Sue Motulsky, Ed.D. Division of Counseling and Psychology Lesley University, Cambridge, MA

1. Transforming individuals and communities through social justice: Directions in career practice and counselor education Sue Motulsky, Ed.D. Division of Counseling and Psychology Lesley University, Cambridge, MA smotulsk@lesley.edu

2. Social Justice in Career counseling • Discuss goals and purposes of social justice and advocacy in career/vocational education and guidance • Provide models of social justice in counseling • Use one counseling education program and Vocational Development course as an example of integrating social justice into training; provide student responses • Illustrate examples of personal and professional social justice activities

3. Social Justice Definitions • Social justice work is “professional action designed to change societal values, structures, policies and practices, such that disadvantaged or marginalized groups gain increased access to tools of self-determination.” (Goodman, et al., 2004) • A social justice perspective “emphasizes societal concerns, including issues of equity, interdependence, and social responsibility…Social justice has to do with how advantages and disadvantages are distributed to individuals in society.” (Vera & Speight, 2003)

4. Social justice in Career Development • Social justice efforts focused on work because “access to work was viewed as a major vehicle to social equity.” (Foaud, Gerstein, & Torporek, 2006) • Early social justice work in vocational guidance: Frank Parsons—career assistance for immigrants • Psychology of working framework—David Blustein • Counseling for work and relationship (Richardson, 2012) • Relational cultural paradigm (Blustein, 2011; Motulsky, 2010; Schultheiss, 2007)

5. Social justice competencies for counselors • Goals include moving from micro or individual level to macro-level—families, communities, society to global and international work and counseling impacts • Include advocacy and empowerment of individuals AND institutional and systemic level advocacy and change • Benchmarks already exist for integration of social justice and advocacy into counselor and career training programs (Examples: APA, 2012, ACA, 2003, Fouad, et al., 2009)

6. Knowledge and skills are needed in: 1) Interdisciplinary collaboration 2) Increased cultural competence 3) Additional, complex roles for counselors, such as advocate, consultant, change agent 4) Social justice resources (Toporek & Chope, 2006)

7. ACA Competencies for Social Justice (Lewis, et al. 2003) • Micro-level to Macro-level • Acting with/Acting on behalf • Individual: Client/student empowerment or Advocacy • School/Community: Community collaboration or Systems advocacy • Public Arena: Public information or Social/political advocacy

8. Six Social Justice themes from feminist and multicultural theory (goodman, et al., 2004) 1) Ongoing self-examination 2) Sharing power 3) Giving voice 4) Facilitating consciousness raising 5) Building on strengths 6) Leaving clients/students with the tools for social change

9. Division of Counseling Psychology, Lesley University, Cambridge, MA • Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling • Vocational Development and Career Counseling • Curricular content, readings, and exercises • Assignments (online discussions, papers) • Evaluation and rubrics of “cultural awareness and sensitivity” • Example assignments and student responses

10. Assignment examples • Family of origin cultural context and influences: • What is your family’s racial, ethnic, religious and social class background and how did they influence the meaning of work and occupational paths taken? How did race, ethnicity, class, gender, or religion impact family work values? Give examples of how work values and beliefs operated in their cultural or gendered context and demonstrate how family work values expressed specific social or cultural norms or beliefs. In other words, don’t just state your gender, ethnicity, class, religion, etc. but analyze how these factors contributed to your family’s understanding of work, values, success, education, achievement, etc.

11. Assignment examples • Final case analysis, integrating career development theories, assessments, gender and cultural context, career and education counseling interventions, social justice, and reflections on the career counseling process. • Social justice question: How might you incorporate a social justice perspective in working with this client? How might this move you beyond this client to act in the larger community or society?

12. Assignment Examples • Online Discussion Board Assignment: • Choose one or two readings on social justice and advocacy in career counseling that you found striking or thought provoking. State why this article(s) spoke to you and how you might integrate these issues into your practice or respond to them professionally and personally. • Student illustrations

13. Personal Social Justice activities • Become active in professional organizations (in US, IAEVG, NCDA, ACA, APA, etc.) that are working to influence policy and laws • Join an advocacy or social justice professional or community organization. • Provide pro bono career services, workshops or consultations on employment or career issues • Become involved in work related social justice efforts in your local community or state/province—including educating others, writing letters to officials, consulting to non-profits or educational programs, testifying before legislative panels about work related issues, etc. • Join the board of a non-profit or social justice religious group, community center or organization, etc. • Become an activist—sign petitions, work for the campaign of a pro-worker elected official, participate in protests and non-violent social justice efforts, etc.

14. References References on Social Justice in Career Counseling and Vocational Psychology: • Blustein, D.L. (2006). The psychology of working: A new perspective for career development, counseling, and public policy. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. • Blustein, D.L., Kenna, A.C., Gill, N. & DeVoy, J.E. (2008). The psychology of working: A new framework for counseling practice and public policy. Career Development Quarterly, 56(4), 294-308. • Blustein, D.L., McWhirter, E.H., & Perry, J.C. (2005). An emancipatory communitarian approach to vocational development theory, research and practice. The Counseling Psychologist, 33(2), 141-179. • Blustein, D.L., Perry, J.C., Kenna, A.C., & DeWine, D.B. (2007). The psychology of working and the advancement of social justice. In Aldarondo, E. (Ed.), Advancing social justice through clinical practice. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. • Diemer, M.A. & Rasheed Ali, S. (2009). Integrating social class into vocational psychology: Theory and practice implications. Journal of Career Assessment, 17(3), 247-265. • Fassinger, R.E. (2008). Workplace diversity and public policy: Challenges and opportunities for psychology. American Psychologist, 63(4), 252-268.

15. References • Fassinger, R.E. & Gallor, S.M. (2006). Tools for remodeling the master’s house: Advocacy and social justice in education and work. In R.L. Toporek, L.H. Gerstein, N.A. Fouad, G. Roysircar, & T. Israel (Eds.), Handbook for social justice in counseling psychology: Leadership, vision, and action (pp. 256-275). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. • Fouad, N.A. (2006). Social justice in career and vocational aspects of counseling psychology. In R.L. Toporek, L.H. Gerstein, N.A. Fouad, G. Roysircar, & T. Israel (Eds.), Handbook for social justice in counseling psychology: Leadership, vision, and action (pp. 251-255). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. • Gainor, K.A. (2005). Social justice: A moral imperative of vocational psychology. The Counseling Psychologist, 33(2), 180-188. • Hansen, S.L. (2001). Integrating work, family and community through holistic life planning. Career Development Quarterly, 49(3), 261-274. • Hartung, P.J. & Blustein, D.L. (2002). Reason, intuition, and social justice: Elaborating on Parson’s career decision-making model. Journal of Counseling & Development, 80, 41-47. • Juntunen, C.L. (2006). The psychology of working: The clinical context. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 37(4), 342-350.

16. References • Juntunen, C.L., et al. (2006). Social justice through self-sufficiency: Vocational psychology and the transition from welfare to work. In R.L. Toporek, L.H. Gerstein, N.A. Fouad, G. Roysircar, & T. Israel (Eds.), Handbook for social justice in counseling psychology: Leadership, vision, and action (pp. 294-309). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. • Liu, W.M. & Rasheed Ali, S. (2005). Addressing social class and classism in vocational theory and practice. The Counseling Psychologist, 33(2), 189-196. • O’Brien, K.M. (2001). The legacy of Parsons: Career counselors and vocational psychologists as agents of social change. Career Development Quarterly, 50, 66-76. • Richardson, M.S. (2012). Counseling for work and relationship. The Counseling Psychologist, 40, 190-242. • Torporek, R.L. & Chope, R.C. (2006). Individual, programmatic and entrepreneurial approaches to social justice: Counseling psychologists in vocational and career counseling. In R.L. Toporek, L.H. Gerstein, N.A. Fouad, G. Roysircar, & T. Israel (Eds.), Handbook for social justice in counseling psychology: Leadership, vision, and action (pp. 276-293). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

17. Selected references for social justice in counseling and psychology • Ali, S.R., Liu, W.M., Mahmood, A., & Arguello, J. (2008). Social justice and applied psychology: Practical ideas for training the next generation of psychologists. Journal for Social Action in Counseling and Psychology, 1(2), 1-13. • Comstock, D.L., Hammer, T.R., Strentzsch, J., Cannon, K., Parsons, J., and Salazar, G. (2008). Relational Cultural Theory: A framework for bridging relational, multicultural and social justice competencies. Journal of Counseling & Development, 86, 279-287. • 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 & Development, 85, 24-29. • Fouad, N.A., Gerstein, L.H., & Toporek, R.L. (2006). Social justice and counseling psychology in context. In R.L. Toporek, L.H. Gerstein, N.A. Fouad, G. Roysircar, & T. Israel (Eds.), Handbook for social justice in counseling psychology: Leadership, vision, and action (pp. 1-16). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. • Goodman, L.A., Liang, B., Helms, J.E., Latta, R.E., Sparks, E., & Weintraub, S.R. (2004). Training counseling psychologists as social justice agents: Feminist and multicultural principles in action. The Counseling Psychologist, 32, 793-837.

18. Selected references for social justice in counseling and psychology • Kiselica, M.S. (2004). When duty calls: The implications of social justice work for policy, education, and practice in the mental health professions. The Counseling Psychologist, 32, 838-854. • Kiselica, M.S. & Robinson, M. (2001). Bringing advocacy counseling to life: The history, issues and human dramas of social justice work in counseling. Journal of Counseling & Development, 79, 387-397. • Lewis, J., Arnold, M.S., House, R. & Toporek, R.L. (2003). Advocacy competencies: American Counseling Association Task Force on Advocacy Competencies. www.counseling.org/resources/competencies/advocacy_compentencies.pdf • Nilsson, J.E. & Schmidt, C.K. (2005). Social justice advocacy among graduate students in counseling: An initial exploration. Journal of College Student Development, 46, 267-279. • Prilleltensky, I. (1997). Values, assumptions and practices: Assessing the moral implications of psychological discourse and action. American Psychologist, 52(5), 517-535. • Prilleltensky, I. & Nelson, G. (2002). Doing psychology critically: Making a difference in diverse settings. New York, NY: Palgrave MacMillian.

19. Selected References for social justice in counseling and psychology • Singh, A.A., Hofsess, C.D., Boyer, E.M., Kwong, A., Lau, S.M., McLain, M., & Haggins, K.L. (2010). Social justice and counseling psychology: Listening to the voices of doctoral trainees. TheCounseling Psychologist, 38, 766-795. • Speight, S.L. & Vera, E.M. (2008). Social justice and counseling psychology: A challenge to the profession. In S.D. Brown & R.W. Lent (Eds.), Handbook of counseling psychology (4th ed., pp.54-67). New York, NY: Wiley. • Toporek, R.L., Gerstein, L.H., Fouad, N.A., Roysircar, G. & Israel, T. (2006). Handbook for social justice in counseling psychology: Leadership, vision, and action. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. • Torporek, R. L. & McNally, C.J. (2006). Social justice training in counseling psychology: Needs and innovations. In R.L. Toporek, L.H. Gerstein, N.A. Fouad, G. Roysircar, & T. Israel (Eds.), Handbook for social justice in counseling psychology: Leadership, vision, and action (pp. 17-34). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. • Vera, E.M. & Speight, S.L. (2003). Multicultural competence, social justice, and counseling psychology: Expanding our roles. The Counseling Psychologist, 31, 253-272.