Concepts of “power” and “privilege”
Posted: January 27th, 2023
For this week, you will interview yourself while considering the concepts of “power” and “privilege” (or if you have a friend or family member that is willing, they could interview you with your pre-designed questions). How creative you get is up to you.
Here’s the scenario for your interview: You are yourself (so speak from your perspective). Envision that you are a therapist who works with multiple clients in multiple settings (e.g., in-home, telehealth, in office) and you have clients that are from multiple races/genders/sexual orientations/backgrounds/etc. Most of your clients live in poverty and/or do not have a high school diploma, some of your clients are considered disabled). You were picked for this interview on power and privilege in the therapy room for a local family therapy organization because of your work with such a diverse population. You will present your interview in Kaltura.
References: Include a minimum of 3 scholarly resources.
The first step in this assignment is to arrange a set of interview questions around the ideas of power and privilege. They should include the following themes:
When you have felt power and privilege in your own life.
Your own understanding of your own power and privilege.
Examples of work with clients where you have been able to address power and privilege (answers will likely be “made up” for this – but consider some of the differences in the client population you work with).
How telehealth might be beneficial with some communities that you work with (e.g., eliminates transportation costs, allows freedom for those that might be differently abled).
Reflections on what you feel are your responsibility in the therapy room and out of the therapy room with regards to power and privilege
===>
Interview Questions:
Can you share a time in your life when you have felt particularly powerful or privileged?
How do you understand your own power and privilege as a therapist, and how do you believe it may impact your work with clients?
Can you give an example of a situation in your work with clients where power and privilege were significant factors, and how did you address them in therapy?
How do you see telehealth as a potential tool for addressing power and privilege in therapy, particularly for communities that you work with?
In your view, what are your responsibilities as a therapist in addressing power and privilege both within the therapy room and outside of it?
References:
“Power and Privilege in the Therapeutic Relationship” by Derald Wing Sue
“The Therapist’s Own Privilege and Its Impact on Treatment” by Sharon L. Foster
“