“Freak... Loser… Bipolar… ADD… Queer:” How labels affect children’s identity

Description: To understand behaviors, use insurance services or facilitate individualized treatment plans, it is not uncommon to categorize children and adolescents with diagnoses (ADD, Oppositional disorder), administrative labels (“social misbehavior”), or informal tags (“disruptive,” “challenging”). Labels affects the sense of self in young adults, alienates them, and affects their relationship with power figures, especially when the child identifies with the label. Moreover, if the therapist is not familiar with the cultural context, children from minority groups are more likely than their peers to be labeled as having a behavioral disorder, making them more vulnerable to further alienation and discrimination. Counselors need to be increasingly aware of the potential negative effects of categorizing children’s behavior and rather focus on the emotional needs and context that explains symptoms and behaviors. With a better understanding of mindsets, identifications, emotional needs, and purpose of the behavior, counselors could better assist their young clients and their caretakers, offering more effective interventions, taking into account that whether a child is labeled as “odd, mad, bad or sad” may determine what kind of overall support they receive.

CE Broker Tracking #: 20-908837

This event is sponsored by FMHCA, an NBCC-Approved Continuing Education Provider. FMHCA NBCC Provider# 2058. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified.  FMHCA is solely responsible for all aspects of the program. This course is approved by the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling, LMHC, LMFT, LCSW – FMHCA CE Broker #: 50-748

Learning Objectives:

1. Discuss the extent to which categorizing children behaviors (labeling) contributes to the creation of stereotyping, separation, status loss, and discrimination.
2. Explore how early diagnoses impact adolescents' identity formation.
3. Assess counselors' skill in identifying labeling and its increased risk of marginalizing minority children and families.
4. Identify strategies to protect children from labeling at school and at home.

About the Presenter:

Dr. Silvia Casabianca started her career as a medical doctor in Colombia, where she chose to work with the unprivileged. Her interest in pedagogy and psychology led her to obtain a Master's in Art Therapy in Canada in 1992. She spearheaded a pedagogy of love in Colombia before moving to the United States in 2000. As a lifelong learner, she has been interested in assisting other people's healing processes at the interpersonal and intrapersonal levels. She educates others as a speaker and through her writing. She believes in the power of love and compassion. Currently, she is a doctoral candidate at Nova University, finishing her dissertation on compassionate parenting, and sees mental health clients via videoconferencing.