I respectfully recognize that the land in Oberlin, Ohio, where I currently reside and work, is the home to many indigenous peoples from the Erie, Kaskaskia, Mingo, Wyandot and numerous other nations who were expelled from their land and homes through acts of settler colonialism. 

 

I acknowledge the complexity of being a part of a field that praises Western Psychology perspectives that focus on individualism, questionable evidence-based research, ableism, power dynamics, and over-pathologizing. These perspectives often neglect multiculturalism, ignore socio-political experiences, leave out the histories of people of color, promote white supremacy, benefit from capitalism, and erase ancestral practices. The field of psychology has a lot of work to do to become anti-oppressive and decolonized. 

 

My work is ongoing to reflect on my own biases and privileges to decolonize myself and my therapy practice. I continue to research, have conversations, read, reread, donate, listen, pause, and sit in discomfort to promote self-reflection and action. I aim to practice in this field in a way that aligns with, and responds to, the needs of my community, as well as how I treat the land and environment I have the privilege of existing on. 

 

Resources: 

Urban Native Collective

Native Land Digital

Wyandotte Nation

Digital Treaties

Indigenous Geotags

Native Governance Center

Decolonizing Therapy, Oppression, Historical Trauma, and Politicizing Your Practice
By Jennifer Mullan, PsyD

My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies,  
by Resmaa Menakem, M.S.W.

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*Photo: Lake Erie, 2026