Exploring Factors that Foster Social Justice Courage and Action Among Psychologists and Counselors

The mental health profession calls on counselors and psychologists to engage in social justice advocacy and charges psychology and counseling training programs to prepare future professionals for this critical work. Yet research has found that although there is an intent to do social action there is a disconnect between the intention and social activism. We propose that courage is an essential missing link that may diminish the gap between social justice intention and action. This study explores how psychologists and counselors develop the courage to take such action. Understanding this process could inform innovative training strategies to better equip students to engage in social action upon entering the field. This qualitative study examines the development of social justice courage and the capacity to confront systemic injustices through deliberate and planned action despite risking adverse consequences. Findings reveal that social justice courage is a multidimensional construct encompassing cognitive, emotional, and behavioral components, including conviction, critical consciousness, self-awareness, risk-taking, and support networks. Implications for training, professional practice, and future research are discussed.