In this another episode of the Colleague Down the Hall Podcast, Jeanene Wolfe sits down with Darlene Sousa, a testing psychologist and former counselor, to discuss how professional development can promote access and culturally responsive care in the evaluation process. Darlene shares her journey, including her motivation to create training programs that address the challenges of traditional evaluation methods, such as their often invalidating nature and lack of therapeutic value. They explore critical topics, including the complexities of 2e (twice-exceptional) individuals, the gatekeeping mentality in psychology, and the importance of accessible training for Master's level clinicians and more. The conversation concludes with a hopeful look at the future of assessment, including more inclusive training opportunities and the potential for Master's level clinicians to play a larger role in addressing public need.

“We have people who are mislabeled under-identified, misidentified women, in particular, individuals of color, who are not getting the diagnosis they need. And one of the growing groups right now is women, and it isn't until they hit menopause where they start to go like, wow, things were a struggle for me, but perimenopause hit, and now I'm at a complete loss. What is this? Am I losing my mind? Am I becoming psychotic? They just, they really don't know, if you don't know, you don't know, you're a lay person, and you come to find out that they just didn't have a diagnosis, or they're mislabeled, usually with a personality disorder or some kind of mood instability, and it wasn't until that point that they sought help, and someone properly trained in evaluation was able to really identify what was going on.”- Darlene

Key takeaways:

***Culturally Responsive Care: Traditional evaluation methods can feel invalidating and overly rigid. A collaborative, therapeutic approach fosters better understanding and outcomes.

***Challenges in Accessing Evaluations: Long waiting lists for evaluations can delay critical support; and evaluations often lack therapeutic elements, leaving clients uncertain about next steps.

***Understanding Neurodivergence and 2e (Twice-Exceptional) Individuals: Mislabeling and underidentification of certain groups, including women and people of color, are common.

***Quality and Accessibility in Reports: High-quality reports that are standardized, detailed, and respectful are crucial. Coaching and feedback during evaluations ensure client satisfaction and better outcomes.

***The Role of Master's Level Clinicians: Many clients are unaware of distinctions between Master's and doctoral clinicians, emphasizing the value of skill and reputation.

About Darlene Sousa:

Darlene is a testing psychologist and former counselor. She saw and experienced for herself as a neurodivergent person in a new culture, how systems of support did not connect, with each having different requirements for entry, leaving families lost.  

She has since found her path through consulting and advocacy. In 2023, she co-launched an edtech start-up focused on promoting access and culturally responsive care through quality professional development in areas often protected by the “old guard.” Many clinicians are unable to return to graduate school to further their education, nor should they need to with technology.  Darlene’s mission is to promote greater access to progressive services for the community, through the promotion of practical training for clinicians, all within the neurodiversity, cultural, and gender affirming framework.

Connect with Darlene:

Website: www.mindfulu.net

Get updates about future Fictionalized Clinical Consultation Groups: www.CollabOasis.com/FCC_live

Connect with Jeanene:

*Get your free Four Keys to Private Practice Peace of Mind workbook: https://collaboasis.com/4keysworkbook

*Learn more about clinical consultation groups: https://collaboasis.com/

*Join my free therapist Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/oasispcgt

*Connect on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jeanene-wolfe-lcsw-64042220a/