duty to warn

Running Head: COUNSELING AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

Stepping up Counseling Responsibilities in a Socially Unjust Society

Abstract
Social Justice has been an emerging issue over the last century in today’s service environment of helping professionals. Social Justice is a mindset and an action for change. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia defines social justice, as “the ability people have to realize their potential in a society where they live. Classically, ‘justice’ referred to ensuring that individuals both fulfilled their societal roles, and received what was due from society. ‘Social justice’ is generally used to refer to a set of institutions which will enable people to lead a fulfilling life and be active contributors to their community.” Social justice is equality for all. When we live, work, go to school, see a doctor, and even attend church in a community that does not have an equal playing ground, oppression occurs. In 2010 the Counselors for Social Justice (CJS) Code of Ethics was formally endorsed. The code is meant to clarify the American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics from a perspective of social justice. It provides action steps “to clarify how social justice-oriented counselors can transition ethical intent to ethical practice” (CJS Code of Ethics p. 2).
I reviewed several articles where the main theme is; we live in a world of systems that allow for injustice and oppression. The Professional Counselor’s work deals with many of the symptoms that permit for this injustice and oppression. Oppression derives from inequality due to a multitude of issues such as race, gender, religion, and pay. Research shows that the counseling professionals job does not stop inside of the office walls. If professional counselors want to promote social justice, to be effective there has to be a movement to take action on the burdensome stigmatisms and unfortunate inequities that human beings bring to professionals about the

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