Premium
Speaking of Privilege: Family Therapy Educators’ Journeys toward Awareness and Compassionate Action
Author(s) -
HernandezWolfe Pilar,
McDowell Teresa
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
family process
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.011
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1545-5300
pISSN - 0014-7370
DOI - 10.1111/j.1545-5300.2012.01394.x
Subject(s) - privilege (computing) , oppression , white privilege , prejudice (legal term) , accountability , psychology , equity (law) , social psychology , racism , public relations , sociology , political science , gender studies , law , politics
This study explores how family therapy educators from privileged social locations understand issues of privilege and the process by which they integrate their personal and professional journeys to create and model equity in family therapy training and professional development. These educators developed awareness about issues of privilege and oppression and owned their privilege. Increased awareness involved personal struggles with guilt and managing internalized voices of prejudice that are constantly reinforced in society. These educators adopted a stance of action and accountability for equity. We hypothesize that the process leading to owning one's privilege involves the ability to be compassionate for others’ suffering and one's own limitations.