National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: 6 Guiding Principles for Therapists

Decolonizing counselling therapy is essential for collaborating with Indigenous peoples and creating reconciliation.

A 2018 report, published by the Canadian Psychological Association and the Psychology Foundation of Canada, found that the discipline of psychology has failed Canada’s Indigenous peoples according to the discipline’s own code of ethics (CPA & TFC, 2018; Fellner et al., 2018). In response to the historical harm done to Indigenous peoples by the discipline of psychology, the report makes recommendations to help bring reconciliation between the Indigenous peoples of this land and the discipline of psychology in Canada (CPA & TFC, 2018).

Our Role In Reconciliation As Therapists

While it is our responsibility as therapists to work towards reconciliation and decolonization every day, reviewing these recommendations in light of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation lends them a gravity that should make us therapists pause and reflect on our own role in Reconciliation.

The authors of the report recommend those in the psychological discipline follow 6 guiding principles when working with Indigenous peoples.

Guiding Principle 1: Cultural Allyship

Psychologists should stand alongside Canada’s Indigenous peoples as allies. While having knowledge of the history and culture of Indigenous peoples of this land is essential, allyship goes beyond this basic requirement, asking psychologists to have awareness and respect for cultural knowledge, historical harms, and training in dismantling “dominant cultural assumptions of mainstream psychology” (CPA & TFC, 2018, p. 12).

Guiding Principle 2: Humility

Psychologists should act with cultural humility, and seek to incorporate other ways of knowing and healing into their own practices. Information shared by Elders and Knowledge-Keepers should be treated with respect and with a “spirit of genuine learning and collaboration” (CPA & TFC, 2018, p. 13).

Guiding Principle 3: Collaboration

Psychological practices and services administered to (and with) Indigenous peoples should be the result of collaboration with elders and community members. Psychologists should work towards bringing shared cultural understanding between western and Indigenous worldviews. 

Guiding Principle 4: Critical Reflection

Psychologists are required to critically reflect on their own cultural and socio-economic location in society. Furthermore, psychologists are required to understand and reflect on their own role in colonization in Canada. 

Guiding Principle 5: Respect

Those in the field of psychology are required to respect not only Indigenous individuals and cultures, but also show respect for lost knowledge as a result of colonization. Psychologists must also be aware of the risk of misunderstanding or misinterpreting Indigenous peoples and knowledge. 

Guiding Principle 6: Social Justice

In providing services to Indigenous clients, psychologists should consider how and whom the service benefits. Careful consideration of power dynamics, historical trauma, the legacy of colonization, and detailed knowledge of consent, should be taken into account when working with Indigenous peoples. Indigenous communities should have access and control over all data relevant to them. The Canadian Psychological Association should work towards social justice for the Indigenous Peoples of this land (CPA & TFC, 2018). 

Take Responsibility

We are all treaty people, and as such, are all responsible for taking an active role in identifying and demolishing structures which perpetuate discrimination of Canada’s Indigenous peoples. Each of us bears a responsibility to witness, hold space, acknowledge, and promote diverse forms of understanding and healing between all treaty peoples.  

Resources

If you are looking for ways to participate in reconciliation, see David A. Robertson’s book 52 Ways to Reconcile for some meaningful and creative ideas to do year round. He encourages readers to take small meaningful actions everyday to bring about reconciliation.

Some community events in the Edmonton area held in honour of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation include the Orange Shirt Day Run and Walk in Kinsmen Park, ceremonies and special exhibits at the Indigenous Peoples Experience at Fort Edmonton Park, and the Truth and Reconciliation Short Film Festival at Audrey’s Books bookstore downtown. 

Related Posts

If you found this blog post helpful, considering checking out these other posts...

Honouring Truth and Reconciliation: Supporting Indigenous Mental Health: https://www.balancepsychservices.ca/post/honouring-truth-and-reconciliation-supporting-indigenous-mental-health

References

Canadian Psychological Association & Psychology Foundation of Canada. (2018). Psychology’s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s report. Canadian Psychological Association. https://cpa.ca/docs/File/Task_Forces/TRC%20Task%20Force%20Report_FINAL.pdf

Fellner, K. D., Ansloos, J., Ouellette, N. L., & Villebrun, G. D. (2020). Reconciling relations: Shifting counselling psychology to address truth and reconciliation. Canadian Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy, 54(4), 638–660. https://doi.org/10.47634/cjcp.v54i4.70661

Robertson, D. A., (2025). 52 ways to reconcile: How to walk with Indigenous people on the path to healing. McClelland and Stewart. 

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