Reducing Stigma One Sentence At a Time

Dr. Nordstrom poses with her new book “Innovative Stigma and Discrimination Reduction Programs Across the World.”

Emma Blakiewicz, Reporter

Dr. Alicia Nordstrom of Misericordia’s psychology department has released a new book with Dr. Wind Goodfriend of Buena Vista University.

 Innovative Stigma and Discrimination Reduction Programs Across the World, now available on Amazon in paperback, hardcover, and e-book format, is a collaborative with “empirically-supported stigma reduction programs that capitalize on creativity and psychological science.”

It details the human experience from many perspectives, including students, healthcare workers, everyday citizens, and many more. The book aims to introduce effective, time-tested methods to reduce all kinds of discrimination, including “racism, sexism, ageism, ableism, and classism as well as the stigma of mental health and body image,” and to make life on Earth more equitable for all.

Dr. Nordstrom is no stranger to the center stage when it comes to research. With appearances on NPR, TEDxLancaster, and the NYC Broadway Bound Festival, she has promoted mental wellness as well as reducing stigma and stereotypes of minority groups.

She has hosted the VOICES project here at Misericordia for nine years, with her latest show scheduled here for late April, which will be focused on stigma against immigrants.

Dr. Goodfriend is also quite accomplished in psychological research, having written or edited over ten books in Social Psychology, some of which went on to achieve awards from the Textbook and Academic Authors Association. Such books range from emotional eating to the various perspectives of those who study Social Psychology.

Dr. John Dovido of Yale University offered his praise when it came to the book: “This skillfully edited volume is unique in its scope and its ambition to not simply to understand stigma but also to show how it can be addressed in practical and effective ways.

Leading international scholars artfully bridge research and practice by identifying proven interventions and illuminating how they work to reduce the stigmatization of a wide variety of groups in globally diverse contexts.

This book is exceptionally timely, both for application and theory, and is a “must-read” for practitioners and scholars dedicated to addressing the severe social consequences of stigma.”. Dr. Margo Monteith of Purdue University also chimed in on Nordstrom’s and Goodfriend’s work: “This book is a tour de force compilation of theoretically grounded, empirically validated, and innovative approaches to reducing many forms of stigma across the globe. It is a “must-read” for organizations and individuals looking for successful strategies for reducing stigma and fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

The work is available on Amazon under this link:

Amazon.com: Innovative Stigma and Discrimination Reduction Programs Across the World: 9780367487232: Nordstrom, Alicia, Goodfriend, Wind: Books