When Labels Mask Oppression: Implications for Teaching Psychiatric Taxonomy to Mental Health Counselors

Abstract

Mental health counseling programs have an ethical responsibility to teach students to think about the sociopolitical context in which behaviors become understood as symptoms of mental disorders. Elaborating on this idea, the author discusses the importance of critical thinking and of adopting a reflective comportment when mental health counselors are engaged in the process of psychiatric diagnosis. Specific suggestions for helping mental health counselors in training develop critical thinking skills and apply them to psychiatric diagnosis are identified.