Tania Israel, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Department of Counseling, Clinical and School Psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Presentation and discussion of privilege, which consists of unearned advantages that are conferred on individuals based on membership or assumed membership in a dominant group, in mental health and student affairs settings. Lack of awareness of privilege has costs to individuals, to communities, and to society. When and how is it appropriate for mental health practitioners help therapy clients explore privilege? What challenges arise helping people who identify with target identities explore privileged aspects of their experience? What strategies for exploring privilege can be applied in individual and group contexts? This presentation will describe the construct of privilege, elucidate the costs of privilege, and identify barriers and strategies for helping individuals and groups explore privilege.