Title:Anxiety and Depression Treatment for Immigrant, Refugee, and Asylee Clients
Recorded on September 10, 2020
Featuring: Rachel Singer, PhD
Dr. Rachel Singer is a
licensed psychologist who specializes in trauma, anxiety, and multiculturally
competent interventions for immigrants, refugees, and asylees. Dr. Singer
practices at the Center for Anxiety and Behavioral Change in Rockville,
Maryland, and also conducts asylum evaluations for individuals seeking asylum
in the U.S. She completed her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Boston
College. Dr. Singer completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at the Kennedy
Krieger Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. Singer regularly
presents at national conferences, has published in academic peer-reviewed
journals, and has published several book chapters on clinical recommendations
for working with immigrants. She received APA's Citizen Psychologist award for
her outreach and advocacy with immigrant populations.
https://changeanxiety.com/
Webinar Description
Immigrant, refugee, and asylee clients represent a diverse group
with unique mental health needs. Over 1 million individuals obtained a green
card in the United States in 2018 (Department of Homeland Security, 2020).
Further, as of 2017, immigrants accounted for 25% of all children residing in
the United States (Child Trends, 2018). This population experiences a host of
stressors related to their experiences of migration and acclimating to a new
environment in their host country. By very nature of their flight from
hardship, refugees experience high rates of mental health disorders, including
depression, anxiety, and PTSD (APA, 2010;Mahtani, 2003; Robjant, Hassan, &
Katona, 2009). Indeed, anxiety and depression represent global mental health
challenges that transcend geographic boundaries, with the World Health
Organization estimating 264 million individuals suffer from depression and 284
million individuals with anxiety (WHO, 2019). Recognizing the particular
vulnerability of this population, it is imperative that clinicians are
adequately prepared to provide competent treatment using evidence-based
interventions. Understanding the complex factors that shape individual identity
allows clinicians to tailor treatment based on client needs and identify their
own biases that may undermine interventions. Using a systemic lens provides a
more comprehensive foundation for treatment. According to Bronfenbrenner’s
ecosystemic theory, individuals exist within a complex web of intersecting
aspects of identity and experiences that may shape their health outcomes and
impact goals for therapy. Conversely, both internal resilience and external
resources, such as social support from the community (Singer &
Tummala-Narra, 2013), may improve outcomes for immigrant clients.
This
webinar provides an overview of strategies for integrating multiculturally
competent strategies into evidence-based treatment of anxiety and depression
for immigrants, refugees, and asylees. Specific tools for addressing barriers
to treatment and incorporating resources are also addressed. Discussion
focuses on strategies for conceptualizing and treating clients from a
systemic perspective. This training also includes case application and
discussion of practical tools.
Learning Objectives
At
the end of this session, participants will be able to:
1) Define immigrant, refugee, and asylee status
2) Identify potential barriers to treatment in working with
immigrant, refugee, and asylee clients and review strategies for increasing
access to care
3) Integrate multicultural tenets into evidence-based treatment for
anxiety and depression
