Kaur(2012) makes it clear that in counseling, social justice represents amultidimensional approach in which psychotherapists endeavor topromote common good and human growth concurrently by way ofaddressing challenges linked to both individual and distributivejustice. This counseling tactic entails the liberation of persons andgroups in the society to confront inequality and injustice vigorouslyin society (106). However, as a future psychologist, there are twosocial justice issues I would want to champion for in my futurepractice because they present direct challenges to the realization of"impartial justice". These social problems are social classand racial stratification. According to Kiwan (2009), everypsychologist should ensure that their work respects and benefits therights of all people equally regardless of the age, race, ethnicity,religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, languageor socioeconomic status.
Socialclass and racial stratification are especially important to bebecause as an individual, I am confident of the fact that all humanbeings are equal in the eyes of God. Therefore, I consider negatingthe access to essential counseling services of particular individualsin the society by their social class and race a social justice issue.I do not comprehend why my client should be denied access to qualitycounseling services on the basis of their social class or race. Tome, this is socially unjust! In addition to this, Kaur (2012) notesthat my work, as a future counselor, should respect and benefit therights of individuals in the society regardless of their social classand race. Therefore, these social issues are significant to myprofession because they will bar me from successfully attaining mycontractual obligation of catering to the needs of all individuals inthe society by sidelining some people from accessing my counselingservices.
Apparently,this is a social justice issue because not all member of my communitywill equally access my counseling services on the basis of theirsocial class and race. These social issues are also important to meas a member of the society. The fact that some members of mycommunity will be factored out of the equation of the individualsaccessing my counseling services means that a substantial number willneedlessly suffer from avoidable and manageable mental disorders. Asa result, the overall mental health of my community will becompromised because not all members will be mentally andpsychologically "fit" owing to the non-inclusion of some ofthem to the access of quality counseling services on the basis oftheir social class and race. According to Kiwan (2009), there are twoessential elements to social justice across all specters of thesociety equality and liberty. The inequality occasioned by socialclass and race stratification in the society limits the liberation ofthe affected members of the community to accessing quality counselingservices.
Therefore,it is evident that to support my cause for an all-inclusive access tocounseling services I will have to dissolve the social inequalityoccasioned by social classes and races. To champion for themuch-looked-for changes, I will advocate for the amplification of thevoices of the oppressed members of my society. To accomplish this, Iwill approach the members of my community as if they have the answersto the social class and race stratification issues affecting them,but need my assistance in executing the effective strategies to dealwith these social problems. To instill the culture of social changein my community, I will employ "consciousness raising" byhelping my clients comprehend the context in which they live in thesociety and how institutions (government, civil societies, etc.) cancontribute to their liberation from the socially stimulated socialinjustices (Stout, Alan and Chambliss, 2004).
References
Kaur,O. (2012). Social justice, multicultural counseling, and practice:Beyond a conventional approach. AmericanJournal of Guidance &amp Counselling,40(1),106-108. doi:10.1080/03069885.2011.637321
Kiwan,D. (2009). Civil society, democracy and education. Education,Citizenship and ,4(2),83-86. doi:10.1177/1746197909103925
Stout,A. K., Alan, D. B., & Chambliss, W. J. (2004). Socialproblems, law, and society.Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.