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by Lillian Comas-D僘z (Editor), Hector Y. Adames (Editor), Nayeli Y. Chavez-Dues (Editor)
This book offers an expert synthesis of the scholarly literature on approaches to decolonial psychology, its historical foundations, education and training, and psychological practice.
From its inception, psychological science and practice in the United States has been framed predominantly by Eurocentric epistemologies. As a result, oppressed people have internalized the belief that their culture and values are inferior to those of dominant groups. Infusing a decolonial lens into psychology is one way for the field to become more inclusive and relevant to the numerical majority worldwide. Decolonial psychology creates space and methods for oppressed and impoverished communities to radically imagine their existence outside of the superimposed borders of coloniality, neoliberalism, racism, and other systems of oppression. It emphasizes how people's subjectivity and connections to diverse social groups are influenced by history, context, and oppression; how these populations actively resist and survive attacks on their humanity; and how knowledge production is shaped not only by how data is interpreted but also by the questions asked. The chapters in this book provide an opportunity for readers to deepen their understanding of how colonization and coloniality impacted knowledge creation in society and the field of psychology, including thought-provoking resources that explore the subject matter. The book also underscores how coloniality continues to reverberate in many aspects of psychology today. Collectively, the authors invite readers to resist engaging in psycolonization by generating ideas and pathways to help reclaim, honor, and celebrate Indigenous ways of knowing and being. The volume offers guidance on methods to disrupt psycolonization and its epistemic violence, helping to provide a roadmap to decolonial psychology and anticolonial futures. It is time to confront the limitations of mainstream psychology. This book will help psychologists at all levels anchor their research, teaching, and practice in decolonial methods and practices.Author Biography
Lillian Comas-D僘z, PhD, is a psychologist in private practice in Washington, DC, the executive director of the Transcultural Mental Health Institute, and a clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at George Washington University. She is the recipient of the American Psychological Association (APA) Gold Medal Award for Life Achievement in the Practice of Psychology, and a past president of APA Division 42 (Psychologists in Independent Practice). Dr. Comas-D僘z is the coeditor of Liberation Psychology: Theory, Method, Practice, and Social Justice; Latina Psychologists: Thriving in the Cultural Borderlands; Womanist and Mujerista Psychologies: Voices of Fire, Acts of Courage; Multicultural Care: A Clinician's Guide to Cultural Competence; and Psychological Health of Women of Color.
Hector Y. Adames, PsyD, received his doctorate in clinical psychology from Wright State University in Ohio and completed his doctoral internship at the Boston University School of Medicine's Center for Multicultural Training in Psychology. He is a licensed psychologist, professor at The Chicago School, College of Professional Psychology, and cofounder and codirector of the IC-RACE Lab (Immigration Critical Race and Cultural Equity Lab). He has earned several awards, including the 2018 Distinguished Emerging Professional Research Award from the Society for the Psychological Study of Culture, Ethnicity, and Race, a division of APA. Dr. Adames has coauthored several books including Speaking the Unspoken: Breaking the Silence, Myths, and Taboos That Hurt Therapists and Patients; Succeeding as a Therapist: How to Create a Thriving Practice in a Changing World; Ethics in Psychotherapy and Counseling: A Practical Guide; and Cultural Foundations and Interventions in Latino/a Mental Health: History, Theory and Within-Group Differences. Follow Dr. Adames on Twitter, Instagram, and Spoutible or visit the IC-RACE Lab (icrace.org). Nayeli Y. Chavez-Dues, PhD, received her doctorate in clinical psychology from the APA-accredited program at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. She is a professor at The Chicago School, College of Professional Psychology, where she serves as the faculty coordinator for the concentration in Latinx mental health in the counseling psychology department. She is the codirector of the IC-RACE Lab (Immigration, Critical Race, and Cultural Equity Lab). She has earned several awards, including the 2018 APA Distinguished Citizen Psychologist Award. Dr. Chavez-Dues has coauthored several books including Speaking the Unspoken: Breaking the Silence, Myths, and Taboos That Hurt Therapists and Patients; Succeeding as a Therapist: How to Create a Thriving Practice in a Changing World; Ethics in Psychotherapy and Counseling: A Practical Guide; and Cultural Foundations and Interventions in Latino/a Mental Health: History, Theory and Within-Group Differences. Follow Dr. Chavez-Dues on Twitter, Instagram, and Spoutible or visit the IC-RACE Lab (icrace.org).
