Community Counseling and Social Justice.

Catalog description

The roles of counselors in community agencies, private practice, in litigation and consulting processes, and in client advocacy will be explored with the intent of assessing means by which counselors can provide access to and delivery of optimal mental health services. Counselors’ roles and responsibilities in promoting fair and equitable mental health policy and legislation in a variety of contexts will be examined. Special attention will be paid to how the confluence of social and political barriers impact counselors’ ability to assess and advocate for individual and community needs, facilitate conflict resolution, and secure resources for programs designed to empower and serve oppressed populations. Such oppressed populations include those individuals dealing with racism, sexism, religious persecution, poverty, immigration issues, language barriers, trauma (i.e. natural disaster, domestic violence etc.), heterosexism, physical disabilities, mental illness and interpersonal and/or institutional rankism.