SOCIAL JUSTICE STATEMENT
Statement on Racial Justice
We at the Lighthouse Clinic acknowledge the systemic racism present within our society. We are committed to taking meaningful action to prevent and respond to incidents of racism and social injustice we witness. We want our patients of all racial and ethnic backgrounds to feel safe from harm, discrimination, and aggression.
We pride ourselves on being a collaborative community of psychotherapists within the Lighthouse Clinic as well as within the community at large and we will challenge instances of oppression to maintain that collaboration and create a more inclusive community. Our desire is to engage in ongoing self-examination of our biases, seeking feedback, and responding intentionally to concerns voiced by patients of color, and others who hold marginalized identities. We want to acknowledge and challenge the ways racism and racial bias may exist within our organization as a manifestation of institutional racism.
Statement on LGBTQ Individuals
It is our policy to protect gender identity and expression as well as sexual orientation. We will continue to be a supportive space for LGBTQ members of the community.
Statement on Diversity
We view diversity as including all the intersecting identities and characteristics that make us unique individuals. We recognize and acknowledge the negative impact of stereotypes, prejudice, discrimination, oppression, power and privilege on an individual’s mental health. Our commitment to our community is to embrace and celebrate diversity in all its richness.
We are invested in creating mutual respect, understanding and openness, challenging our own biases and engaging in dialogues for growth. We take responsibility to educate ourselves and others about the impact of mental health issues on our diverse community.
We strive to be welcoming and affirming. We pledge to honor and respect the similarities and differences inherent in our relationship with our patients, and value the relationship which is critical to providing culturally competent services.
Statement on Racial Bias Regarding COVID-19 and Other Diseases
COVID-19 and other diseases such as HIV/AIDS, SARS, and the Ebola virus have accompanied a resurgence of suspicion and hostility toward various countries, cultures, and people. As emerging infectious diseases become global phenomenon, they can only be fought through solidarity and cooperation, rather than with anxiety, stigmatization, and hostility.
We stand in solidarity with those who have been targeted, both directly and indirectly, by racist and xenophobic words and actions associated with these outbreaks. We extend our support to those who are working to find effective treatments and to educate the public about the best practices to stop the spread of disease.
Ongoing
We realize that these statements and the conversation on these issues are ongoing. They require our vigilance and willingness to question our own biases. We feel a responsibility to continue to reduce barriers to treatment. We want to strengthen and celebrate our racial and multicultural differences. We welcome feedback on areas of concern or improvements so we can better meet the needs of our community.
We embrace the importance of honoring individual differences, which include but is not limited to race, ethnicity, language, national origin, religious and spiritual beliefs, gender, sexuality, physical and mental abilities, size and appearance. The more we embrace these differences, the more we strengthen our community and the bonds among us, providing a more just and affirmative practice of therapy and mental health.