The Imperative of Compassion: Fostering Social Justice in Counselling Psychology
Today is the World Day of Social Justice so I thought I’d review Amari’s paper below as it provides a reminder of the significance of applying social justice within psychotherapy.
A review of Amari , N. (2021) Social justice in counselling psychology practice: Actualizing the ethics of compassion. The Journal of Humanistic Psychology [Online] < doi.org/10.1177/00221678211039968> [Accessed 21.2.24].
The article emphasises the significance of integrating compassion as an ethical principle in counselling psychology to advance anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice. The key points of the article are as follows:
• Counselling psychologists are urged to be reflective practitioners and challenge power dynamics to promote social justice.
• Compassion in counselling psychology involves acknowledging, appreciating, accessing, and accepting the suffering of others.
• Tailoring interventions to individual needs is crucial to avoid discrimination, as standardised interventions may overlook idiosyncratic requirements.
The potential gaps in the research include the need for further exploration of how to effectively integrate compassion into counselling psychology practice and the impact of power dynamics on the therapeutic relationship. Further research might be helpful in examining the long-term outcomes of applying a compassionate stance in counselling psychology and its effectiveness in promoting social justice.
The article underscores the importance of compassion in fostering social justice within counselling psychology and highlights the need for additional research to enhance its integration and impact.
