SCP and ICP Section Joint Statement 

Expressing Solidarity, Affirming Peace, and Decrying Violence against the People of Ukraine

March 7, 2022

The Society of Counseling Psychology (SCP) and its International Counseling Psychology Section (ICP) express our solidarity with the people of Ukraine, its international residents, and its diaspora. Ukraine is undergoing a grave threat to its sovereignty by the Russian government and its military. The lives of those in Ukraine are at risk, with already mounting losses of human lives. According to the UN, there are over 1.5 million refugees, including Ukrainian people from every region of the country, who are seeking safety in neighboring countries. Furthermore, international students and Ukraine residents from Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and other areas have reported experiencing racism and discrimination while attempting to cross into border countries. 

As mental health professionals, we witness the toll that this loss and suffering is taking on the Ukrainian people and residents. To feel safe is a human right. When this right is taken away, it can cause significant damage to people's mental health. The ongoing violence has caused loss of lives and harm to many, but it also has united us in firm beliefs about advancing peace.

SCP and ICP believe in creating a just and equitable world where all people and communities can thrive, without violence and in peace. We encourage us all to model the values of the counseling psychology profession, including dialogue and actions that honor self-determination, solidarity, and social justice. We call upon ourselves, counseling psychologists, to use our profession to advocate for an immediate cessation of the invasion, to act as international ambassadors to advocate for peace and non-violence, and to promote supportive services for all who are being impacted by the current conflict. We urge our profession to raise awareness about the traumatizing realities of war, which are even more poignant for members of marginalized groups. We ask counseling psychologists to maintain interest in international matters and to stand as allies to those affirming peace and seeking justice. 

At this link, we offer a multi prong set of resources and opportunities to engage in actions that may be of interest to SCP and ICP members. The resources include a letter template to write to our representatives.

Acknowledgement: This statement was completed by Andrés Consoli, Shaznin Daruwalla, Hung Chiao, Sharon Horne, Robeta Nutt, Paulina Wojtach, and Chan Jeong Park on March 2nd, 2022, and was approved by SCP Cabinet on March 7, 2022.