ATTENDING TO SOCIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL ORGANIZATION OF “CULTURE” IN CANADIAN COUNSELLOR EDUCATION

Abstract

The current mental health needs of Black populations are significantly heightened, as more public occurrences of racial discrimination, systematic oppression, and violence have shed light on the adversities Black people experience in their everyday life. Despite this, many Canadian Black people are underutilizing these resources. This is not a new conversation in the context of Canadian counselling psychology. However, the dominant approaches to research and practice have historically focused on identifying and addressing barriers to clients seeking care, rather than on accessibility and appropriateness of the services offered. There is currently a dearth of information considering how the current focus impacts racialized students in their counselling programs, and consequently their work as student therapists. In this institutional ethnography, I extend the invitation to further consider, from the standpoint of a racialized student, an example of how culture is both taught and performed in the fields.