(This is a LIVE VIRTUAL event. Access to a recording will not be available.)

Presented by

Dr. Jaimee Arnoff

Mental health clinicians may work with Deaf and Hard of Hearing clients without adequate training in the cultural, linguistic, and ethical considerations that shape effective treatment. Without this knowledge, misunderstandings can occur in rapport building, assessment accuracy, and treatment planning, sometimes resulting in the unintentional perpetuation of audism.

This workshop provides a clear, practical framework for delivering culturally-responsive and ethically sound services to Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals. Participants will learn about the cultural values, communication norms, and historical experiences that influence help-seeking and clinical engagement. The course explores the impact of early language access on emotional, cognitive, and relational development, and offers guidance for adapting assessment approaches to ensure accuracy across linguistic modalities. Clinicians will also learn to recognize and interrupt audism, navigate confidentiality concerns in close-knit cultural communities, and understand when multiple relationships become ethically complex. Practical skills for collaborating with certified interpreters will be demonstrated, including strategies for maintaining the therapeutic alliance when communication flows through a third party. Participants will leave with increased confidence in their cultural humility, ethical decision-making, and ability to create emotionally safe, identity-affirming spaces for Deaf and Hard of Hearing clients.
 

Learning Objectives
As a result of attending this course, learners will be able to:
 

1. Explain how early language access and communication modality impact emotional, cognitive, and social development in Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals.

2. Identify manifestations of audism within clinical interactions and apply strategies to prevent or repair its impact in treatment.

3. Evaluate ethical considerations unique to working with Deaf and Hard of Hearing clients, including confidentiality, community interconnectedness, and multiple-role risks.

4. Demonstrate best practices for collaborating with certified interpreters to ensure accurate, culturally-affirming, therapeutically aligned communication.

About Dr. Arnoff

Jaimee Arnoff, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist specializing in culturally responsive and linguistically accessible mental health care for Deaf and Hard of Hearing (D/HH) individuals. She earned dual Bachelor’s Degrees in Psychology and Deaf Studies from Boston University and completed her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Gallaudet University.
Fluent in American Sign Language, she has provided therapy and assessment across schools, outpatient clinics, inpatient units, and residential treatment programs serving D/HH youth and adults. She has partnered with community agencies, correctional systems, and advocacy organizations to improve accessibility and clinical equity, and she frequently trains clinicians on how to deliver culturally affirming, ethically grounded care to members of the Deaf community.