Doing Psychology Critically

Book excerpt: How can psychologists incorporate recent insights about power, values and inequality in their work? What is the role of social justice in the practice of psychology? In this highly readable book Prilleltensky and Nelson tackle these questions and propose workable solutions. This is the first book to translate into action the principles of critical psychology. Using a value-based framework the authors propose guidelines for training and critical practice in clinical, counselling, educational, health, community, and work settings. The authors base their approach on a combination of values for the promotion of personal, interpersonal, and collective well-being. They propose a set of values consisting of self determination, caring and compassion, health, respect for diversity, participation, community support and social justice. Because of its wide coverage, the book should be of interest to students and practitioners in psychology, mental health, and to users of psychological services in most fields of practice. Doing Psychology Critically: - Translates critical psychology theory into practice - Applies to most fields of applied psychology - Is written in an accessible style § includes tables and diagrams that illustrate recommendations for practice - Follows a coherent framework - Is a useful resource for training programmes in health, clinical, counselling, educational, community, and organisational psychology ISAAC PRILLELTENSKY is Professor of Psychology and Director of the Wellness Promotion Unit at Victoria University in Melbourne. He is the author of The Morals and Politics of Psychology and co-editor of Critical Psychology: An Introduction (with Dennis Fox) and Promoting Family Wellness and Preventing Child Maltreatment (with Geoffrey Nelson and Leslea Peirson). GEOFFREY NELSON is Professor of Psychology at Wilfrid Laurier University in Canada. He has served as Editor of the Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health and is the author of Shifting the Paradigm in Community Mental Health (with John Lord and Joanna Ochocka) and co-editor of Promoting Family Wellness: Fundamentals for Thinking and Action (with Isaac Prilleltensky and Leslea Peirson).