnic background. As a child, I witnessed my father be called hateful names; at age five I witnessed my father lose his clothing boutique because customers did not want to associate with or purchase clothing from an Iranian, though a clothing store on the same street run by white American salesmen flourished. Losing my father’s business translated into losing our house, and we were forced to move into a family member’s small apartment. I experienced hateful behavior directed at me based on my Jewish heritage, similar to the experiences I faced based on my Persian background.  

While individuals such as William Cross, Janet Helms, and A. J. Franklin have developed models and theories to describe ethnic identity development, they have primarily focused on specific groups of people of color. Individuals of Middle Eastern descent can only choose between “Caucasian” or “Other” when asked to state their ethnic identity. Middle Easterners, however, will typically not identify with being white, yet they will often describe significant experiences of oppression based on ethnicity. I know that I appeared white on the outside and I also received privileges based on my white appearing skin; however, I felt different on the inside. As I grew into early adolescence I had internalized the negative messages that were associated with being Middle Eastern and because of that shame, I felt unworthy. My peers and friends were always denigrating Persians, so if I was asked about my ethnic background, at best, I claimed only to be Hungarian and Jewish.  
 
I grew up in an impoverished neighborhood and many of my friends were people of color. Despite feeling comfortable being around kids of diverse ethnic backgrounds, I sought ways to preserve my “whiteness” and to deny my Persian heritage. I experienced shame based on my heritage and denied parts of my true self because of the shame; now I can understand that what I experienced was internalized oppression. I was without the proper tools and resources to express myself.  After entering college, a therapist helped me identify my internalized racism and understand parts of me that I wasn’t allowing myself to access. My experience of myself changed when I started to take Farsi lessons and classes devoted to learning about Persian and Jewish cultures. Only then did I begin to see and feel myself fully for the first time in my life.  

I spent the next couple of years attaining my Master’s degree in psychology and learning to fully integrate the parts of myself that I had abandoned as a result of my internalized oppression. I realized my goals included promoting a more positive culture for other individuals who similarly struggle with their own ethnic identity development. I continued my education, completing my doctorate in clinical psychology with a concentration area in diversity. Currently, I am a pre-licensed Psychologist working with a diverse clientele; I teach two graduate multicultural competencies courses, and I co-host a weekly radio program.  

I am now able to comfortably draw on my past experiences, though while growing up I felt quite different from others based on my cultural and ethnic background. These “differences” at times made me feel very isolated. So what kind of difference did my differences make?  Now, I find access to my multiethnic background has become clinically advantageous. I believe I experience increased empathy, ease of establishing rapport with others, and increased connection with their pain, having been fully sensitized to the commonality of our human experiences and human suffering. I know now that the effects of being oppressed take a similar toll, regardless of the type of oppression. No matter what the cause is (e.g. racism, sexism, ableism), being made to feel “less than” comes at high psychological cost to one’s sense of self and personal integrity. I have learned the importance of growing beyond “tolerance” and into accepting people as they are rather than judging or making assumptions about them.   

While the field of psychology has made many advances in the sphere of cultural diversity, I believe we still have a long road ahead of us. Oppression and racism are still alive and well in 2007, despite the diversification of America. Now that I have the opportunity to teach multiculturalism, I stress the importance of not making assumptions or judging a person based on their outward appearance. Most individuals have experienced some form of oppression in their lives, and getting in touch with that pain can be a powerful tool when it is used to empathize with another’s experience of oppression. Today I am very proud of my heritage and where I come from because of all the gifts it has bestowed onto me. I would not have had the strength or courage to teach others about diversity if I didn’t grow up in a multicultural family.  

As my colleagues, I can only encourage you to access and make sense of your own experiences of oppression, whatever those may be. Draw on those experiences of pain, hurt, or humiliation to empathize more fully with your client and his or her pain.  You can use this understanding to foster healing and to promote a deep connection with others, based on shared humanity that transcends the bounds of culture or ethnicity."       

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Events 
 
2008 Annual Conference Keynote
Jody Kussin, PhD
Sane Parenting (Skills, Attitudes, Behaviors) for an Insane World
April 5,  2008, 9:00am–12:00 pm
Phillips Campus, 5445 Balboa Blvd, Encino
A vibrant, wise and witty speaker, Kussin has presented widely and made numerous television appearances. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear the author of Catch Them Being Good offer her parenting wisdom in person. For more information, please contact Deanna Mouser at 818.386.5632.  

Jody Kussin, Ph.D.  is the original author of Catch Them Being Good:  A Guide to Positive Parenting, an award winning parent training program. The revised edition was printed when the first book sold out and became out of print.  Students and alumni of Dr. Kussin asked for a new book so that they could train their own students to work with parents while focusing on relationship, connection, and positive role modeling between children and parents.  

Dr. Kussin was a founding Academic Chair and Director of the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program at Phillips Graduate Institute in Encino.  She has been mentoring and supervising students of mental health disciplines for decades.  Her main research and educational areas are parenting, parent-child relations, and child, teen and adult development.  She is currently working in an area near and dear to her ~ children’s community mental health, with Casa Pacifica, in Camarillo, California.  In addition she works in the area of psychological assessment and forensic evaluation.  

Dr. Kussin has an active consulting practice, working with public school districts, independent schools, preschools, religious institutions, and community agencies throughout California.  She is a frequent speaker and educator on the local and national scene.   

Of most significance, however, Jody and husband/scientist Dr. Steve Shoptaw happily live together raising their three children and assorted dogs.    
 
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Save the Date!
Welcome the 2008 Graduating Class at the Grad Picnic Potluck
June 1, 2008
Join your Alumni Board in welcoming the 2008 graduating class of Phillips Alumni at the Grad Picnic Potluck on June 1, 2008. Enjoy potluck under the trees at Woodley Park, with your family and new Alumni friends. For more information, contact Francine Roberts for more information at 818.654.1753.    

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2008 Annual Conference
April 1 - April 6, 2008
Phillips Campus, 5445 Balboa Blvd, Encino
A multidisciplinary educational experience targeted both to the novice and seasoned professional, the majority of Annual Conference seminars are eligible for continuing education credit for MFTs, LCSWs and Psychologists.  Workshop topics include: Dreamworks, Yoga Psychology, Group Therapy, Adolescents, short-Term Psychotherapy, Couples Therapy, Law & Ethics, Self-Injury, Maternal Depression and Interpersonal Neurobiology.  For more information, see the Continuing Education Pages, or contact Deanna Mouser at 818.386.5632.   

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2008 Alumni Luncheon
April 6, 2008, 12:00-2:00pm
Phillips Campus, 5445 Balboa Blvd, Encino
Come back to campus to see old friends and make new ones! The Phillips Alumni Luncheon is a celebration of Phillips over the years and a wonderful opportunity to come back and see what we’ve been up to. The Shirley Riley Award will be presented, as well as the 2008 Scholarship for Academic Excellence. Join President Lisa Porché-Burke, Alumni Board President Kirby Tepper, your Alumni Board, faculty members and students for a great time.

$20 per person, $10 for students. Please contact Francine Roberts for more information at 818.654.1753.   

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Become a Non-Smoker in 90 minutes
Sunday, February 24th, 2008, 3:00 pm-4:30 pm
Phillips Campus, 5445 Balboa Blvd, Encino
Ann J. Elkin, PhD, a clinical psychologist, has been using hypnosis in her practice for over 25 years. Due to the death of her parents from lung cancer, she has a special passion to help people stop smoking.  In Elkin’s practice, 85% of those who want to quit smoking do so after only one session.   

Most clients experience: 
  • NO weight gain
  • NO withdrawal symptoms
  • NO cravings
  • NO irritability
  • NO feelings of deprivation  
R.S.V.P. to Amy Prieto, Intake Coordinator, at (818) 386-5615.  This event is free of charge.  

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Two-Day Training Program Treating Spanish-Speaking Latinos
Registration for a two-day intensive training program, “CBT Group Treatment of Depression with Spanish Speaking Latinos”, is now being accepted (fourteen CEUs) For details, see the website www.LBHI.org and look under LBHI Trainings.     
 
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News

Catch Them Being Good by Jody Kussin, PhD, Now Available
We’re pleased to announce that Catch Them Being Good - a Guide to Positive Parenting by Jody Kussin, PhD is now available at the Phillips Bookstore.  Catch Them Being Good contains all the material a mental health professional needs to conduct positive parenting classes:
  • Brief Overviews provide “at-a-glance” road maps for each class
  • Detailed Outlines supply background information and guidelines for leading discussions
  • Role Play Exercises provide age-specific practice opportunities for parents
  • Handouts, Homework and Development Information focus on specific age-appropriate behavior and techniques for parents.  
This exceptional guide has been used with parenting groups from a variety of socioeconomic levels and geographic areas, and can be adapted to special needs parenting as well, including grandparents, adoptive parents, foster parents, etc.  

A self-contained 12-week course for the mental health professional, Catch Them Being Good is designed to run groups for parents of children 2-18.  A foundation for positive parenting is built that emphasizes strength-based interaction and recognizes that all families are different. Catch Them Being Good covers important parenting skills that improve family ability to:         
  • Set Reasonable Boundaries         
  • Offer Consequences Informed by Knowledge of Child Development         
  • Improve Communication         
  • Develop Family Cohesiveness        
  • …and more!
In Catch Them Being Good, Dr. Kussin presents proven techniques informed by her many years as a practicing psychologist and former Program Director of Phillips Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program. Her work guides leaders to effectively meet the needs of each family...culturally, developmentally and with sensitivity.  

To purchase Catch Them Being Good, call 818.386.5674.  Quantity discounts are available.      

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The Aaroe Associates Charitable Foundation has awarded a $1,000 grant to support the Latino Family Therapy Program(LFTP), which provides culturally responsive services in Spanish to Latinos through CalFam. Student therapists who participate in the LFTP experience a clinical Spanish immersion and intensive diversity and family systems training. Preparing therapists to work with the Spanish-speaking population creates a strong ripple effect: not only is the local Latino community served, but clinicians go on to provide culturally-appropriate services in community-based organizations across Los Angeles County and Southern California. For more information, please contact Jose Luis Flores at 818.386.5651.  

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A Fine Arts Exhibit of Artists with Developmental Disabilities
November 2, 2007 – February 19, 2008
Phillips Campus  5445 Balboa Blvd, Encino
The Art Therapy Program at Phillips is collaborating with the Art Center – San Pedro Exceptional Children’s Foundation to present “A Fine Arts Exhibit of Artists with Development Disabilities.”  Surprising and touching, many pieces are still for sale and are on display in the 2nd floor hallway gallery near the Clinical Psychology Program Offices.  For more information, contact Noah Hass-Cohen at 818.386.5611.   

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Get Involved

Increase the Value of Your Degree: Get Involved with your Alumni Association
The Alumni Association is a networking and service organization made up of graduates of Phillips and former CalFam trainees dedicated to serving the community.  Phillips Alumni network and attend professional development events, provide information and assistance to Phillips, and promote the strong development of Phillips and mental health and organizational education.

Benefits of Joining Your Alumni Association:
  • Free or discounted admission to Alumni Association events
  • Up to 6 hours of free Spring workshops (some restrictions apply)
  • PGI library membership and full access ($100 value)
  • Inclusion in the Alumni Referral Directory
  • Discounted Continuing Education classes and workshops
  • 10% discount at the PGI Bookstore.  
To join, submit the Phillips Alumni Association membership form.  

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Communications Bureau
The Alumni Association has teamed up with Phillips and CalFam to establish the Communications Bureau as a resource for alums, students and the community.  Alums and students from any Phillips program can apply to present talks and workshops to nonprofits, organizations businesses and schools on psychoeducational and organizational topics such as Leadership in Nonprofits, School Violence, Organizational Efficiency, Domestic Violence, etc.  If you are interested in becoming a speaker with the Communications Bureau, please complete the Temporary Speakers Form and return it to Francine Roberts or fax it to 818.654.1772.    

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Class Notes
We’d love to hear about what you’ve been doing since graduating from Phillips.  What are your specialties?  Have you given any presentations or workshops recently or do you plan to?  Is there anything you want your peers to know about you that they may not already know?  Let us know so we can spread the word.  For your convenience, you can email your information to froberts@pgi.edu.       

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MFT Lend a Hand to Phillips Students
Providing MFT students with therapy on a sliding scale is a great way to give back to Phillips students and to the mental health profession.  The MA in Psychology program requires students to experience their own personal therapy prior to graduation.  Please email Lisa Wolfe, MFT Clinical Training Coordinator, at  lwolfe@pgi.edu to be added to the Psychotherapist Directory.  

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Attention All Authors!
Do you like to write?  We’re seeking articles written by our alums for the next issue of Alum News, the Alumni Newsletter.  The following sections are planned:  
  • In practice / Nuts and Bolts
  • Legal / Procedural
  • Community Mental Health
  • Alumni Spotlight    
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Your Alumni Board Needs You!
Are you ready to give back to your school?  Do you have a burning desire to contribute your expertise, your creativity and your support to a team of individuals who care deeply about Phillips?  If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, the Alumni Board is the place for you!  

The Board meets quarterly to plan events, explore new ways to serve the alumni and have fun.  Members represent the various programs at Phillips.  For more information, please call Cynthia Carr, Director of Advancement, at 818.654.1732.  

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Please contact Francine Roberts at 818.654.1753 or froberts@pgi.edu with your ideas.    

NEWS & EVENTS
President Honored (details)

Phillips honored (details)

“I Am an Art Therapist,” Currently on Display (details) <