Practice 12 Anti-Oppressive Care

Abstract

In this chapter Sandra, Kim, and Melissa invite consideration of synchronicities between conventional eurowestern psychological practices and the Seven Sacred Teachings, attending specifically to the Teachings of Truth, Courage or Bravery, and Wisdom. These Teachings centre relationships in health, healing, and care, deepening appreciation of relational Reciprocity in the moment-by-moment interactions with clients. The authors invite readers to reflect on the relational values that provide them with an ethical compass to guide anti-oppressive care in counselling and psychotherapy. Building on earlier theoretical foundations (e.g., critical race theory, intersectionality theory, liberation psychology, queer theory, critical feminist theory), anti-oppressive care validates the injustices and inequities embedded within society and invites critical reflection on the subtle yet persistent ways that dominating discourses and oppressive ideologies creep into therapeutic spaces. Kim draws on disability justice theory and practice to centre accessibility in anti-oppressive care throughout the chapter. She focuses, in particular, on digital accessibility, offering tips throughout the chapter to illustrate how small practices can support anti-oppressive service delivery and care. Other themes integrated within the organization structure of the Seven Sacred Teachings include: safer relationships, microaggressions, internalized ableism, just conversations, identity-affirming language, power analysis, embodied knowing, disablement and harm, Wise Practices, and personal–professional integrity. A many hands perspective on social justice practice opens a range of possibilities for engagement in anti-oppressive care that extends to change at the sociocultural, economical, ecological, and political contexts of clients’ lived experiences.

Sandra, Kim, and Melissa appreciate the practice illustrations by the following co-authors:

• Judy Chew describes the use of power analysis in her practice example, centring relationship over technique as she follows the client’s lead throughout the conversation.
• Allison Reeves provides a practical example of enacting cultural safety, drawing on her extensive experience and mentoring within Indigenous communities.

Co-Authors

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. 

Kim Ashbourne (she/her), MEd, is a disabled, queer, white, cis-woman, writer, researcher, and educator. Her writing is in the OTESSA Journal, multiple books, and the Toronto Star. Much of her writing connects the dots between digital accessibility, disability justice, and education. Like many authors from the disability community she draws readers in with candid and expressive storytelling about her own experiences of disability in her writing and speaking engagements. She is also the editor of CanDARE, a website that shares digital accessibility research in education for postsecondary educators.

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.

Judy Chew (she/her), PhD, RPsych, spent her career years (1992–2020) at the University of Calgary, Counselling Services where she held the positions of psychologist, tenured faculty member, associate adjunct professor, senior counsellor, and training director. In continuing her passion for lifelong learning, she is immersed in knowledge acquisition and writing on early Chinese immigration, sleuthing efforts into the unsolved mysteries of my ancestral background and the complex intertwining of lives with de(colonization), diversity themes, intersectionality, and social justice.

Allison Reeves (she/her), PhD, RPsych, is a registered psychologist in Toronto and an assistant professor in psychology at the University of Guelph and the University of GuelphHumber. Her research looks at the impacts of complex trauma in Indigenous communities as well as cultural resurgence and healing. Her current areas of interest are anti-oppressive psychologies and ethnocultural empathy training to reduce racial bias.

Citation

Collins, S., Ashbourne, K., Jay, M., Chew, J., & Reeves, A. (2025). Practice 12 Anti-oppressive care: Celebrating diversity. In S. Collins and M. Jay (Eds.), Decolonizing health, healing, and care: Embodying culturally responsive and socially just counselling (Chapter 5.4). Counselling Concepts. https://doi.org/10.71446/po84728764