Evaluating the Ally Role: Contributions, Limitations, and the Activist Position in Counseling and Psychology

Abstract

Community action is a core mission of activism in counseling and psychology, and the ally role is often viewed as integral to this work. This article provides a review of the benefits as well as the limitations of the ally role in social action in counseling and psychology. Lastly, the authors advocate for a values-based activism role as an alternative to the ally position in order to enhance effectiveness in achieving social change in counseling and psychology.