Dr. Zori A. Paul

✨Your peace matters. You matter, and you deserve to feel safe, supported, and grounded during this time of community and connection. 💛

🛑 This post is for educational purposes only and should not be a substitute for professional therapy. 🛑

✨Here are 11 tips that you may find helpful. Take what resonates, leave what doesn’t, and know that you’re allowed to honor your needs this holiday season.

✨The holidays can be a beautiful mix of joy, connection, nostalgia… and also stress, overwhelm, and old family patterns that resurface the moment you walk through the door. If this season brings up complicated feelings for you, you’re not alone.

National Domestic Violence Hotline 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, the National Domestic Violence Hotline provides essential tools and support to help survivors of domestic violence so they can live their lives free...

Talking about intimate partner violence in the bi+ community matters. Awareness is the first step toward prevention, safety, and healing.

If you or someone you know needs help, reach out to thehotline.org or call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). 💜

💜 October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month 💜

Did you know bisexual+ individuals, especially bi+ women, experience higher rates of intimate partner violence than their gay, lesbian, or heterosexual peers?

"I was trying to go for a retro video gamer vibe [for our podcast]. Especially when we first started putting social media stuff about our podcasts...Natalie’s Player 1, I’m Player 2 type, like old school video games," says @zoriamber.bsky.social #AcademicSky

theacademicdesigner.com/2025/start-a...

Uncovering the Gaps: The Impact of Historical Biphobia and Erasure on Bisexual+ Clients of Color and Sexual Wellness - The Chicago School | Office of Continuing Education Uncovering the Gaps: The Impact of Historical Biphobia and Erasure on Bisexual+ Clients of Color and Sexual Wellness Click Here to Register Presented by Zori A. Paul, PhD Friday, September […]

We’ll dig into the historical roots of biphobia, explore how racism and sexual stigma intersect, and talk about how mental health professionals can better show up for Bi+POC clients, especially around their sexual and mental wellness.

tcsppofficeofce.com/sept_19_2025...

Bisexual+ folks (including bi, pan, queer, fluid, etc.) make up 50% of the LGB community—yet we’re still often left out of conversations about wellness and care. That’s especially true for Bi+ people of color, who face unique layers of erasure and bias in both LGBTQ+ spaces and clinical settings.

“Uncovering the Gaps: The Impact of Historical Biphobia and Erasure on Bisexual+ Clients of Color and Sexual Wellness,” a webinar presented by Dr. Zori Paul as part of the Association of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness’s (ACSSW) webinar series. Friday, Sept. 19, 2025 8–10am PT | 10am–12pm CT | 11am–1pm ET Held virtually via Zoom Sliding scale pricing and 2 CE credits available

“Uncovering the Gaps: The Impact of Historical Biphobia and Erasure on Bisexual+ Clients of Color and Sexual Wellness,” as part of the Association of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness’s (ACSSW) webinar series.

📅 Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, 10am–12pm CT | 11am–1pm ET

#BiVisibilityMonth

Photo of the book, “Sex and Sexuality Handbook for the Helping Professional” by Dr. Alie Kriofske Mainella

✨Super excited that my copy of “Sex and Sexuality Handbook for the Helping Professional” by my dear friend and colleague, Dr. Alie Kriofske Mainella, arrived today!

This book is just like Alie, approachable & super helpful!

🔗: titles.cognella.com/sex-and-sexu...

#CounselorEd

Dr. Zori Paul standing in front of an audience as she introduces her research video.

Screenshot of opening slide for Dr. Paul’s research, “A Feminist Perspective of the Loneliness Epidemic and Women of Color”

✨Thank you to everyone who came out to the IWL Research Social: Feminist Evaluations of Structural Injustices hosted by the Institute for Women's Leadership Marquette University!

🔗Here’s my video w/initial findings here: youtu.be/EzsYnsSNfUI?...

#LonelinessEpidemic #CounselorEd #CounselorEducation

S3E3: Queering Race and Bi+ Identity with Zori Paul Bisexual Killjoy · Episode

✨It was so great getting to talk to Bailey and Jace, the co-hosts of the Bisexual Killjoy podcast, and just be in community with two fantastic bisexual killjoys! 💖💜💙

Thank you both for having me! 🥹

Make sure to check out their latest episode: open.spotify.com/episode/4YNE...

Research Findings: Understanding Microaffirmations with Queer and Trans People of Color

Our study shows how small acts of affirmation (microaffirmations) impact the intersecting identities of queer and transgender people of color (QTPOC).

What are microaffirmations? Microaffirmations are small, positive actions or words that show support, respect, safety or inclusion towards individuals with marginalized identities. Examples: Using correct pronouns, putting up pride flags, advocating for pro-LGBTQIA+ policies, etc. (Paul et al., 2025)

Key Findings from the Study After interviewing 14 queer and/or transgender people of color, we've found the following five themes related to their experiences with microaffirmations: • Influence of identity development • Safety with others • Envisioning policy changes • Representation, both received externally and self-created • Internalization of perceived self-worth (Paul et al., 2025)

✨Our study on Operationalizing Microaffirmations for Queer and Transgender People of Color highlights a key finding: Microaffirmations—small but powerful signals of support— may carry the most weight when they come from trusted relationships.

🔗 Read here: tpcjournal.nbcc.org/operationali...
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…-can’t remember when NCC needs to be renewed- Thank you for the reminder to check 😅🤣

Photo of the book, “Sex and Sexuality Handbook for the Helping Professional” by Dr. Alie Kriofske Mainella

✨Super excited that my copy of “Sex and Sexuality Handbook for the Helping Professional” by my dear friend and colleague, Dr. Alie Kriofske Mainella, arrived today!

This book is just like Alie, approachable & super helpful!

🔗: titles.cognella.com/sex-and-sexu...

#CounselorEd

Dr. Zori Paul standing in front of an audience as she introduces her research video.

Screenshot of opening slide for Dr. Paul’s research, “A Feminist Perspective of the Loneliness Epidemic and Women of Color”

✨Thank you to everyone who came out to the IWL Research Social: Feminist Evaluations of Structural Injustices hosted by the Institute for Women's Leadership Marquette University!

🔗Here’s my video w/initial findings here: youtu.be/EzsYnsSNfUI?...

#LonelinessEpidemic #CounselorEd #CounselorEducation

S3E3: Queering Race and Bi+ Identity with Zori Paul Bisexual Killjoy · Episode

✨It was so great getting to talk to Bailey and Jace, the co-hosts of the Bisexual Killjoy podcast, and just be in community with two fantastic bisexual killjoys! 💖💜💙

Thank you both for having me! 🥹

Make sure to check out their latest episode: open.spotify.com/episode/4YNE...

🔗Read the full article here for FREE: tpcjournal.nbcc.org/operationali... 3/3

Major Takeaways Though participants appreciated microaffirmations and their effects in the moment, some participants expressed that microaffirmations didn't necessarily make the negative impacts of discrimination, such as microaggressions, go away. Instead, most participants highlighted the need to focus on advocating against anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation and advocating for more LGBTQIA+ affirming policies and cultural norms on the larger societal level. (Paul et al., 2025)

So What Can Mental Health Professionals Do? • Recognize the various stages of identity development for QTPOC clients and their sources of affirmations. • Establish environments where QTPOC clients feel safe and affirmed. • Check your biases, assumptions, and competencies around the intersecting identities that QTPOC clients have. • Understand the importance of advocating for inclusive policies that protect the rights of QTPOC. (Paul et al., 2025)

Was this helpful? If so, please like, comment, share, and/or save! Thank you! Reference Available Open Acess (Read for Free): Paul, Z. A., Isadore, K., Ravi, N., Lewis, K., Qisti, D., Hietpas, A., Hermanson, B., & Su, Y. (2025). Operationalizing microaffirmations for queer and transgender people of color. The Professional Counselor, 15(1), 32 - 51. https://doi.org/10.15241/zap. 15.1.32

✨For many of our participants, microaffirmations meant more when they came from close friends/family/mentors rather than acquaintances/strangers. This underscores the importance of intentional, ongoing support for QTPOC within personal & professional relationships.

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Research Findings: Understanding Microaffirmations with Queer and Trans People of Color

Our study shows how small acts of affirmation (microaffirmations) impact the intersecting identities of queer and transgender people of color (QTPOC).

What are microaffirmations? Microaffirmations are small, positive actions or words that show support, respect, safety or inclusion towards individuals with marginalized identities. Examples: Using correct pronouns, putting up pride flags, advocating for pro-LGBTQIA+ policies, etc. (Paul et al., 2025)

Key Findings from the Study After interviewing 14 queer and/or transgender people of color, we've found the following five themes related to their experiences with microaffirmations: • Influence of identity development • Safety with others • Envisioning policy changes • Representation, both received externally and self-created • Internalization of perceived self-worth (Paul et al., 2025)

✨Our study on Operationalizing Microaffirmations for Queer and Transgender People of Color highlights a key finding: Microaffirmations—small but powerful signals of support— may carry the most weight when they come from trusted relationships.

🔗 Read here: tpcjournal.nbcc.org/operationali...
1/2

✨NEW PUBLICATION!✨

Our latest research publication, “Operationalizing Microaffirmations for Queer and Transgender People of Color”, is now out in The Professional Counselor—and it’s Open Access! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Check it out: tpcjournal.nbcc.org/volume-15-is...

#CounselorEd #LGBTQIAMentalHealth

Screenshot of the blog post, “How Mental Health Professionals Can Do Better for the Bi+ Community” by Zori Paul, PhD, LPC, NCC. “As a clinical mental health counselor, I learned early on that my clients are experts in their experiences. As a Black bisexual woman, I have also learned early on that for some clinicians, the client is only the expert of their experience when they are not bisexual. In those cases, the client is confused, going through a phase, or their sexual identity is viewed as not important for understanding their negative mental wellbeing.”

I had the honor of writing a blog post for the Bisexual Resource Center (BRC) for #BiHealthMonth! In my post, I talk about some ways that mental health professionals can provide more affirming care for bi+ clients. 🩷💜💙

🔗: biresource.org/how-mental-h...

In this episode of Therapy on a Tangent, Natalie & Zori dive into the world of mindless media. When is it a necessary escape, & when does it leave us feeling even more drained? They explore the balance between passive entertainment and more engaging activities that can truly help us recharge. Whether you’re team “brain rot” or prefer something more stimulating, this episode is for you!

New episode of Therapy on a Tangent podcast available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube! Listen here: linktr.ee/therapyonata...

#MentalHealth #Podcast #TherapyOnATangent

Screenshot of the UMSL Daily post that reads "Professor Jerome E. Morris voted American Educational Research Association president-elect."

"To be elected president represents the culmination of my scholarship, my commitment to the organization, my commitment to educational research and my belief in knowledge and scholarship as a vehicle to advance the public good...It embodies the work that I've done over the past three decades." Dr. Jerome E. Morris to UMSL Daily.

Our #CCBR director, Dr. Jerome E. Morris's recent election as the 2025 - 2026 president-elect for the @aeraedresearch.bsky.social was featured in the UMSL Daily. 🎉

🔗Learn more about Dr. Morris and this historic honor: blogs.umsl.edu/.../10/jerom...

#CCBR #UMSL #UMSLProud #Education

Not acknowledging and/or downplaying our experiences because of the people we have the potential to be attracted to is a form of biphobia/internalized biphobia that I hope we can one day get rid of. 💖💜💙

#BiHealthMonth 🧵2/2

It’s really discouraging when people say bi+ folks have privilege when we have high rates of depression, anxiety, disordered eating symptoms, domestic violence, etc. Idk about y’all, but those things are not what I think of when I hear the word “privilege”.

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Headshot of Dr. Jerome E. Morris. Captions reads "Congratulations, Dr. Jerome E. Morris, Voted the American Educational Research Association (AERA) 2025 - 2026 President-Elect"

🎉Congratulations to our #CCBR director, Dr. Jerome Morris, for being voted the American Educational Research Association (AERA) 2025 - 2026 President- Elect!

🔗Read more here: www.aera.net/Newsroom/AER...

#CommunallyBonded #Education #EducationPolicy #AERA

🚨 Season 2 of Therapy on a Tangent has officially begun! 🎉 Our latest episode, "Scrolling, Streaming, Stressing!: Managing Media Overload," is out now! 📱🧠

🎧 Watch or listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube: linktr.ee/therapyonata...

#TherapyOnATangent #MentalHealth #Podcast #CounselorEd

Image of the Total Information A.M. podcast cover along with a headshot photo of Dr. Jerome E. Morris. Text reads: Listen to Dr. Jerome Morris featured on Total Information A.M. Podcast's episode, "Reparations in education require a connected community"!

🎙️Our CCBR's director, Dr. Jerome Morris was featured in a new episode of the Total Information A.M. podcast this week! Listen on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts: www.audacy.com/podcast/tota...

#CommunallyBonded #Podcast #BlackHistoryMonth #EducationPolicy

The ASL version of “Not Like Us” is magnificent.