What is Coloring Psychoanalysis?

Coloring Psychoanalysis is an online community periodical that centers Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) voices in psychoanalysis. We explicitly recognize and seek to dismantle the ways in which psychoanalytic theory has both ignored and pathologized BIPOC people, justified and reinforced systemic oppression, and affects our practice and our communities today. We claim the radical psychoanalytic tradition of speaking truths yet unspoken and unknown. We are a digital space where BIPOC people who share these goals can find camaraderie and support.

Why a BIPOC-only space?

“​​We need places in which we can gather and be free from the mainstream stereotypes and marginalization that permeate every other societal space we occupy. We need spaces where we can be our authentic selves without white people’s judgment and insecurity muzzling that expression.”

- Blackwell, 2018; Why People of Color Need Spaces Without White People

A BIPOC-only space is needed in psychoanalysis where we can be with each other to prioritize our own nourishment and growth, push the boundaries of what is known about BIPOC communities, and honor our words, lived experiences, values, perspectives, and paradigms as is. It’s also a way to divest BIPOC time, emotional labor, and intellectual contribution from spaces that too often diminish and devalue us.

This space was created out of love - for ourselves and our BIPOC communities, but also for the field of psychoanalysis. You do not need to limit yourself this space or any other; rather, this space is in support of you being able to “be” - be daring, be vulnerable, be emotional, be outspoken, be a work in progress - so that you can show up more fully in all the spaces you choose to, or must, come into contact with.

What is Coloring Psychoanalysis trying to achieve? What is its vision?

We seek to create a psychoanalysis that reflects, honors, and promotes the wholeness of all BIPOC people.

What are our core values?

1. Justice: We actively acknowledge and seek to dismantle the systemic barriers that have harmed BIPOC people.

2. Intersectionality: We recognize the centrality of race as a basis for systems of discrimination, exploitation, colonization, and dehumanization, while also honoring the experiences of BIPOC people at the intersection of myriad other identities, including but not limited to: gender, sexuality, ability, class, caste, immigration status, nationality, language, cultural/ethnic identity, and religious and political affiliation.

3. Resilience: We center the strength of BIPOC people through adversity in the forms of joy, creativity, humor, spirituality, respite, and community.

What are guidelines for engagement in this community?

In this space, we strive to:

• honor multiple perspectives;

• engage in respectful and brave dialogue;

• assume good intention and shared goals;

• offer grace to each other and ourselves;

• acknowledge those who came before us, on whose land and shoulders we stand;

• carry out our core values in every part of our community, including volunteers, contributors, and subscribers.

How do I subscribe? Is there a fee?

If you self-identify as being BIPOC and want to stay updated on the next issue of Coloring Psychoanalysis, click here. If you’re interested as an ally, we respectfully ask you to honor the intention of this space to center BIPOC people and seek out other resources to develop your allyship.

It is important that our BIPOC community can access Coloring Psychoanalysis without barriers, therefore there is no fee to subscribe. We are working on accepting donations from those who have the desire and means to financially support our work and help make it better. These funds will go toward our editorial, design, web hosting, communications, and other needs, as well as creating expanded offerings to our community. Please sign up to be notified when donations become available.

How can I contribute content?

Click here for more information about the first issue’s theme, timeline, process for submission and review, and resources.

Who are we?

Coloring Psychoanalysis is the fruit of the collective labor of volunteers and contributors from around the world who responded to the call for a BIPOC-centered psychoanalysis. It was founded in 2022 by Meiyang Liu Kadaba (刘眉扬), Psy.D., a clinical psychologist in private practice and adjunct faculty at the Wright Institute. She is located on the unceded ancestral homeland of the Ramatyush Ohlone Peoples (donate here), who were the original inhabitants of the area that includes San Francisco, CA.