Cirleen DeBlaere

Cirleen DeBlaere, PhD, is associate professor and program coordinator of the Counseling Psychology doctoral program at Georgia State University. Her research and professional interests focus on experiences of individuals with marginalized identities and constructs that can promote health and wellness in the context of minority stressors (e.g., collective action) and psychotherapy (e.g., cultural humility). Her research has culminated in approximately 90 peer-reviewed publications and over 100 national and international presentations. She is also the co-author of two books on cultural humility (i.e., Cultural humility: Engaging diverse identities in therapy). Dr. DeBlaere is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and her work has been recognized with several national awards (e.g., Research on Psychapy with Women Award). Dr. DeBlaere has served on numerous journal editorial boards and is currently an associate editor for The Counseling Psychologist.

Current Work:

In Dr. DeBlaere's own words, 

"My research focuses on examining the relationships between experiences of discrimination, stigma, and internalized forms of discrimination and various mental health outcomes, including distress, trauma symptoms, and self-esteem. I have also looked at constructs such as collective action, womanism, and spirituality as protective factors in these links. I also investigate the ways in which aspects of a therapist's multicultural orientation, including level of cultural humility, can promote more positive therapy outcomes for clients with marginalized identities. In particular, I have examined the experiences of women, people of color, and women of color in counseling in this context. More recently, I have also written on the role of cultural humility the area of clinical supervision and training."

Research Area(s):

• discrimination; stigma; cultural humility; multicultural orientation; intersectionality