More trusted clinical voices equals a better TPN.Health.
It was an information-packed beginning of the week for the hundreds of clinicians who attended the 2019 Louisiana Counseling Association (LCA) Conference, and the TPN.Health team was in the thick of it all. We had the privilege to hear experiences of the clinicians that visited our table. We learned a lot. Our intent is that the clinical community will continue to be the ones to shape the TPN.Health professional platform by sharing their experiences, needs, and ideas. How can we better meet the needs of the whole clinical community, with all its niches and nuanced areas?
I spoke to several new TPN.Health members who are meeting the needs of marginalized communities. Kyle Hankinson, PLPC, NCC, shares his unique experience working with the LGBTQ+ community on the Westbank. As a PLPC, Kyle has experienced the challenge of finding a job outside of a private practice as many places look for clinical experience that PLPCs just don’t have.
Practicing privately is allowing Kyle to get that experience and see the specific population of clients he wants to help. In addition to Kyle’s focus on the LGBTQ+ community, he offers services to Spanish-speaking people. Kyle spoke to what can happen when the challenges of two marginalized communities converge. For instance, someone whose identity is intersectional at Latino and LGBTQ+ may have significantly compounded cultural obstacles in getting the resources they need.
Naomi Dugar, LPC, with her business partner Jasmine Hernandez, Ph.D, LPC, NCSC, NCC are in practice at the New Orleans Multicultural Institute of Counseling (NOMIC) in Gretna. In their practice, ninety percent of the clients they see identify as Hispanic or Latino. When I spoke to Naomi, she noted how important it is in her practice to have rates that are affordable for her clientele to pay out of pocket, as bilingual services are not that easy to come by.
“I want to spread the word that there are resources available for the underserved population. Having an interpreter in the session and a practitioner that does not speak the native language is very impersonal. A lot of times the client will have to provide an interpreter themselves.” -Naomi Dugar
For Naomi, being bilingual in the behavioral health field was beneficial when building clientele in a private practice. The referrals were already at her disposal. She just needed to put herself out there to let clients know her services were available as she was building the practice. Also serving as President of the Louisiana Multicultural Division, Naomi presented with Dr. Hernandez on counseling immigrant children in schools — how separation, migration, and reunification affects families. Naomi notes the necessity for counselors to have cultural awareness in these settings.
It’s clear the clinical voices contributing to TPN.Health are growing! Thanks to our time at LCA, we are now 100+ helping professionals stronger in the TPN.Health community. We are grateful for this growth opportunity, not only in the breadth of the platform but in the insight as to the needs of helping professionals.
Tune in later for a TPN.Helath blog wrapping up our time at LCA, where we connect with Kathryn Pennings, TPN.Health Clinical Liaison, on her trauma-informed yoga presentation at the conference.
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