Citation

Smith L, Chambers DA, Bratini L. Am. J. Orthopsychiatry 2009; 79(2): 159-168.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, American Orthopsychiatric Association, Publisher Wiley Blackwell)

DOI

10.1037/a0015353

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Social justice perspectives have revealed the ways that racist, sexist, heterosexist and classist assumptions are embedded within conventional mental health theory and practice. Moreover, recent research has explored the pathogenic influence of structural oppression on the emotional well-being of people impacted by it. How can practitioners develop socially just interventions in keeping with these findings, especially with regard to their practice with clients from oppressed groups? In addressing this question, the authors propose the participatory development of socially just mental health practice and provide three examples of their community-based work.