Counselors as Social Justice Advocates: Experiences Addressing Systemic Marginalization
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33043/y6594b8924Keywords:
Social justice, Advocacy, Counselors, PhenomenologyAbstract
A phenomenological study was conducted to determine how counselors are experiencing engagement in social justice advocacy. Participants included seven (N = 7) licensed clinical counselors in the United States. Several themes emerged from the data: social justice advocacy as part of counselor professional identity, experiences of emotional discomfort and gratification, advocacy in action on a micro-, mezzo-, and macro-level, skills utilized to be effective advocates, identity impacting advocacy efforts, challenges faced, and advocacy successes. Results highlighted advocacy action steps that counselors can take to support clients. Skills needed to effective advocates included gaining a knowledge of systems, self-awareness of bias and privilege, intentionality and strategy with advocacy actions, and use of common counseling skills such as compassion and managing challenging responses. Four main elements are identified for potential training implications: (1) establishing a clear professional identity/role around social justice advocacy, (2) teaching advocacy competencies, (3) education about what advocacy practice looks like, and (4) building skills frequently utilized in advocacy practice.
Downloads
References
Adom, D., Yeboah, A., & Ankrah, A. K. (2016). Constructivism philosophical paradigm: Implications for research, teaching and learning. Global Journal of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences, 4(1), 1-9. https://www.eajournals.org/wp-content/uploads/Constructivism-Philosophical-Paradigm-Implication-for-Research-Teaching-and-Learning.pdf
American Counseling Association. (2014). 2014 ACA code of ethics: As approved by the ACA governing council. https://www.counseling/org
Bird, C. M., Webb, E. K., Schramm, A. T., Torres, L., Larson, C., & deRoom-Cassini, T. A. (2021). Racial discrimination is associated with acute posttraumatic stress symptoms and predicts future posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms severity in trauma-exposed Black adults in the United States. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 0, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.22670
Bower, K. M., Thorpe, R. J., & LaVeist, T. A. (2013). Perceived racial discrimination and mental health in low-income urban-dwelling Whites. International Journal of Health Services, 43(2), 267-280. https://doi.org/10.2190/HS.43.2.e
Carter, N., Bryant-Lukosius, D., DiCenso, A., Blythe, J., & Neville, A. J. (2014). The use of triangulation in qualitative research. ONS, 41(5), 545-547. https://doi.org/10.1188/14.ONF.545-547
Carter, R. T., Kirkinis, K., & Johnson, V. E. (2019). Relationships between trauma symptoms and race-based traumatic stress. Traumatology, 26(1) 11-18. https://doi.org/10.1037/trm0000217
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (ND). CDC-Kaiser ACE study. https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/about.html
Chang, V. (2022). Advocacy and creativity in community: A social justice project for counseling students. Journal for Social Action in Counseling and Psychology, 14(1), 2-16. https://doi.org/10.33043/JSACP.14.1.2-16
Chapman-Hilliard, C., & Parker, B. (2022). Embodied social justice learning: Considerations for curriculum development and training in counseling programs. Journal for Social Action in Counseling and Psychology, 14(1), 77-93. https://doi.org/10.33043/JSACP.14.1.77-93
Chung, R. C., & Bemak, F. (2013). Use of ethnographic fiction in social justice graduate counselor training. Counselor Education and Supervision, 52(1), 56-69. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6978.2013.00028.x
Clarke, V., & Braun, V. (2015). Thematic analysis. Journal of Positive Psychology, 1-5. https://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/2292/43968/Thematic%20analysis_Journal%20Positive%20Psychology_ACCEPTED..pdf?sequence=4&isAllowed=y
Constantine, M. G., Hage, S. M., Kindaichi, M. M., & Bryant, R. M. (2007). Social justice and multicultural issues: Implications for the practice and training of counselors and counseling psychologists. Journal of Counseling and Development, 85(1), 24-29. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6678.2007.tb00440.x
Cook, A. L., Hayden, L. A., Gracia, R., & Tyrrell, R. (2015). Exploring outcomes of a targeted supervisory training curriculum on developing multicultural competency and social justice advocacy. Counseling Outcome Research and Evaluation, 6(2), 126-140. https://doi.org/10.1177/2150137815594201
Cook, A. L., Krell, M. M., Hayden, L. A., Gracia, R., & Denitzio, K. (2016). Fieldwork using the professional development school’s model: Developing a social justice orientation and multicultural competency. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 44(3), 176-188. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmcd.12045
Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. (2015). 2016 CACREP standards. https://www.cacrep.org/section-2-professional-counseling-identity/
Creswell, J. W., & Miller, D. L. (2000). Determining validity in qualitative inquiry. Theory into Practice, 39(3), 124-130. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15430421tip3903_2
Crethar, H. C., & Winterowd, C. L. (2012). Values and social justice in counseling. Counseling and Values, 57(1), 3-9. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2161-007X.2012.00001.x
Crumb, L., Haskins, N., & Brown, S. (2019). Integrating social justice advocacy into mental health counseling in rural impoverished American communities. The Professional Counselor, 9(1), 20-34. https://doi.org/10.15241/lc.9.1.20
Decker, K. M. (2013). A study of relationships between counselor education, social justice advocacy competence, and likelihood to advocate [Doctoral dissertation, Capella University]. ProQuest. https://www.proquest.com/docview/1468680195?pq-origsite=gscholar&fromopenview=true
DiCicco-Bloom, B., & Crabtree, B. F. (2006). The qualitative research interview. Medical Education, 40(4), 314-321. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2929.2006.02418.x
Donald, E. J., & Moro, R. R. (2014). Engaging students and supervisees in social justice: The social justice toolbox. Ideas and Research You Can Use: VISTAS, 10, 1-16. https://www.counseling.org/docs/default-source/vistas/article_10.pdf?sfvrsn=1c003afc_12&sfvrsn=1c003afc_12
Edwards, L. M., Tate, K. A., Cook, J. M., Toigo, M. P., & Yeomans, A. C. (2017). Counselors as advocates: Effects of a pilot project designed to develop advocacy knowledge and confidence in trainees. Journal for Social Action in Counseling and Psychology, 9(2), 79-94. https://doi.org/10.33043/JSACP.9.2.79-94
Equality and Human Rights Commission. (2020). Race report statistics. https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/race-report-statistics
Faulkner, S. L., & Trotter, S. P. (2017) Data saturation. The International Encyclopedia of Communication Research Methods. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118901731.iecrm0060 Farrell, I. C., DeDiego, A. C., & Marshall, R. C. (2020). Service learning to foster advocacy training in CACREP accredited programs. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 15(4), 522-534. https://doi.org/10.1080/15401383.2020.1733724
Goodman, L. A. (1960). Snowball sampling. The Annals of Mathematical Statistics. 148-170.
Goodman, L. A., Wilson, J. M., Helms, J. E., Greenstein, N., & Medzhitova, J. (2018). Becoming an advocate: Process and outcomes of a relationship-centered advocacy training model. The Counseling Psychologist, 46(2), 122-153. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011000018757168
Greenleaf, A. T., & Bryant, R. M. (2012). Perpetuating oppression: Does the current counseling discourse neutralize social action? Journal for Social Action in Counseling and Psychology, 4(1), 18-29.
Guenther, J., & Falk, I. (2019). Generalizing from qualitative research (GQR): A new old approach. Qualitative Report, 25(5), 1012-1033. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2019.3478
Kcomt, L., Evans-Polce, R. J., Boyd, C. J., & McCabe, S. E. (2020). Association of transphobic discrimination and alcohol misuse among transgender adults: Results from the U.S. transgender survey. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 215, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.108223
Killian, T., & Floren, M. (2020). Exploring the relationship between pedagogy and counselor trainees’ multicultural and social justice competence. Journal of Counseling and Development, 98(3), 295-307. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.12324
Kirkinis, K., Pieterse, A. L., Martin, C., Agiliga, A., & Brownell, A. (2018). Racism, racial discrimination, and trauma: A systematic review of the social science literature. Ethnicity & Health, 26(3), 392-412. https://doi.org/10.1080/13557858.2018.1514453
Kozan, S., & Blustein, D. L. (2018). Implementing social change: A qualitative analysis of counseling psychologists’ engagement in advocacy. The Counseling Psychologist, 46(2), 154-189. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011000018756882
Kumar, S., Kumar, R. S., Govindaraj, M., & Prabhu, N. R. V. (2020). Sampling framework for personal interviews in qualitative research. PalArch’s Journal of Archaeology of Egypt, 17(7), 7102-7114. https://archives.palarch.nl/index.php/jae/article/view/3115
LaBrenz C. A., O’Gara, J. L., Panisch, L. S., Baiden, P., & Larkin, H. (2020). Adverse childhood experiences and mental and physical health disparities: The moderating effect of race and implications for social work. Social Work in Health Care, 59(8), 588-614. https://doi.org/10.1080/00981389.2020.1823547v
Lee, M. A., Jorgensen Smith, T., & Henry, R. G. (2013). Power politics: Advocacy to activism in social justice counseling. Journal for Social Action in Counseling and Psychology, 5(3), 70-94. https://doi.org/10.33043/JSACP.5.3.70-94
Lee, C. C., Baldwin, R., Mamarà, & Quesenberry, L. (2018). Counselors as agents of social justice. In C. C. Lee (Ed.) Counseling for social justice (3rd ed., pp. 3-20). American Counseling Association Foundation.
Lewis, J. A., Arnold, M. S., House, R., & Toporek, R. L. (2002). ACA advocacy competencies. https://www.counseling.org/resources/competencies/advocacy_competencies.pdf
López, C. I., Richards, D. K., & Field, C. A. (2022). Perceived discrimination and alcohol-related problems among Hispanic college students: The protective role of serious harm reduction behaviors. Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse, 21(1), 272-283. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332640.2020.1747040
Lopez-Baez, S. I. & Paylo, M. J. (2009). Social justice advocacy: Community collaboration and systems advocacy. Journal of Counseling and Development, 87(3), 276-283. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6678.2009.tb00107.x
Lown, J. M. (2015). Advocacy in action: A framework for implementation of the American Counselors Association Advocacy Competencies on a local level. Educational Specialist, 18, 1-47. https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/edspec201019/18/?utm_source=commons.lib.jmu.edu%2Fedspec201019%2F18&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages
Maxwell, J. A. (2005). Qualitative research design: An interactive approach (2nd ed., Vol. 41). Sage Publications, Inc.
McDonald, P., & Chang, C. Y. (2022). Creating social change through culturally responsive counseling practices: A look at the multiracial population. Journal of Counselor Leadership and Advocacy, 9(1), 21-31. https://doi.org/10.1080/2326716X.2021.1998807
McLaughlin, K. A., Hatzenbuehler, M. L., & Keyes, K. M. (2010). Responses to discrimination and psychiatric disorders among Black, Hispanic, female and lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals. American Journal of Public Health, 100(8), 1477-1484. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2009.181586
Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldaña, J. (2020). Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook. (4th ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc.
Moustakas, C. (1994). Phenomenological research methods. SAGE Publications, Inc.
Peterson, B. (2021). Social justice counseling: Predictions of counselor advocacy [Doctoral dissertation, Regent University]. ProQuest. https://media.proquest.com/media/hms/PFT/2/jPWkL?_s=dTCjHASak7iMciZQF1raqcyjdGM%3D
Prabhu, G. N. (2020). Teaching the scope and limits of generalizability in qualitative research. Qualitative Research: Practices and Challenges,1, 186-192. https://doi.org/10.36367/intqr.1.2020.186-192
Ratts, M. J. (2009). Social justice counseling: Toward the development of a fifth force among counseling paradigms. Journal of Humanistic Counseling, Education and Development, 48, 160-172. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2161-1939.2009.tb00076.x
Ratts, M. J., & Greenleaf, A. T. (2018). Counselor-advocate-scholar model: Changing the dominant discourse in counseling. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 46, 78-96. https://doi.org/10.1022/jmcd.12094
Ratts, M. J., & Hutchins, A. M. (2009). ACA advocacy competencies: Social justice advocacy at the client/student level. Journal of Counseling and Development, 87(3), 269-275. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6678.2009.tb00106.x
Ratts, M. J., Singh, A. A., Nassar-McMillan, S., Butler, K., & McCullough, J. R. (2015). Multicultural and social justice counseling competencies. American Counseling Association, 1-14. https://www.counseling.org/docs/default-source/competencies/multicultural-and-social-justice-counseling-competencies.pdf?sfvrsn=20
Robinson, O. C. (2014). Sampling in interview-based qualitative research: A theoretical and practical guide. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 11(1), 25-41. https://doi.org/10.1080/14780887.2013.801543
Singh, A. A., Urbano, A., Haston, M., & McMahon, E. (2010). School counselors’ strategies for social justice change: A grounded theory of what works in the real world. Professional School Counseling, 13(3), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X1001300301
Smith, L., Baluch, S., Bernabei, S., Robohm, J., & Sheehy, J. (2003). Applying a social justice framework to college counseling center practice. Journal of College Counseling, 6, 3-13.
Takeda, K., Rosenthal, L., & Arora, P. G. (2021). Internalizing symptoms, intersectional discrimination, and social support among Asian-Pacific Islander sexual and gender minority adults. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 27(3), 418-430. https://doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000442
Tanner, M. E. (2021). School counseling in an oppressed society: Examining the relationship between social justice advocacy competence, empowerment, and social justice self-efficacy [Doctoral dissertation, Duquesne University]. https://dsc.duq.edu/etd/1998/
Toporek, R. L., Lewis, J. A., & Crethar, H. C. (2009). Promoting systemic change through the ACA Advocacy Competencies. Journal of Counseling and Development, 87, 260-268.
Toporek, R. L., & Daniels, J. (2018) Advocacy competencies. American Counseling Association. aca-advocacy-competencies-updated-may-2020.pdf (counseling.org)
Tufford, L., & Newman, P. (2010). Bracketing in qualitative research. Qualitative Social Work, 11(1), 80-96. https://doi.org/10.1177/1473325010368316
U.S. Census (2018) American Community Survey. https://www.census.gov/acs/www/data/data-tables-and-tools/data-profiles/2018/
Vera, E. M., & Speight, S. L. (2003). Multicultural competence, social justice, and counseling psychology: Expanding our roles. The Counseling Psychologist, 31(3), 253-272. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011000002250634
Verbi. (2023). MAXQDA. [Computer software}. VERBI GmbH. https://www.maxqda.com/
Weeks, M. R., & Sullivan, A. L. (2019) Discrimination matters: Relations of perceived discrimination to student mental health. School Mental Health, 11, 425-437. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-019-09309-1
Wei, M., Wang, K. T., Heppner, P. P., & Du, Y. (2012). Ethnic and mainstream social connectedness, perceived racial discrimination, and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 59(3), 486-493. https://www.doi.org/10.1037/a0028000
Whittemore, R., Chase, S. K., & Mandle, C. L. (2001). Validity in qualitative research. Qualitative Health Research, 11(4), 522-537. https://doi.org/10.1177/104973201129119299
Williams, B. M., Williams, Q., & Smith, C. (2021). How social class identity influences students’ leadership and advocacy development. New Directions for Student Leadership, 2021(169), 69-76. https://doi.org/10.1002/yd.20422
Winkeljohn Black, S., Akef, Z., & Thomas, C. (2022). Using a consultation assignment to enhance trainees’ understanding and implementation of consultation and social justice in career counseling. Journal for Social Action in Counseling and Psychology, 14(1), 106-123. https://doi.org/10.33043/JSACP.14.1.106-123
Wray, T. B., Pantalone, D. W., Kahler, C. W., Monti, P. M., & Mayer, K. H. (2016). The role of discrimination in alcohol-related problems in samples of heavy drinking HIV-negative and positive men who have sex with men (MSM). Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 166, 226-234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.07.017
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Vanessa Sinclair, Amanda C. La Guardia, Rachel M. Saunders, Antar A. Tichavakunda
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
By submitting to JSACP, the author(s) agree to the terms of the Author Agreement. Beginning in 2018, all authors retain copyrights associated with their article contributions and agree to make such contributions available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International license upon publication in JSACP. Copyrights to articles published prior to 2018 have been transferred from the authors to JSACP.
