Ingrid Solano, PhD

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Diversity


“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” Maya Angelou.

Sensitivity to racism and oppression, understanding the impact of discrimination, awareness of socialization processes, collaboration, and empathy informed by minority identity and historical and social-political realities engender understanding and effectiveness when working with diverse and minority clients. Each of these cultural competencies promote a safe place for you to explore yourself, and what influences your world… I consider adaptations for existing evidence-based treatments, as well as clinical wisdom of expert mental health providers, to address diversity concerns, affirm, and improve your experience and your progress.

We are all individuals, and we can all learn from each other.

  • LGBTQIA+ - Affirming Therapy

    Affirmative therapy is an approach with intentional positioning of differences as an inherent part of the vibrant diversity of being human and all of our lived experiences. Only in the past two decades has the mental health field possessed knowledge regarding the disparity in the prevalence of mental health problems that exist between LGBTQIA+ and heteronormative populations. We can't separate the tensions around diversity, but in therapy we question, criticize, inform, and work through beliefs and expectations that have become burdensome or create conflict for you and your relationships.

  • Shame and Concealment

    We hope to create deep, fulfilling relationships. We want intimacy and for people to like us. But what if they truly get to know us? The cycle of hiding who we are, or what we have experienced, to protect ourselves from rejection is a relational paradox that leads to unfulfilling relationships and unhappiness. Concealment of our authentic self has been found to be related to internalizing mental health issues like depression, anxiety, distress, and problematic eating. I work to create a safe, nonjudgmental space for you to talk about things that can be so very difficult to explore.

  • Context is Everything

    Each of us is an individual personality, developed psychologically, socially, and culturally through human relationships and experiences. We are more than our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. We are our experiences in our intimate relationships, family, workplace, and community. Our identities and our roles change in different contexts, and change over time. In therapy, addressing the intersectionality of our identities emphasizes the importance of remembering that co-occurring identities are not divisible.



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