Practice 8 Respect for Dignity

Abstract

In this chapter Cristelle, Sandra, and Melissa enhance appreciation of human rights as a foundation for ethical, culturally responsive, and socially just counselling practice by centring respect for dignity. Dignity and human rights are inextricably intertwined. Dignity reflects the absolute and inherent worth of all human beings, and it is the universality of this inalienable worth that forms the impetus for human rights. Human rights often arise out of egregious historical events and then become embedded in human rights bills, declarations, and conventions. Human rights inform professional codes of ethics. Both human rights and dignity find expression in social spaces, professional spaces, and therapy spaces. Social dignity reflects the inherent value and worth that every individual possesses as a member of society, which is often compromised by coloniality and other forms of cultural oppression. In professional spaces, discrimination and othering can be more subtle. Cristelle offers insights into the harms that arise when a lack of dignity creeps into counselling and psychotherapy theory and practice. She contrasts this with actively and intentionally doing dignity by situating and upholding dignity within therapeutic spaces. Positioning the therapeutic relationship as a microcosm of broader society necessitates attention to social, professional, and therapeutic dignity. Cristelle offers a series of practical tips for enacting dignity in practice. A deep sense of respect for human dignity builds upon the practices of cultural humility and ethical space to amplify cultural safety in theory, research, and practice for all people and peoples.

Cristelle, Sandra, and Melissa are joined in this chapter by the following co-authors:

• Zuraida Dada speaks to the ancient South African teaching of Ubuntu: I am because you are, which shapes her perspective on human rights and dignity. In two additional videos she expands on Ubuntu as a foundation for celebrating and honouring our shared humanity and offers a vision for hope and collaborative action.d her commitment to represent and speak out for minoritized peoples.
• Kirby Huminuik shares a human rights framework for mental health practitioners. She participated in the development of the Five connections framework as a member of the American Psychological Association Task force on human rights. It offers a way for counsellors and psychotherapists to start thinking about human rights in their practice.

Co-Authors

Cristelle Audet (she/her), PhD, RP, is an associate professor of counselling psychology at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Education. She was previously president of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association’s Social Justice Chapter, and I has been involved with the association’s Ethics Committee since 2010. She co-edited the book, Counseling and Social Justice: Discourse in Practice, authored a chapter on social justice for the Handbook of Counselling and Psychotherapy in Canada. She conducts and supervises research centres underrepresented voices of counselling clients.

Sandra Collins (she/her), PhD, is a co-editor of this book. She writes from the perspective of a feminist, lesbian, cisgender, woman with an invisible disability, who is a white, retired professor, and inhabits a privileged social class. Over the 25 years of her academic and professional career, she focused her research, writing, and teaching on cultural responsivity and social justice in theory, research, and practice. This is her fifth book on these topics, two of which were awarded the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Counselling biannual book award. She also received a silver medal for best e-book design by the Independent Publisher Book Awards. 

Melissa Jay (she/her), PhD, RPsych, is a cisgender nehiyaw (Cree) member of the Métis Nation of Alberta and lifelong student of yoga philosophy. She is a cisgender, able-bodied woman who moves through the world with white-passing privilege. She is a psychologist and associate professor at Athabasca University. Her work is centred in reciprocity and relationship, decolonized healing, anti-oppressive practices, and the integration of ancient wisdom and psychology. Her intention is to share trauma-informed, culturally responsive care, alongside her ongoing collaborative research exploring relational accountability, Indigenous methodologies, and ethical engagement with community.

Zuraida Dada (she/her), MA, RPsych, CPsych, Registered Psychologist (South Africa), is South African by birth and lived under apartheid for most of her life. SheI was an anti-apartheid activist and was part of the first wave of IBAPoC “intelligencia” in postapartheid South Africa. She is the founder and president of Invictus Psychology & Consulting, an international psychology private practice. She is a seasoned psychologist with over 20 years of experience in South Africa and 16 years of experience in Canada, specializing in counselling psychology and industrial organizational psychology. She was the recipient of the Canadian Psychological Association’s 2021 John C. Service award and was recognized for her volunteer efforts by the Psychologists’ Association of Alberta as a Contributor of the Year in 2020.

Kirby Huminuik (she/her), PhD, RCC is a psychologist and has worked primarily with refugees and university student populations. Her clinical practice, leadership, and scholarly work are focused on the intersection between human rights and mental health. She has also served her professional community as a member of the American Psychological Association Task force on human rights, the Canadian Psychological Association committee for human rights and social justice, and the advisory committee of the Global Network of Psychologists for Human Rights.

Citation

Audet, C., Collins, S., Jay, M., Dada, Z., and Huminuik, K. (2025). Practice 8 Respect for dignity: Honouring rights and responsible care. In S. Collins and M. Jay (Eds.), Decolonizing health, healing, and care: Embodying culturally responsive and socially just counselling (Chapter 3.6). Counselling Concepts. https://doi.org/10.71446/zx46865437