Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies (MSJCC)
The Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies (MSJCC), which revises the Multicultural Counseling Competencies (MCC) developed by Sue, Arredondo, and McDavis (1992) offers counselors a framework to implement multicultural and social justice competencies into counseling theories, practices, and research. A conceptual framework (See Figure 1) of the MSJCC is provided to illustrate a visual map of the relationship between the constructs and competencies being articulated within the MSJCC. Moreover, quadrants are used to highlight the intersection of identities and the dynamics of power, privilege, and oppression that influence the counseling relationship. Developmental domains reflect the different layers that lead to multicultural and social justice competence: (1) counselor self-awareness, (2) client worldview, (3) counseling relationship, and (4) counseling and advocacy interventions. Embedded within the first three developmental domains of the MSJCC are the following aspirational competencies: attitudes and beliefs, knowledge, skills, and action (AKSA). The socioecological model is incorporated within the counseling and advocacy interventions domain to provide counselors a multilevel framework for individual counseling and social justice advocacy.
Manivong J. Ratts, PhD, LMHC, NCC
Seattle University
Dr. Ratts received his Ph.D. in Counseling from Oregon State University (OSU). He holds an associate degree from Yakima Valley Community College, a bachelor's degree in psychology from Western Washington University, and a master's degree in counseling from OSU. In 2018, he was awarded a Doctorate of Humane Letters, Honors Causa from Lewis and Clark College for his work in advancing multiculturalism and social justice in the counseling profession and was the graduate commencement keynote, Advocating for Social Change in a Toxic Political Climate (https://livestream.com/accounts/6041748/commencement).
Dr. Ratts is a licensed mental health counselor (L.M.H.C.) and past President of Counselors for Social Justice, a division of the American Counseling Association (ACA). His research is in the area of multiculturalism and social justice. He is one of the nation’s leading scholars in the area of social justice counseling. He coined the term “social justice counseling” and argued that social justice is a “fifth force” among counseling paradigms, following the psychoanalytic, cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, and multicultural traditions.
Anneliese A. Singh, PhD, LPC
University of Georgia
Anneliese Singh is an award-winning author, researcher, and speaker on issues of social justice and liberation. Her books – The Racial Healing Handbook and The Queer and Trans Resilience Workbook – guide individuals and communities in healing strategies aimed toward a thriving, equity, and justice.
She’s found that inside each of us exists a longing to be a part of something bigger – a just world that serves everyone. As a counselor and psychologist, she knows this longing is connected to the deep healing we must do inside of ourselves and our communities to root out the ways inequities live within our bodies, minds, and spirits. And that’s exactly why she engages in social change work with a focus on shared liberation and love.
Sylvia Nassar-McMillan, PhD
North Carolina State University
Dr. Nassar received master's and doctoral degrees in counseling & human development. I’ve worked in educational, mental health, non-profit, governmental, and corporate settings. Dr. Nassar has served on regulatory and advisory bodies, developed and evaluated curricula and programs, managed projects and budgets, and conducted research and disseminated findings. Dr. Nassa has earned numerous awards and distinctions. Dr. Nassar is currently, a professor of counseling and counselor education at North Carolina State University. In addition, Dr. Nassar routinely provides coaching and consultation to individuals and groups.
Dr. S. Kent Butler
University of Central Florida
Kent Butler, Jr. is a professor of counselor education in the Department of Counselor Education and School Psychology. He holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, with a concentration in Counseling Psychology, from the University of Connecticut. He is a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC) and Nationally Certified School Counselor (NCSC). Dr. Butler presently serves as President of the American Counseling Association (2021-2022) and is an ACA Fellow. Dr. Butler formerly served the University of Central Florida as the Interim Chief Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Officer and is a National Association of Chief Diversity Officer in Higher Education Fellow (2020-2021).
In March of 2020, he was selected as a Fellow within the National Association of Chief Diversity Officers in Higher Education’s Chief Diversity Officer Fellows Program (NADOHE-CDOFP). He is a 2020 – 2021 cohort (C-7) member. The professional leadership program mentors new and early career Chief Diversity Officers. Dr. Butler was also recently promoted to Professor of Counselor Education at the University of Central Florida and has served as a Faculty Fellow for Inclusive Excellence within the Office of the Provost.
Julian Rafferty McCullough
Georgia State University
Dr. McCullough’s teaching and scholarship center on multicultural and social justice counseling and advocacy, addressing and centering aspects of identity in counseling, disability, and affirming counseling practices for queer, trans and nonbinary individuals. Prior to coming to Lewis & Clark, he served in a variety of settings, both as a clinical mental health counselor and a professional school counselor. He is a licensed mental health counselor in Oregon, Washington, and Georgia. Dr. McCullough is passionate about mentoring and supporting masters and doctoral students from underrepresented/excluded groups to become counselors, counselor educators, and leaders in the profession.
Dr. McCullough has been active in many American Counseling Association (ACA) divisions, including the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD), Counselors for Social Justice (CSJ), The Society for Sexual, Affectational, Intersex, and Gender Expansive Identities in counseling (SAIGE), and the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES). He served as a co-chair for the Youth Concerns Committee for the Oregon Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development (OAMCD). Dr. McCullough is currently co-chair of the ACA Cultural Encounters Task Force.
Dr. McCullough is one of the authors of the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies. He has been awarded the American Counseling Association Courtland C. Lee Multicultural Excellence Scholarship Award, and was recognized by the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) as an Emerging Leader. In 2020, Dr. McCullough was awarded the Counselors for Social Justice Reese House Social Justice Advocate of the Year Award.
Two of our quintessential publications has been the development of competencies for working with Queer and Trans Clients. These competencies detail the awareness of attitudes and beliefs, knowledge of clients, and counseling skills and action that counselors must have in order to have competence with counseling LGBTQI+ clients.
ASERVIC is an organization of counselors and human development professionals who believe that spiritual, ethical, and religious values are essential to the overall development of the person and are committed to integrating these values into the counseling process.
The American Counseling Association is a not-for-profit, professional and educational organization that is dedicated to the growth and enhancement of the counseling profession. Founded in 1952, ACA is the world's largest association exclusively representing professional counselors in various practice settings