Shalini Dayal, LMFT

Shalini Dayal, LMFT (#43574) has been in this field for over 20 years. She was born and raised in India, speaks several Indian dialects and has been working with the South Asian community for over 20 years through local non-profits, schools and is currently in full-time private practice in Fremont. She works from a cross-cultural perspective working with first-generation immigrants with a focus on assimilation and acculturation challenges. She also provides free parenting classes for the community especially for immigrants and their families on several topics including inter-generational conflict, understanding the heritage vs. host culture and mindful parenting techniques for children born and raised in two cultures. 

She is cofounder of BASANT NOW, an organization focused on helping the South Asian community, connect with culturally appropriate and trained mental health professionals who can help them through life transitions, crisis and relationships. 

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Breaking Barriers: Culturally Responsive Care for South Asians

(1.5 CEs)

Session Description:

This training will discuss the steps to identify and integrate culturally responsive care into clinical practices while working with the South Asian (SA) community. It will address common myths and stereotypes such as the model minority, understand in depth, the various groups and subgroups within the community, and the role of shame, stigma, and cultural norms that prevent South Asians from seeking services for mental health challenges. It will review how to inquire about social, familial identities, and validate client experiences as an immigrant and affirm their challenges. It will explore how to integrate culturally appropriate interventions with cognitive-behavioral strategies such as challenging negative intrusive thoughts, facilitating behavior change, and recommending practical applications.  

Learning Objectives:

• Name three issues that distinguish the cultural characteristics and distinctions that make up the diaspora of SA in Northern California communities.
• Identify four common stereotypes held about the community and challenge clinicians' biases when working with clients from this community.
• Analyze and apply three culturally appropriate interventions when providing therapeutic services to the SA population.