{"id":557,"date":"2026-04-21T07:23:45","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T14:23:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/counsellingconcepts.ca\/decolonizing-health-healing-care\/?page_id=557"},"modified":"2026-04-29T14:34:47","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T21:34:47","slug":"practice-12","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/counsellingconcepts.ca\/decolonizing-health-healing-care\/practice-12\/","title":{"rendered":"Practice 12 Anti-Oppressive Care"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignfull is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-625b63cf wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:55%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"409\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/counsellingconcepts.ca\/decolonizing-health-healing-care\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/05\/Picture1.svg\" alt=\"Decolonizing health, healing, and care\" class=\"wp-image-9\" style=\"width:495px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60)\">\n<p class=\"has-x-large-font-size\">Chapter 5.2<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-xx-large-font-size is-style-default has-small-font-size\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Practice 12 Anti-Oppressive Care: Celebrating Diversity<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>By <em>Sandra Collins, Kim Asbourne, Melissa Jay, Judy Chew, and Allison Reeves<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-text-display has-medium-font-size is-style-text-display--2\">Book: <a href=\"https:\/\/counsellingconcepts.ca\/decolonizing-health-healing-care\/\">Decolonizing Health, Healing, and Care<\/a> <br>Published: June 1, 2025<br>Publisher: <a href=\"https:\/\/counsellingconcepts.ca\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/counsellingconcepts.ca\/\">Counselling Concepts<\/a><br>Chapter DOI: <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.71446\/po84728764\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.71446\/po84728764<\/a><br>Book ISBN: 978-0-9738085-6-8<br>Format: ePub <br>Distributor: Vital Source<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-54af5b55 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60)\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading alignwide has-text-align-center has-x-large-font-size\">Purchase your copy at<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons alignwide has-custom-font-size has-medium-font-size is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-c124d1c4 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\">Vital Source<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignwide is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-19206ade wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-xx-large-font-size\">Abstract<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">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\u2013professional 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\u2019 lived experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Sandra, Kim, and Melissa appreciate the practice illustrations by the following co-authors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Judy Chew<\/strong> describes the use of power analysis in her practice example, centring relationship over technique as she follows the client\u2019s lead throughout the conversation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Allison Reeves<\/strong> provides a practical example of enacting cultural safety, drawing on her extensive experience and mentoring within Indigenous communities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-xx-large-font-size\">Co-Authors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Sandra Collins<\/strong> (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<strong> <\/strong>Independent Publisher Book Awards<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ippyawards.com\/index.php\">.<\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong><em>Kim Ashbourne<\/em><\/strong> (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 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.candare.ca\/\">CanDARE<\/a>, a website that shares digital accessibility research in education for postsecondary educators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong><em>Melissa Jay<\/em><\/strong> (she\/her), PhD, RPsych, is a cisgender nehiyaw (Cree) member of the M\u00e9tis 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong><em>Judy Chew<\/em><\/strong> (she\/her), PhD, RPsych, spent her career years (1992\u20132020) 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong><em>Allison Reeves<\/em><\/strong> (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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-xx-large-font-size\">Citation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-contrast-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-6f4e4f81ed55d2be6a458dff2e50a9b6\">Collins, S., Ashbourne, K., Jay, M., Chew, J., &amp; Reeves, A. (2025). Practice 12 Anti-oppressive care: Celebrating diversity. In S. Collins and M. Jay (Eds.), <em>Decolonizing health, healing, and care: Embodying culturally responsive and socially just counselling<\/em> (Chapter 5.4). Counselling Concepts. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.71446\/po84728764\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.71446\/po84728764<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Chapter 5.2 Practice 12 Anti-Oppressive Care: Celebrating Diversity By Sandra Collins, Kim Asbourne, Melissa Jay, Judy Chew, and Allison Reeves Book: Decolonizing Health, Healing, and Care Published: June 1, 2025Publisher: Counselling ConceptsChapter DOI: https:\/\/doi.org\/10.71446\/po84728764Book ISBN: 978-0-9738085-6-8Format: ePub Distributor: Vital Source Purchase your copy at Abstract In this chapter Sandra, Kim, and Melissa invite consideration of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"Practice 12 Anti-Oppressive Care: Celebrating Diversity","_seopress_titles_desc":"Reciprocity and the Seven Sacred Teachings inform anti-oppressive care and social justice; enacting digital accessibility supports disability justice in healthcare.","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-557","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"sandrac","author_link":"https:\/\/counsellingconcepts.ca\/decolonizing-health-healing-care\/author\/sandrac\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Chapter 5.2 Practice 12 Anti-Oppressive Care: Celebrating Diversity By Sandra Collins, Kim Asbourne, Melissa Jay, Judy Chew, and Allison Reeves Book: Decolonizing Health, Healing, and Care Published: June 1, 2025Publisher: Counselling ConceptsChapter DOI: https:\/\/doi.org\/10.71446\/po84728764Book ISBN: 978-0-9738085-6-8Format: ePub Distributor: Vital Source Purchase your copy at Abstract In this chapter Sandra, Kim, and Melissa invite consideration of&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/counsellingconcepts.ca\/decolonizing-health-healing-care\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/557","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/counsellingconcepts.ca\/decolonizing-health-healing-care\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/counsellingconcepts.ca\/decolonizing-health-healing-care\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/counsellingconcepts.ca\/decolonizing-health-healing-care\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/counsellingconcepts.ca\/decolonizing-health-healing-care\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=557"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/counsellingconcepts.ca\/decolonizing-health-healing-care\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/557\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":613,"href":"https:\/\/counsellingconcepts.ca\/decolonizing-health-healing-care\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/557\/revisions\/613"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/counsellingconcepts.ca\/decolonizing-health-healing-care\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=557"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}