Domene, Jose F.Ibarra-Alexanderson, Luis Gerardo2023-09-202023-09-202023-09-18Ibarra-Alexanderson, L. G. (2023). Psychologists’ practices in supporting LGBTI clients’ self-advocacy skills (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.https://hdl.handle.net/1880/117113https://doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/41955Globally, Canada has been a leading country incorporating the social justice framework in psychological theory and practice, which includes supporting sexual minorities. In the past decades, researchers and clinicians have focused on addressing systemic barriers by advocating for their clients. More recently, the concept of self-advocacy has been included in ethical guidelines, encouraging professionals to promote in their practice empowering clients to speak on their own behalf. The present study explored how Canadian psychologists promote client self-advocacy skills development using the enhanced critical incident technique (ECIT), an exploratory qualitative research method. Specifically, this study explored the factors that facilitate and hinder psychologists in supporting clients in developing self-advocacy and what factors they wish had been present as they engaged in this work. The sample consisted of 9 psychologists located in Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. Data analysis conducted using established ECIT protocols yielded 373 critical incidents (CIs) and Wish List items (WL) that were organized into the following categories: (1) 13 helping CIs; (2) 8 hindering CIs; and (3) 6 WL. Findings suggest that self-advocacy can be developed in one-on-one counselling settings and through the therapeutical process. Additionally, the findings suggest that creating safe spaces within the counselling settings and outside communities influences the ability of LGBTI clients to speak on their own behalf. Implications for researchers, psychologists and other mental health professionals are provided.enUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.self-advocacysocial justicecounselling practicesocial actionLGBTIEducation--Guidance and Counselingmaster thesis