There are lots of good counsellors and therapists. And there are some psychologists and psychiatrists who get it too. But the reason I love the profession of social work is because the root of everything is based in social justice. Without looking at issues through a social or political lens you can miss an entire context. Using a biopsychosocial paradigm is only the beginning. I think as counsellors, therapists, - as social workers - we are responsible for advocating, empowering, and for rocking the boat on issues that affect the clients we work with. Social rights, opportunities, access to resources, economic equality, and shared power are conditions which impact individuals and families significantly, however they are often the conditions beyond the scope of immediate influence. The person is political and individual difficulties often require structural change. Counselling shouldn’t be for becoming compliant, comfortable or complacent with systemic problems, rather it should be about exploration, choice, and maybe even hope. Counselling can help to look at the bigger picture, how the little things do become the big things and what path you might want to take ahead.
