From Stigma to Support: How Therapists Navigate Intersectionality of Identities and Power Dynamics

This thesis explores how Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs) incorporate practices related to Socioculturally Attuned Family Therapy (SCAFT), Critical Race Theory (CRT), and Intersectionality within their clinical work. Using qualitative survey responses from actively practicing LMFTs, the study investigates how therapists acknowledge and navigate identity, power, and cultural differences with clients. It highlights both the challenges therapists face and the strategies they use, offering insight into how these theory-aligned practices may contribute to more culturally responsive and socially just care.