Listening to the Listeners : Voices of BIMPOC Therapists in Canada

Black, Indigenous, Multiracial, People of Colour (BIMPOC) therapists in Canada face unique challenges in balancing their professional and cultural identities due to their minoritized status. Although listening to the experiences of BIMPOC therapists practicing in Canada appears to be necessary, research in this area is still limited. In this study, the Listening Guide (LG) methodology is used to explore the research question(s), "What are the voices of BIMPOC therapists in Canada that reflect their experiences of negotiating cultural and professional identity?" and "How are these voices individually and socially embodied and expressed by them?" The purpose is to gain a better understanding of these voices and to make them heard. Nine BIMPOC therapists across Canada were interviewed. Several voices surfaced after analysis, broadly classified into three groups: voices of suffering in silence, voice of action/resistance, and voices of thriving in hope.