How can therapeutic practice be informed by principles of social justice, and how can the work of therapists contribute to wider social change and fairness? This workshop is based on the principle that therapeutic values—like compassion, empathy, and acceptance—are powerfully aligned with a social and political valuing of otherness, and that therapists can have a role to play in contributing to a more thriving and just world. The first part of the workshop looks at how therapists can think, practice, and self-reflect from a social justice standpoint, drawing particularly on insights from the multicultural movement in the United States. In the second part, attention turns to how therapists can contribute, and have, contributed, to a fairer and more thriving world, through therapy itself, and through therapy-informed practices such as nonviolent communication and social and emotional literacy training. The workshop also explores the striking parallels between the work of therapists to help support marginalised voices in the self, and the work of social justice advocates who fight for the rights of marginalised social communities. The psychological and the political worlds have much to learn from each other.

A pre-recorded, online version of this workshop can be accessed here.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Map the ways in which therapeutic practice, training, supervision, and provision can incorporate social justice values

  • Comprehend the differences between liberal and radical applications of social justice values to therapy

  • Critically consider social justice informed practices: broaching, bridging, advocacy, indigenous healing practices, and challenging clients’ prejudices

  • Recognise therapy-informed analyses of social injustices, and the ways in which therapy and therapy-informed practices may contribute to a more socially just world

Schedule

  • Session 1: Social justice contributions to therapeutic practices I

  • Session 2: Social justice contributions to therapeutic practices II

  • Session 3: Therapeutic contributions to social justice theory and practice

  • Session 4: Parallels between therapeutic and social justice perspectives

Format

This workshop is typically delivered as a one day event.

The workshop combines self-development exercises, theoretical input, practical exercises, and small and large group discussion.

The workshop is appropriate for training and practising counsellors, psychotherapists, counselling psychologists and other mental health professionals.

A lecture (1-2 hours) can also be delivered on the contribution of therapy to social justice perspectives (and/or vice versa).  

Resources

My latest book argues that psychological theory and practice has the potential to make a major contribution to progressive social theory and action.

By Tamsin Cavaliero