Thursday 23 July 16:30 - 17:30

Hall: Q-Arsenale

Chair and Discussant: Ferrari Lea

Division: Division 16: Counseling Psychology

In an era marked by global migration, rapid social transformations, and growing inequalities, psychological counseling and career guidance are called to undergo profound renewal. This symposium arises from the need to explore how counselor education and professional practice can respond more sensitively, inclusively, and contextually to the challenges posed by cultural diversity, colonial legacies, and local specificities.
Through four contributions from diverse geographical and cultural contexts—Malta, Japan, South Africa, and China—the symposium aims to offer a space for critical dialogue on key themes such as transculturality, the decolonization of training, methodological innovation, and cultural adaptation. The goal is to stimulate collective reflection on how to build counseling practices that are ethically grounded, culturally relevant, and capable of promoting social justice.
By fostering critical reflection and cross-cultural exchange, this symposium aims to contribute to the development of a more globally aware professional community—one that is capable of learning from difference, embracing epistemological diversity, and co-constructing practices that are both locally meaningful and globally responsible.