Panel Discussion 1 - Developing Disability Cultural Competence in CBT Clinicians: Rationale, Teaching Strategies, and Implications for Resilience

Thursday, June 25, 2026

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM PDT

Location: Yerba Buena Salon 11, B3 Level

Earn 1.5 Credit

Keywords: Behavioral Medicine, CBT, Underserved Populations
Level of Familiarity: All
Recommended Readings: Olkin, R., & Carlos, M. (2025). Teaching graduate clinical and counseling students about disability. Teaching of Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1177/00986283251345, Hays, P. A. (2024). Four steps toward intersectionality in psychotherapy using the ADDRESSING framework. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 55(5), 454–462. https://doi.org/10.1037/pro0000577, Hanson, S. L., Bruyere, S., Forber-Pratt, A., Reesman, J., & Sung, C. (2023). Guidelines for assessment and intervention with persons with disabilities: An executive summary. American Psychologist, 78(8), 995-1009, ,

Moderator(s)

Maren Westphal, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Psychology
Pace University
New York, New York, United States

Panelist(s)

Maren Westphal, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Psychology
Pace University
New York, New York, United States
Pamela A. Hays, Ph.D.

Licensed Psychologist
Independent
Soldotna, Alaska, United States
RO

Rhoda Olkin, Ph.D.

Distinguished Professor
California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant University, San Francisco
Walnut Creek, California, United States
Jed McGiffin, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
University of Washington School of Medicine, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine
Seattle, Washington, United States
H'Sien Hayward, Ph.D.

Clinical Psychologist
H. Hayward, PhD Psychology Inc.
Redwood City, California, United States

Individuals with disabilities constitute the largest minority group in the United States. According to the CDC, 1 in 4 adults in the United States reported having a disability in 2022. Out of these, around 43 % reported a mobility impairment (CDC’s main category of physical disability). Moreover, many currently non-disabled individuals will experience changes in mobility, vision, hearing, and cognition as they age and/or become caregivers for disabled older adults. Disability is therefore not a niche concern but a near-universal part of the human life course. Yet clinical and counseling psychology programs provide minimal training on disability, disability culture, and culturally responsive cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for disabled clients. The goal of this panel is to advance disability cultural competence in CBT practitioners by debating topics such as: What are best practices for training clinicians in culturally responsive assessment and treatment of disabled individuals? How can CBT strategies be used to reduce internalized ableism, enhance social connections, support health-promoting routines, and foster self-advocacy in health care and community contexts? What is disability affirmative therapy (DAT), and how can it inform CBT case formulation? Are research findings on resilience in disabled individuals and DAT relevant for addressing fear of aging and mortality in both disabled and non-disabled individuals?

Learning Objectives:

Summarize key findings from research on resilience in physically disabled individuals
Describe framework for assessing intersectionality that includes disability and other cultural identities, guiding provider self-reflection
Delineate adaptations of core CBT strategies for addressing internalized ableism and managing pain and fatigue
Describe disability-affirmative therapy and outline implications for CBT case formulation
Identify strategies for integrating disability content into CBT training and supervision