The field of critical studies recognizes that all knowledge is deeply embedded in ideological, cultural, political, and historical contexts. Although this approach is commonly applied in other subfields of psychology, educational psychology--which is the study of human learning, thinking, and behavior in formal and informal educational…

This paper argues that a recurrent ideological theme of counseling history is the transition from viewing people as singular to conceptualizing them as multiple or diverse. Unfortunately, however, these laudable multiplicity movements regularly revert to a position of singularity. The implications of this ideological cycle for counseling practice…

Arguably, the defining feature of the counseling profession is an appreciation for human diversity. Early counseling movements emphasized individual diversity, while multiculturalism and social justice highlighted cultural diversity. The author maintains that contemporary psychoanalytic thought can supply a needed intraindividual diversity…

Community-based research (CBR) and counselling practice share multiple skill sets and ideological tenets. In addition, CBR offers an approach to research that can be highly conducive to effective counselling-related research. Despite these consistencies and benefits, counsellors and counselling students have underutilized this approach to…

The construct of self-awareness is highly valued by the counseling profession. However, the foundational assumptions that support this construct have not been systemically examined and critiqued. The author provides an overview of self-awareness in light of humanistic, psychoanalytic, and postmodernist ideologies. The author concludes that the…

Dealing with religious issues in the counseling process is a difficulty many therapists encounter. This paper explores a way of understanding religious ideology using Erik Erikson's concept of religious ideology as an organizer of identity. It suggests that, if religion does function as an ideology, then it would be helpful for psychotherapists to…

This article examines how a widespread homophobic ideology makes the coming out process for adolescents an event that is traumatic, potentially threatening the physical integrity of the coming out adolescent. It outlines the relational and individual processes specific to those youths who are able to successfully adapt and develop in the face of…