for Bay Area APIDA Womxn Mental Health Professionals in Private Practice
Intentions of this Consultation Community
To build support, collaboration, and provide a community for SF bay area Asian Pacific Islander Desi American womxn-identified mental health professionals in private practice. This is first and foremost a “community”; having culturally-responsive consultations, referrals, and the email list are secondary though also important. To build and to sustain any community, it is helpful for everyone to make contributions towards the community. Contributions may include providing referrals, resources, and to show up with support and care for each other in the meetings/gatherings and/or via email.
Please note that this is NOT a “supervision” group. The meetings do often include peer clinical consultations, and it is expected that each member use their own clinical judgments in any decisions that follow the consultations. If a member is unlicensed, it is recommended that they also consult with their formal supervisor in addition to any consultations they may obtain from the wisdom of this group.
Guidelines for the Community
- Uphold standards of our professional code of ethics, including confidentiality.
- Decenter whiteness, and acknowledge the cultural, historical systems, the isms underlying experiences of members of this group and of clients/patients.
- Listen with compassion and curiosity, with intention to be open and learn from each other.
- Be mindful of balancing “stepping forward” and “stepping back” so that each member has space for their voice to be heard, as well as you taking up space at times as a way to honor your being.
- Honor each other’s unique experiences and don’t presume to advise unless requested.
- When seeking consultation, consider sharing only client demographics to the extent needed and appropriate for the specific consultation issue.
- Consider approaching each other with compassionate curiosity, and the use of “inviting/calling in” versus “calling out” (each may be appropriate given certain circumstances) in our interactions.
- Be mindful to contribute toward the community to help build community.
- Keep track of your own attendance if you will be reporting consultation meeting(s) for CE purposes.
Additional Guidelines for Google Group email list membership
- Only after attending two community meetings/gatherings will new members be added to the Google email list and have access to and include your info in the Google Sheet.
- Use for collaboration and suggesting ideas, activities, agenda items for consultation meetings, or referral requests.
- May use to request consultations outside of meetings.
- Feel free to introduce your own practice and any changes to your practice (not to spam the list with marketing).
- Once a group member, commit to attending at least one meeting per calendar year or providing at least resources/referrals to the members through the Google Group email once per year or volunteer in some coordination capacity (essentially, contributing towards this community by engaging/giving).
- After you’re added to the Google Group email list, please go to this Google Sheet to enter and regularly update your practice information.
Draft date: 2/7/2023