Inclusivity and diversity viewed through the lens of emotional development
Diversity is about the multitude of identity aspects that every person brings with them, such as language, background, religion, sexuality, age or stage of life. During the meeting, the importance of inclusive working became clear again. Exclusion and microaggressions can have major emotional consequences. The LNEO organized an annual meeting in June on a current theme in relation to emotional development. The meeting therefore started with a brief overview of relevant developments, provided by Jolanda Vonk and Sandra Zaal. In addition, Jolanda Vonk and Aristo Ongena presented the new Emotional Development Fan (WEO: Waaier Emotionele Ontwikkeling).
Aliye Altintas-Çelik shared her personal story about growing up and living in the Netherlands as a person with Turkish roots. She asked the question to what extent we are open to a different perspective, even if it is far removed from our own convictions.
Wilma Mathurin discussed the relationship between emotional development and culture. Her message was clear: don’t explain behavior too quickly through a single lense. Anyone who looks at behaviour solely from the perspective of emotional development runs the risk of overlooking culture. The same applies the other way around.
In the second part of the meeting, three workshops took place:
• Kieun Bae and Martine van Veen worked with a complex case study and showed how genograms and lifelines are used within transcultural systems therapy to gain insight into intergenerational patterns, migration history and meaning.
• Wilma Mathurin and Inge Mestdagh explored culture from different perspectives. The participants were introduced to the Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI).
• Sandra Zaal and Maurice Luijk gave participants insight into recognizing and reframing their own beliefs by means of a game.
In the next “LNEO Meets” meeting in June 2027, the theme of sexuality and emotional development will be central.
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