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What Therapists Should Know About Code-Switching: An Interview with Dr. Jameta Nicole Barlow


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What Therapists Should Know About Code-Switching: An Interview with Dr. Jameta Nicole Barlow

Curt and Katie interview Dr. Jameta Nicole Barlow on code-switching. We explore what code-switching is, the mental health impacts of code-switching, and how therapists can support clients who code-switch.

Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!

In this podcast episode, we talk about code-switching

An important conversation about code-switching for therapists. What do we need to know and what can we do to support people who need to code switch?

What is code-switching?
  • Shifting how one speaks or behaves to fit into the current situation
  • Often occurs with people who do not look like you or are culturally different from you
  • Learning to operate differently in different spaces due to being judged based on appearance, behavior, and language
  • Choosing which words to use, which has additional layers for multilingual folks
  • Much deeper than just linguistic shifts
  • Responding to the potential for violent harm when how you typically show up doesn’t fit the current situation’s prescribed norms
  • The concept of “professionalism” and who set the standards
  • Needing to push back on the norms
  • What are the mental health effects of Code-switching?
    • Anxiety and depression
    • Not bringing full self into most spaces
    • Hesitation, lack of learning and sharing
    • Chronic health diseases connected to cortisol
    • Identity concerns, unraveling of identity over time
    • Fear of being found out or not being accepted
    • High mental load
    • Not everyone code switches
    • Why are people code-switching in professional settings? Or is it still happening?
      • Shifts in behaviors during the pandemic
      • Letting go of certain social mores on zoom
      • Not having to go to work and putting on a professional persona when working remotely
      • What can mental health professionals due to support clients who code-switch?
        • There are not enough Black therapists to see all of the Black clients, so therapists of other demographics need to make sure that they are addressing it
        • Going beyond the client having to explain all of their experience or be a cultural translator
        • Stay present to the story and clarify later, to allow client to stay in the vulnerability
        • Being authentic yourself as a therapist, to create space for imperfection
        • Providing reinforcement for the client showing up authentically, their accomplishments
        • Getting to IDGAF attitude and testing it out in different spaces
        • How does Dr. Jameta Barlow push back against the status quo related to code-switching?
          • Land acknowledgement
          • Grounding in family and cultural history
          • Focusing on the history and the experiences of Black women
          • No code-switching or requirement for being anything but your full self
          • Resources for Modern Therapists mentioned in this Podcast Episode:

            We’ve pulled together resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links. Please note that some of the links below may be affiliate links, so if you purchase after clicking below, we may get a little bit of cash in our pockets. We thank you in advance!

            Dr. Barlow’s Website: JametaBarlow.com

            Twitter: @allaboutafya

            Email: JametaWrites @ gmail.com

            Information on the concept of Double Consciousness from W.E.B. Du Bois

            Article on PsychCentral: Code-Switching: What it is and What it Costs Us


            Stay in Touch with Curt, Katie, and the whole Therapy Reimagined #TherapyMovement:

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            Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide Creative Credits:

            Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/

            Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano https://groomsymusic.com/

             

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            The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie VernoyBy Curt Widhalm, LMFT and Katie Vernoy, LMFT

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