Title: Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Through Relational-Cultural Theory

Authors: Thelma Duffey, PhD and Shane Haberstroh, EdD

Description: Counselors continue to have much work to do in examining their worldviews, points of privilege, awareness of their social position, and how they share power in their work with clients (Duffey & Haberstroh, 2022). Duffey and Haberstroh pointed out a study that indicated that among 2,112 clients of color, 81% reported experiencing at least one microaggression from their counselor and that such experiences make the voices and truths of clients of color become marginalized and unheard. As indicated by Duffey and Haberstroh, the implication is that counselors need to work from a theoretical framework that distinctly addresses how power, culture, and relationship flow in the counseling process while offering counselors and clients a framework to understand and create mutually supportive, authentic, and growth-promoting relationships. In this vein, Relational-cultural theory (RCT) provides a conceptually roadmap and counseling philosophy that can help counselors evaluate the centrality of relationships, culture, social justice, and power. This Continuing Professional Development resource is based on Chapter 2 from the ACA book (2022) Counseling and Psychotherapy: Theories and Interventions (7th ed.).