Introduction to the special issue

Abstract

We believe this special issue provides necessary contributions to counseling literature, increasing awareness and knowledge of humanistic systems disruptions and recovery. Numerous current events have brought the United States to its knees. From COVID-19 to racial unrest, the burden of unpreparedness has challenged our ability to stand these tests of time. Many systems have been exposed including, health care, education, race relations, and the virtues of government. Although the long-term effects of these issues are unknown at this time, there is much that counselors can do to promote systemic recovery. This special issue contains contributions that provide suggestions for healing and recovery of our current society and the impact on children, families, schools, and communities. We hope the articles found in this issue will inspire counselors and scholars to continue to do the work required to address these important systemic challenges.

We want to acknowledge the researchers and authors of the individual articles contained within who shine a light on systemic issues and recovery, the work has only just begun. Within this issue are three conceptual pieces and two research studies. Conner provides an overview of systemic oppression in education settings and proposed child-centered interventions that may aid in disrupting systemic oppression within the education system for black children. A case study provides a concrete example and highlights the necessity for school counselors to understand racism, discrimination, the effects of marginalization on Black children, and to advocate and disrupt systemic oppression. The child-centered interventions contained within this article may be helpful for both school based and clinical counselors. Luke addresses the added stress of the pandemic and presents eight principles for humanistic responsiveness for working with children and adolescents. Solomon and colleagues address the battle fatigue experienced by teachers of color due to racism in the workplace. The authors provide coping strategies and mindfulness interventions to increase self-compassion and reduce emotional fatigue for teachers of color.

Just as the positive relationship between self-care and compassion satisfaction is intuitive, so is the negative relationship between self-care and burnout, and self-care and secondary traumatic stress. However, Velez-Cruz and Holstun provide empirical evidence that these intuitive relationships are correct. Not only are the relationships statistically significant, but the medium and large effect sizes of the correlational analyses make these results noteworthy for the role of physical and emotional self-care in relationship with compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress. Because of the general humanistic aspects of these elements in connection with one's work (self-care, compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress), it is likely possible to generalize these results to other populations.

Vannest and colleagues address systemic racism and systems disruption through significant study results looking at factors contributing to the disparity in conversations between Black and White students related to college attendance. Their results showed the important role of school counselors to address racism in schools. Their research demonstrated that school counselors were relied upon more heavily by Black students for college attendance support than either their friends or parents.

This special issue of The Journal of Humanistic Counseling offers readers a selection of scholarship that increases awareness and knowledge of humanistic systems disruptions and recovery. The authors and work within this issue speak to urgency of taking actions now. Each article demonstrates that we must continue to expand on these specific crucial topics. The articles contained herein provide a foundation on which to launch additional research to contribute to this body of knowledge and concrete ways in which we can take actions to disrupt unhealthy systems to open avenues for recovery.

The authors declare no conflict of interest.