In media portrayals, when members of a marginalized group are either not represented or shown in negative or unimportant roles, that may be part of what’s called “symbolic annihilation.” The practice can have drastic impact on the mental health of individuals who are part of the misrepresented group.

On the latest Conversations with KidsPeace podcast, KidsPeace Clinical Training Manager Gwen Colon-Hofmann discusses this phenomenon, which was the subject of a powerful training program at KidsPeace called “Clinical Cafes.”