Last Updated:  12/13/2025

Note: Throughout this document, I use the term “counsellor” to refer to my work, but these principles apply equally to both my counselling and coaching practice.

Phrases like “anti-racist,” “anti-oppressive practice,” and “decolonization” are frequently invoked but insufficiently explained in terms of practical implementation. This position statement articulates my stance on these principles and outlines the tangible ways in which I actively embody them in my counselling practice. Due to the complexity of this work, I cannot describe every practice I have implemented.

Recognizing that this is an ever-evolving process, I commit to an annual review of this position statement, adapting it in response to my continually expanding knowledge and evolving practices.

Who I am: My Positionality

I believe transparency about who I am is essential for clients to make informed decisions about whether I’m the right fit for their therapeutic needs.

My privileges: I hold significant privilege as a white settler, able-bodied person in Canada. This means I benefit from racial privilege—I don’t experience racial profiling, my safety isn’t questioned based on my appearance, and I navigate systems with ease that racialized people don’t have access to. As a settler in Canada, I hold significant privilege towards Indigenous peoples. I also hold able-bodied privilege. These privileges are real, shape how I move through the world, and require ongoing accountability in my practice.

My lived experiences of marginalization: While I was born in Germany, I have experienced some ethnic discrimination for my Slavic heritage which is notable due to my last name. I lived in Spain prior to moving to Canada, where my Slavic heritage was seen as more neutral. 

I practice in English, which is not my first language. I speak German and Spanish as well, though English is the primary language of my practice.

I hold marginalized identities as a non-binary person. I have experienced stigma, gatekeeping, and being told I’m “less than” in various ways. I know what it feels like to navigate systems and communities not designed for people like me.

I have lived experience of complex trauma. While I don’t have a mental health diagnosis, I understand how trauma shapes mental health, worldview, and capacity to trust—and how individual resilience narratives fail to account for systemic harm.

Why this complexity matters: I share this not to create a hierarchy of oppression or to suggest my marginalized identities cancel out my privileges—they don’t. Rather, I name this because:

• My experience of oppression has taught me how to navigate my privileges as a white settler. 
• Clients deserve to know who they’re working with
• My relationship to power shifts depending on who’s in the room
• I don’t write about systemic violence as theory—I’ve lived it
• My privileges create blind spots I must actively work to see beyond
• The complexity of holding both privilege and marginalized identities shapes how I practice

In some therapeutic relationships, I hold significantly more power (particularly with BIPOC clients, Indigenous clients, or clients with disabilities). In others, dynamics may be more complex. I commit to staying aware of how power operates in each unique relationship.

Definitions

What is decolonization?

Decolonization is a complex and multifaceted process that involves dismantling Canada’s colonial systems and structures, both politically and culturally, that harm Indigenous peoples. In my practice, it means decolonizing my work as a counsellor and as a settler in Canada. Decolonization requires transformative and systemic change. It requires me to prioritize and honour Indigenous perspectives, cultures, and peoples in my work and to implement the calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Report as well as the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Report.

What is anti-racism?

Anti-racism is the active, ongoing process of dismantling systems of racial inequity and creating new systems of racial equity. Anti-racism demands that this work happens at the individual, organizational/institutional, and cultural levels to effectively address systemic racism. Anti-racism addresses the root cause of systemic racism—white supremacy—to equalize power imbalances and the misuse of power. Anti-racism acknowledges that white people are in the role of the oppressor.

What is anti-oppression?

Oppression is the unjust “use of power to disempower, marginalize, silence or otherwise subordinate one social group or category” or to further empower the oppressor.

Anti-oppression is a practice that seeks to recognize and address oppression in social interactions, communities, organizations, institutions, and social systems by addressing root causes to equalize power imbalances. Anti-oppression acknowledges that the dominant group occupies the role of the oppressor and must actively dismantle that role to avoid misusing its power.

Oppression includes but is not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, nationality, immigration status, citizenship status, ability, language, and class.

Social context and acknowledgements

I recognize the deep roots of colonization and the pervasive culture of white supremacy within Canadian society (and the world). At the core of these dynamics lies a fundamental misuse of power that creates systemic social inequities. People within the dominant group enjoy unearned advantages stemming from their privilege, of which they are often unaware. Conversely, those belonging to intentionally marginalized communities face numerous barriers that are absent in the lives of the dominant group.

I acknowledge that privilege acts like a blindfold for the dominant group—they cannot see the reality of systemic oppression without additional education and intentional learning. I know this firsthand: my white privilege in Canada can blind me to experiences of anti-Black, anti-Indigenous, and anti-Asian racism, just as citizenship privilege blinded Canadian-born people to the barriers immigrants and temporary residents face in Canada.

I recognize that inclusion can only be achieved through decolonization and the diligent practice of anti-racism and anti-oppressive practice.

How colonization, white supremacy, and oppression shape the counselling field

The counselling field, like any other system, is profoundly influenced by colonization, white supremacy, and oppression. Many established counselling models were developed before the human rights movement and lack systemic considerations, such as the social determinants of health. For example, Sigmund Freud lived from 1856 to 1939; the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was first declared in 1948.

Furthermore, numerous influential figures in the counselling field have been and continue to be cisgender, white, European-descent people. Their models often reflect only their privileged perspectives and are rooted in the erroneous assumption of universal “sameness,” thereby disregarding systemic injustices endured by individuals from intentionally marginalized groups.

This myth of sameness doesn’t just erase the experiences of BIPOC clients; it also flattens whiteness into a monolith, erasing ethnic minorities, immigrants, refugees, and the complex ways racialization operates across different contexts.

Psychological safety is tied to privilege

I acknowledge that psychological safety is intricately tied to privilege. Greater privilege translates into a higher degree of psychological safety. This is evident when comparing, for example, a white Canadian cisgender man with an Indigenous trans woman living with disabilities.

Having experienced what it’s like to be on the more vulnerable side of power dynamics, as a former temporary resident dependent on maintaining status, as someone repeatedly experiencing microaggressions, in spaces not designed for my gender identity—I understand viscerally how privilege impacts psychological safety. I know what it feels like when someone with power over your life doesn’t understand or dismisses your reality.

Given systemic injustices, many counsellors belong to the dominant group, giving them privilege over clients from marginalized backgrounds. This imbalance places clients from intentionally marginalized groups at risk of harm when interacting with a counsellor who isn’t able to navigate their privilege healthily.

I firmly assert that all counsellors bear significant responsibility to engage in rigorous examination of their own privilege and develop healthy strategies to navigate it within client relationships. This is vital for providing equitable and safe therapeutic spaces.

My decolonization, anti-racism, anti-oppressive practices

At the core of my anti-racist and anti-oppressive practice is ongoing education in areas of privilege, self-reflection, and critical analysis of my roles and responsibilities in the counselling field, as a solo practitioner, and in my relationships with clients.

As stated, anti-racist and anti-oppressive practices require critical analysis on individual, organizational/institutional, and systemic levels. As a solo practitioner, this work looks different than in larger organizations, but the commitment remains equally vital.

Anti-oppressive practice begins with the individual

I believe that authentic participation in anti-racism, anti-oppressive practice and decolonization goes beyond theoretical comprehension; it requires practical application in both my professional and personal life. The foundation begins with self-examination and self-improvement.

I firmly believe that individual healing is intrinsically intertwined with the pursuit of social justice. By addressing and healing the ways I have been influenced by the abuse of power, I become better equipped to wield power in a constructive manner.

Understanding my intersectionality

I acknowledge the coexistence of marginalized and privileged identities within me. My marginalized identities don’t nullify my privileged ones, they exist alongside them.

As a white, able-bodied settler in Canada, I hold significant privileges. In areas where I have privilege, it can act as a blinder and obscure my vision and understanding. Therefore, it is imperative that I embark on ongoing self-education to systematically diminish my blind spots.

My experiences of ethnic discrimination in Germany, immigration precarity, linguistic discrimination, and marginalization based on gender and sexuality give me embodied knowledge of what systemic oppression feels like. These experiences inform my practice but don’t exempt me from causing harm, especially in areas where I hold privilege.

Understanding and countering white supremacy culture

In alignment with Tema Okun’s work, particularly “White Supremacy Culture – Still Here,” I commit to identifying traits of white supremacy culture within myself and actively applying antidotes to counteract these traits.

Individualism

White supremacy culture teaches individualism and separateness, which erroneously suggests that those from the dominant group are detached from oppression. I firmly reject this notion.

My approach: I recognize interconnectedness—where oppression and marginalized groups exist, there inevitably emerges a corresponding group in the social role of the oppressor. While we are born into these groups and shaped by their social norms, we also have a responsibility to unlearn toxic social traits.

I employ systems thinking when exploring diverse voices in Canadian society:

• Whose voices are included?
• What is their social position of power and privilege?
• Who is excluded? How can I learn more about excluded voices?
• How do my decision-making and communication practices impact individuals from marginalized groups?

Right to comfort and fear of conflict

White supremacy conditions the dominant group to assert its right to comfort, which frequently impedes willingness to take responsibility and embrace change. The fear of open conflict often stifles meaningful conversations about racism and oppression.

My approach: I view conflict as an opportunity to grow. I hold myself accountable for leaning into conflict, continuously expanding my knowledge, and reflecting on my privilege.

A central question guiding my actions is: What are my next steps in dismantling white supremacy that make me uncomfortable? I recognize that I will make mistakes and have a responsibility to learn from these experiences and continually evolve.

Defensiveness and white fragility

Defensiveness and white fragility often show up in interpersonal dynamics, spreading toxicity in relationships. These tendencies silence people who dare to speak up, blocking meaningful dialogue about racism and oppression, and further harming people who speak up.

My approach: I take a stance of accountability and actively cultivate vulnerability in my interactions. When clients name something I’ve done that caused harm—particularly something racist or rooted in my privilege—I commit to:

• Respecting their boundaries in how they want to address it
• Sitting with the discomfort rather than defending myself
• Educating myself about what happened
• Changing my behaviour and practice
• Not requiring the client to educate me or manage my emotions

I recognize that my white privilege means I will make mistakes. My responsibility is to repair harm when it occurs and learn from it, not to avoid mistakes altogether (which may be impossible).

Quantity over quality / Progress is bigger

White supremacy often steers us toward a mindset that prioritizes quantity over quality and equates progress with “bigger.”

My approach: I deliberately place emphasis on the quality of my services. I conduct an annual audit of my practice to evaluate whether I’m upholding my anti-oppressive commitments. I use feedback from clients to assess the quality of our collaboration and the progress clients experience. I strive for sustainable growth while maintaining high-quality services rather than expanding rapidly.

Competition

White supremacy often teaches us to see other stakeholders as competition and to compare ourselves to others.

My approach: I actively opt for collaboration with clients and other counsellors in the field while recognizing power differentials. I focus on continuous improvement of my services rather than comparing myself to others. When evaluating potential business partnerships or collaborations, I assess whether organizations and individuals share my values around anti-oppression and social justice.

Power hoarding / Power over

Power hoarding refers to behaviour where those who possess power exercise it in a self-serving and oppressive way. It involves unequal distribution of power, where those in positions of authority or privilege prioritize and protect their own interests while actively excluding or disadvantaging others.

My approach: I place distinct focus on embracing “power-with” and dismantling power hoarding. This requires that I critically analyze power dynamics in my relationships with clients, referral sources, and other stakeholders, as well as in my decision-making.

As a solo practitioner, I hold all the decision-making power in my practice. I must continually ask: How do my decisions impact people from marginalized communities? Whose voices am I centering? Am I de-centering whiteness? Am I decolonizing myself and the models I use?

I prioritize voices of individuals from intentionally marginalized communities in my learning. I seek out educators, authors, and trainers with lived experience rather than only learning from other white people theorizing about oppression.

Broadening my understanding of systemic racism and oppression

I acknowledge that an anti-oppressive and anti-racist journey requires continuous growth and education. I actively dedicate myself to deepening my awareness through:

• Regular online and in-person trainings
• Reading books by authors with lived experience of oppression
• Seeking out perspectives that challenge my assumptions
• Engaging with current discourse on anti-racism, decolonization, and anti-oppression

Coming from a German-Croatian background with experience of ethnic discrimination in Europe, while also holding white privilege in Canada, I understand that racialization is contextual and complex. However, my experience of ethnic discrimination doesn’t mean I understand anti-Black racism, anti-Indigenous racism, or ableism. I use my lived experience to stay humble and curious, not to assume I understand someone else’s specific reality.

My anti-oppressive practice: How I embody these principles

Anti-oppressive practice in my direct client work

Proactively navigating my privilege

The client-counsellor relationship is the cornerstone of therapeutic work. Within these relationships, I am proactive in addressing my privilege.

I offer clients with marginalized identities the option to provide anonymous feedback about our work together through a separate feedback form. This creates space for clients to share concerns about moments where I may have caused harm without fear of impacting our therapeutic relationship. I commit to treating this feedback with utmost seriousness, educating myself, and actively changing behaviour that wasn’t okay.

When a client speaks up about something I’ve done that was harmful—particularly something racist or rooted in my privilege—I respect their boundaries in how they want to address it. I don’t require them to educate me, manage my emotions, or continue working with me if they no longer feel safe. I take responsibility for my own learning and growth.

Acknowledging oppression

I don’t write about systemic violence as theory—I know what it feels like. When clients share experiences of systemic violence, discrimination, colonization, or the daily grind of microaggressions, I don’t need to be convinced these things are real or that they matter. I can recognize and identify them – even if I have privilege. I bring an embodied understanding that systemic oppression isn’t abstract—it’s concrete, it’s cumulative, and it’s crazymaking precisely because it’s often invisible to those with privilege.

I acknowledge the impact of colonization, systemic racism, and oppression woven into clients’ stories. These dynamics are unacceptable and frequently distressing, yet they have been normalized within our society. My commitment is to support clients in identifying the most effective means of navigating these challenging dynamics. When working with clients who have endured trauma stemming from systemic violence, I collaborate with them to mitigate the risk of further harm.

I also recognize that my experiences differ from those of each client. My experience of oppression doesn’t mean I understand anti-Black racism. My understanding of microaggressions doesn’t translate directly to experiences of Indigenous clients or disabled clients. I draw on my lived experience to remain humble and curious, rather than assuming I understand.

Understanding microaggressions and cumulative trauma

Microaggressions, those brief, everyday slights that communicate “you don’t belong here,” are often minimized as “not a big deal” by those who don’t experience them. I know from lived experience that microaggressions can be death by a thousand cuts.

In my practice, I take microaggressions and cumulative trauma seriously. I don’t minimize client experiences or suggest they’re being “too sensitive.” I acknowledge that the counselling field often stigmatizes healthy responses to oppression as “illness.” I also recognize that my white and able-bodied privileges mean I don’t experience certain forms of microaggression, and I stay educated about experiences beyond my own.

Language accessibility and cultural humility

While I practice primarily in English, I invite clients to use whatever language they need in sessions when it helps them express themselves more fully. I speak German and Spanish, though I’m somewhat rusty in using them professionally. I don’t need to understand every word a client says to hold space for what they’re communicating.

As someone whose first language is not English, I’m aware that language can be a barrier. I work to use clear, accessible language and welcome clients letting me know when something isn’t clear. I am willing to collaborate with a translator when necessary to better serve clients who would benefit from services in their preferred language

Anti-oppression in my business practices

My practice spaces: Online and in-person

Part of my practice is conducted online via Jane App, which increases accessibility for many clients, particularly those with mobility limitations, those without reliable transportation, those in rural areas, or those who feel safer in their own space. Online sessions also create accessibility for clients who may not feel safe or comfortable in traditional office settings.

For in-person sessions, I practice from a building in a queer-friendly area. However, I’m transparent about limitations:

• The building does not have gender-neutral washrooms
• Wheelchair accessibility is limited—the space is not fully accessible for wheelchair users
• There are no prayer or reflection spaces

I share this information upfront so clients can make informed choices about what feels safest and most accessible for them. I recognize these limitations are barriers for some clients, and I take responsibility for that reality rather than making excuses.

Pricing and economic accessibility

I use income-based variable pricing to increase accessibility of my services. Rather than a fixed rate, my pricing adjusts based on clients’ financial capacity, recognizing that economic barriers disproportionately impact marginalized communities.

I understand the interconnectedness of capitalism and white supremacy, and I’m dedicated to crafting a sustainable business model while resisting the adverse influence of capitalism on my pricing structure. As a solo practitioner without access to nonprofit funding, I face limitations on how low I can price services while remaining sustainable. However, I remain committed to maximizing accessibility and regularly reflect on whether my pricing practices align with my anti-oppressive values.

Evaluating partnerships and collaborations

As a solo practitioner, I don’t have staff, but I make conscious choices about who I collaborate with, learn from, and refer to. I evaluate potential business partnerships based on whether organizations and individuals share my values around anti-oppression, social justice, and equity.

I consider anti-oppressive principles when:

• Choosing whose workshops and training I invest in (prioritizing educators with lived experience)
• Selecting which counsellors I refer clients to
• Deciding which assessment tools or therapeutic resources I use (evaluating them for bias)
• Choosing where I source educational materials for clients
• Choose service providers for my business

Integrating anti-oppression into my understanding of mental health

In a counselling field that frequently clings to the misguided myth of sameness, ignores systemic influences on clients, and often excludes oppression and intersectionality, I actively work to include what is excluded. I integrate the realities of oppression into how I understand mental health, diagnoses, symptoms, and healing.

I do so with full awareness of the complex nature of these dynamics and constraints, recognizing that my understanding may not always capture the full scope of these complexities.

Critically examining counselling models

The majority of counselling and coaching models fail to incorporate anti-racist or anti-oppressive practices, often neglecting systemic power imbalances present in our society. I do not unthinkingly adhere to these models but instead critically reflect upon them, with a commitment to adapting and aligning them with principles of anti-racism and anti-oppression.

Integrating anti-oppression practices in research and continuing education

In the research I engage with and the continuing education I pursue, I adopt an intersectional approach. Many research articles focus solely on the perspective of the dominant group while sidelining an intersectional lens.

I prioritize research that examines how racism and oppression impact the mental and emotional well-being of Black individuals, Indigenous communities, People of Colour, and members of LGBTQ2S+ communities. I am committed to engaging with research in a manner that shields it from being wielded as a weapon against individuals from marginalized groups. When possible, I prioritize research conducted by teams with lived experience.

Neurodiversity in my practice

While I don’t explicitly market myself as specializing in neurodiversity, many of my clients are neurodivergent. I recognize that neurodivergent individuals face systemic barriers, pathologization, and discrimination. In my practice, I work to avoid pathologizing language and to recognize the ways systems aren’t designed for neurodivergent people.

Recognizing my limitations and blind spots in anti-oppressive practices

As I pursue integration of anti-oppressive practices, it’s vital to acknowledge areas where my capacity is currently limited.

Current Limitations:

• I cannot currently serve clients who need American Sign Language interpretation
• My physical office space is not fully wheelchair accessible
• I do not have gender-neutral washrooms in my physical office space
• I do not have prayer or reflection spaces available
• While I speak German and Spanish, I primarily practice in English and am rusty in using other languages professionally

In my ongoing commitment to this work, humility is indispensable. The journey toward inclusivity and anti-oppression is continuous and will never truly be complete. I will make mistakes. My responsibility is to acknowledge them, learn from them, repair harm when possible, and continually evolve.

I also acknowledge that my white privilege and able-bodied privilege create blind spots. No amount of education will make me fully understand the lived experience of anti-Black racism, anti-Indigenous racism, or ableism. My responsibility is to stay humble, keep learning, and hold myself accountable—not to claim I’ve “arrived.”

Accountability and ongoing growth for anti-oppressive practice

This position statement represents my current understanding and practice. I commit to:

• Reviewing and updating this statement annually
• Conducting annual audits of my practice to evaluate whether I’m upholding my anti-oppressive commitments
• Actively seeking feedback from clients through anonymous feedback forms
• Continuing education through trainings, books, and learning from those with lived experience
• Transparency when I make mistakes and accountability for repairing harm
• Staying engaged with current discourse on anti-racism, anti-oppression, and decolonization

If you have feedback on this position statement or my practices, I welcome it through my anonymous feedback form or by contacting me directly at nat@brighthorizontherapies.com.