In my SHS 218 Survey of Mental Illness course, I intentionally embed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) principles to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of mental health that goes beyond clinical diagnoses. Mental health does not exist in a vacuum; it is profoundly shaped by cultural, racial, gendered, and socioeconomic contexts. By highlighting these intersections, I help students grasp how societal structures and personal identities influence the presentation, perception, and treatment of mental health conditions.
By incorporating DEI components into my curriculum, I aim to foster cultural competence, encouraging students to consider diverse lived experiences when developing care strategies. This inclusive approach equips students with the tools to address mental health disparities and advocate for equitable, empathetic support in their professional practice.
Incorporating DEI is essential because mental health treatment and perceptions vary widely across different communities, and understanding these differences is critical to addressing disparities in mental health care. By fostering this awareness, I encourage students to examine how social determinants of health—like access to healthcare, stigma, and cultural norms—impact individuals' mental health and treatment outcomes. This inclusive approach not only benefits students academically but also prepares them to be more empathetic and effective professionals in their future careers in human services, counseling, and other related fields.
To emphasize the importance of creating safe spaces for members of the BIPOC and marginalized communities in medical and mental health settings, I designed an interactive and impactful game for my SHS 218 Survey of Mental Health class. In this activity, the class was provided with a description of a mental health disorder, while one student attempted to identify the disorder within a 3-minute time limit.
The disorders chosen for the game were those commonly observed across various cultures and included in the DSM, ensuring cultural relevance and clinical validity. The timed aspect of the game served multiple purposes:
Highlighting Patient Frustration: The activity underscored the frustration and challenges that patients often face when trying to explain their symptoms, particularly when cultural nuances or stigmas around mental health are involved.
Examining Provider Impatience: It also mirrored the impatience and time constraints that mental health and medical professionals may experience when attempting to understand a patient’s condition, leading to potential misunderstandings or misdiagnoses.
Understanding Attention Span: The 3-minute limit was a deliberate choice to reflect the reality that people often begin to tune out after a brief period, a factor that can further complicate communication between patients and providers.
This activity fostered a deeper understanding of the barriers faced by BIPOC individuals in accessing empathetic and culturally responsive care. By stepping into the shoes of both the patient and the provider, students gained valuable insights into the dynamics of communication, patience, and the critical need for creating inclusive, safe spaces in healthcare environments.
Through this game, I aimed to inspire future human services professionals to approach their work with greater empathy, cultural awareness, and a commitment to addressing systemic inequities in medical and mental health settings.
In sum, my teaching philosophy is rooted in respect for students' diverse experiences, a commitment to holistic and practical education, and the belief that learning should prepare students not only for successful careers but also for lives of purpose and compassion.
To further emphasize the importance of creating safe spaces for members of BIPOC and marginalized communities in medical and mental health settings, I designed an interactive and impactful activity for my SHS 218 Survey of Mental Health class.
This activity involved presenting several social media TikTok videos that highlighted disparities in the medical field and served as a catalyst for critical discussions on cultural sensitivity.
In one video, a psychiatrist used a TikTok trend to affirm the dangerous biases that often permeate the medical community when treating BIPOC patients. The psychiatrist, a woman of color (WOC), shared a personal experience involving a referral to assess a patient who was repeatedly patting her head.
Both the psychiatrist and the patient were WOC. Upon meeting the patient, the psychiatrist realized the behavior was not a symptom of a mental disorder but a result of the patient having recently gotten her hair done—a cultural practice.
The original treating physician, however, failed to take the time to understand the patient’s behavior, viewing it as indicative of a mental illness. Instances like this are alarmingly common, underscoring the critical need for cultural competence in medical and mental health care. This activity led to a broader class discussion about the importance of cultural sensitivity in treatment and diagnosis.
In another video, a medical doctor used a TikTok trend to address the harmful biases and misinformation prevalent in the medical field when treating BIPOC patients. The doctor dispelled common myths, corrected misguided assumptions, and provided practical advice on how patients can effectively advocate for themselves when interacting with healthcare providers.
These videos and the subsequent discussions provided students with a deeper understanding of the systemic biases faced by BIPOC communities and highlighted the need for culturally sensitive practices in medical and mental health settings. This activity encouraged students to critically engage with real-world issues, fostering empathy, awareness, and a commitment to equity in their future careers.
The class activities, such as analyzing TikTok videos highlighting disparities in healthcare for BIPOC and marginalized communities, positively impact students by fostering cultural competence, critical thinking, and empathy. These real-world examples encourage students to recognize and address systemic biases, while also equipping them with the skills to advocate for equity and challenge misinformation.
By engaging in open discussions, students build awareness and develop practical strategies for addressing sensitive issues, preparing them for the complexities of real-world scenarios in social and human services. Ultimately, these activities cultivate a deeper understanding of cultural sensitivity and empower students to become compassionate, effective, and inclusive professionals.