Social Justice as a Counseling Concern

Social justice is known as the 5th force of psychology and now, with the heightened awareness of social justice issues in the USA in particular, the time is right for mental health professionals to join the movement.

Historically, mental health has been seen and treated as an individual issue, without taking into consideration the social and political factors that contribute to mental wellness or the lack thereof.

In this course, Lisa Vallejos, PhD, LPC will help attendees learn to adopt a critical lens in their practices and conceptualizations of client wellness, as well as how to become an advocate for justice and equity in mental health care.

This introductory continuing education webinar is designed to help mental health clinicians:

1. Analyze and apply critical consciousness when viewing systems of oppression, using the four 'I's of oppression.
2. Identify client wellness or lack thereof from a systems perspective instead of individual pathology.
3. Assess various types of power and how to use it properly.
4. Identify and list the six domains of social justice counseling.
5. Create a social justice counseling plan.

Course outline:

• 5 minutes: Welcome and introductions
• 15 minutes: Laying the foundation for Social Justice Counseling
  • Individualistic vs. collective
  • Mental health and social systems
  • Impact of oppression on mental wellness
  • The urgency of now
• 20 minutes: The four 'I'’s of oppression
• 15 minutes: The Right Use of Power
• 30 minutes: The six domains of social justice counseling
• 15 minutes: Implementing a social justice plan
• 10 minutes: Q&A/Discussion

Statement of program material’s accuracy, utility, and risks: The presenter indicates that this is a basic primer and is in no way comprehensive to the domain of social justice counseling. Participants must have a lens for social justice issues, otherwise, they may feel as though this material does not apply or is not relevant. Participants may feel a sense of guilt which can limit learning.

Declaration identifying any potential conflict of interest and/or commercial support: None.

At the end of this workshop, learners will be able to:

1. Identify systems of oppression.
2. Name the six domains of social justice counseling.
3. Implement social justice counseling into their practices.
4. Explain the difference between multicultural counseling and social justice counseling.

If you have any questions or would like information regarding disability accommodations, please contact GoodTherapy here.

Recommended reading suggested by the course presenter:

• Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W. J., Catalano, D. C., DeJong, K. "., Hackman, H., Hopkins, L. E., . . . Zúñiga, X. (2018). Readings for diversity and social justice. New York: Routledge.
• Audet, C. (Ed.), Pare, D. (Ed.). (2018). Social Justice and Counseling. New York: Routledge, https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315753751
• Chung, R. C. & Bemak, F. P. (2012). Social justice counseling: The next steps beyond multiculturalism. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc. doi: 10.4135/9781452240503
• Goodman, R. D., & Gorski, P. (2015). Decolonizing "multicultural" counseling through social justice. New York, NY: Springer. 
• Lee, C. C. (Ed.). (2018). Counseling for social justice (3rd ed.). American Counseling Association Foundation.
• Ratts, M.J., Singh, A.A., Nassar‐McMillan, S., Butler, S.K. and McCullough, J.R. (2016), Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies: Guidelines for the Counseling Profession. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 44: 28-48. doi:10.1002/jmcd.12035
• Ratts, M. J. (2017). Charting the center and the margins: Addressing identity, marginalization, and privilege in counseling. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 39(2), 87-103. doi:http://dx.doi.org.tcsedsystem.idm.oclc.org/10.17744/mehc.39.2.01
• Singh, A. A., Appling, B., & Trepal, H. (2020). Using the multicultural and social justice counseling competencies to decolonize counseling practice: The important roles of theory, power, and action. Journal of Counseling and Development : JCD, 98(3), 261-271. doi:http://dx.doi.org.tcsedsystem.idm.oclc.org/10.1002/jcad.12321

Continuing Education (CE) Information

1.5 CE contact hours will be provided by GoodTherapy for attending this homestudy course in its entirety. 2 CE contact hours were provided by GoodTherapy for attending the live and interactive webinar on July 23, 2021 in its entirety.

GoodTherapy is an NBCC-Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEPTM) and may offer NBCC-approved clock hours for events that meet NBCC requirements.

GoodTherapy.org, provider #1352, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. GoodTherapy.org maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 3/30/2022 – 3/30/2025. Social workers completing this course receive 1.5 continuing education credits.

GoodTherapy is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. GoodTherapy maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

GoodTherapy, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0395. GoodTherapy, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0022 and for licensed mental health counselors #MHC-0031.

To receive CE credit hours for an archived event, you will need to complete a survey as well as a 12 or 15-question exam, verifying that you listened to or watched the event in its entirety. Archived CE events generally are considered "homestudy" by licensing boards.

Registration Information

Premium and Pro Membership with GoodTherapy includes access to this web conference at no additional cost, as well as other member benefits such as a profile listing in GoodTherapy's Therapist Directory. Not yet a member? Sign up for a Premium or Pro Membership, here.

Just want CE credits? Sign up for a monthly or annual CE Subscription with GoodTherapy to get unlimited access to our CE Program, including this event, other live CE web conferences, and hundreds of hours of homestudy courses.

Mental health professionals who are not members can access the homestudy recording for $15.50. Sign up here to purchase this CE course and earn a CE certificate.

If the event is canceled by GoodTherapy, registrants who purchased the event will be notified and the charge for the event will be refunded

If you have any questions or would like information regarding disability accommodations, please contact us.

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