Transforming counselor education pedagogy through attention to relational practices: Applying research about white counselor awareness of their discursive positioning in cross-cultural conversations

Abstract

Attention to a counselors discursive positioning has the potential to extend the field of relational practices in counselor education, especially for those with a dominant culture identity. This paper outlines the transformative potential for counselor education pedagogy of findings from research identifying the value of positioning theory as a resource for counsellors working cross-culturally. Entrants to the counselling profession benefit from clear discursive awareness and practice strategies to minimize the risks of being positioned in ways which are likely to hinder the effectiveness of cross-cultural counseling. Both the substantive research and reflections on its application in teaching will be presented.