Works

Psychological Safety as a Foundation for Equity-Focused Reflective Supervision

Catherine, E.; Palomino, C., Perry, D., Eckley, l., Heller, S

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Professional Development Framework for promoting anti-bias consultation

Center of Excellence for IECMHC

This resource is designed to support reflective supervisors, as well as professional development and technical assistance providers, in creating professional development opportunities that take place within a learning community (ex., CoPs, ECHOS, and workgroups). This framework goes beyond surface-level content by challenging participants' assumptions, addressing difficult topics, and providing opportunities for practice and reflection.

5 Essential Elements of Effective Anti-Bias Professional Development for Mental Health Consultants

Center of Excellence for IECMHC

This resource outlines a set of practices that reflective supervisors and professional development providers should integrate into their work with consultants. These elements help consultants shift their beliefs and thinking, explore their positionality, and embody anti-bias practices. Additionally, they involve providing diverse opportunities to reflect on equity topics and practice engaging in difficult conversations.

Decolonizing Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Professional Development

Catherine, E.; Mulitauopele, J.; Perry, D. F.; Rabinovitz, L.; Hepburn, L.; Horen, N.

Decolonizing infant and early childhood mental health consultation (IECMHC) professional development (PD) requires rethinking how we conceptualize, train, and support consultants in the field. A decolonized approach recognizes that mainstream models of IECMHC PD often fail to fully account for the lived experiences of historically marginalized communities. This gap reinforces Western cultural norms and overlooks the historical and political forces shaping the well-being of Black, Indigenous, and other marginalized children and families. PD is central to decolonization, as it creates spaces where consultants are supported in deep self-reflection, encouraged to challenge assumptions, and provided opportunities to practice.

DEC at the Intersection: Leveraging IDEA to Advance Equity Through the Black Child National Agenda

Catherine, E.; Alexander, B.; Iruka, I.

Using the R3ISE model to recognize the ways racism and early stressors influence child development. Racism + Resilience + Resistance (R3ISE) Integrative Model (Iruka et al., 2021) integrates a variety of frameworks, including bio-ecological, critical race theory, and life course, to describe how different forms of racism that operate across multiple levels including individual racism, institutional/systemic racism, cultural racism, and systemic racism impact Black families and children.

Review of Policy Effects on Black Families and Children: Advancing the Black Child National Agenda

Catherine, E.; Alexander, B.; Iruka, I. U.; Meek, S.; Edwards, M.

This report advances the Black Child National Agenda, developed in 2021 by the Equity Research Action Coalition and other partners, by examining major policies and programs in the United States that impact the lives of Black children and families based on the access, experiences, and outcomes framework. Specifically, this report examines Black children and families' access to, experiences in, and outcomes associated with policies and programs in four major domains: 1) education; 2) health; 3) housing; and 4) wealth generation, economic security, and economic mobility.

An anti-bias approach: Using reflective consultation to increase Black teachers' use of emotionally supportive practices

Catherine, E.

Grounded in foundational IECMH theory, Honoring Voices illuminates the complex yet rich process that professionals of all disciplines, experiences, and cultures engage in when delivering IECMH services for diverse infants, toddlers, young children, and their families. Using personal stories, this infant mental health book examines relationship-based practice within various contexts, family structures and cultures. In spaces where relationships are central, professionals dig deep to reflect, wonder, make sense of, deepen, and, at times, seek to repair ruptures in relationships, all while keeping the child in mind.

The Essential Activities of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: Guidance for the Field from a Consensus-Building Study

Davis Schoch, A.; Catherine, E.; Perry, D. F.; Tidus, K. M.; Duran, F.; Rabinovitz, L.

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Black Emotions Matter: Understanding the Impact of Racial Oppression on Black Youths Emotional Development

Lozada, F., Riley, T., Catherine, E., Brown, D.

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Promoting racial justice with emotion and culturally focused strategies in early childhood classroom

Catherine, E.; Swadener, B.

This article draws from the first author's research, specifically a single-subject multiple baseline across participants design, that examined whether a practice-based coaching (PBC) (Snyder et al., 2015) framework enhances teachers' use of emotionally supportive practices with Black boys (Catherine, 2019). The study was conducted in the U.S. in a mid-Atlantic state with two Black preschool teachers and Black boys. We also discuss research related to ways that bias can inhibit healthy emotional learning of certain children, particularly Black children and boys and how to support teachers as they promote racial justice in early learning contexts. We conclude with recommendations for addressing racial injustice in early childhood contexts through practice-based coaching and other professional development approaches, particularly for boys of color.