Stories from the field: narratives by practitioners from across Canada demonstrating the integration of social justice into counselling practice

Abstract

Workshop A: Across Canada, thousands of individuals face barriers to improving their mental, emotional, and economic status. In an effort to address the environmental factors (e.g., poverty) that impede client well-being, a growing number of counsellors have become interested in social justice interventions. For counsellors, social justice interventions involve actions that are designed to improve the equitable distribution of resources and services. This may include advocacy, outreach, and prevention. This workshop focuses on helping counsellors integrate social justice interventions into their roles. It will include a short lecture, discussion, and a video. Workshop B: The aim of this workshop is to provide participants with the opportunity to increase awareness of social justice issues in counselling practice and to learn practical ways to integrate this awareness into a variety of counselling settings and approaches. The workshop will consist of: 1) Stories from the field: narratives by practitioners from across Canada demonstrating the integration of social justice into counselling practice; 2) Discussion of how dominant discourses of pathology suppress awareness of the impact of structural violence on mental health and wellbeing; and 3) Participant activities designed to increase capacity and confidence in addressing social injustice in counselling practice. Symposium C: Cultural, professional and political influences have demanded counsellor education both lead and adapt to an ever-changing topography. Four counselor educators ranging from 3-30 years of experience from four different universities will address the changing landscape of counselor education with regard to one of four issues: counselor identity, training models/modes of delivery, supervision, and professional and academic politics. Interaction with the audience will invite discussion with regard to the influence and implications for the changing landscapes of these issues within the context of the conference sub-themes.