Diversity

The Diversity Committee of the Utah Psychological Association meets regularly to address issues of diversity and how they relate to the practice of psychology. Watch this site often for articles, links, and announcements of events.

Multicultural Counseling--DW Sue

If you have a diversity question or issue that you would like the committee to address, please contact Teresa Bruce at: utahpsych©softsolutions.com

Mission Statement

Welcome to the Utah Psychological Association’s Diversity Committee webpage.

Our mission is to foster awareness and promote understanding of the myriad dimensions of diversity. We hope to encourage psychologists to incorporate multiculturalism into their daily lives, professionally as well as personally. To accomplish this, UPA’s Diversity Committee endeavors to:

- encompass the many facets of diversity, including but not limited to: ethnicity/race, age, religion, social class, educational level, sexual orientation, gender identity, appearance, and ability;

- serve as a resource to provide information that increases psychologists’ knowledge, awareness, and skills in multiculturalism;

- make known the interest of historically underrepresented communities and to encourage the participation of such groups in association activities;

- increase representation of underrepresented groups at Utah's colleges and universities in terms of increased faculty and students;

- provide information to the general public about the availability of psychological services for members of underrepresented groups and communities;

- strive to reduce the stigma associated with seeking mental health services among underrepresented groups; and

- provide staffing for legislative and other committees with focus on issues relevant to underrepresented communities in Utah.

Because race/ethnicity is a particularly salient facet of diversity, we also strive to:
- advocate for culturally competent mental health services;
- support psychologists and psychology students of color by providing resources and information that helps them connect with one another and with other professionals;
- promote mental health in communities of color;
- increase the recruitment, retention, mentoring, and participation of ethnic minorities within the state psychological association; and
- serve as a resource for non-ethnic-minority mental health providers wherein they can gain the knowledge, awareness and skills to better work with ethnically diverse clients, patients, students and research participants.