A Critique of Coordinated Management of Meaning and Circularity in Relation to Countering Oppressive Practice: Reflections from a Trainee Therapist

Abstract

This is a personal reflective piece based on my clinical and personal experience in the current environment, which can feel at times oppressive. I situate my critique as an early‐career psychologist who holds multiple marginalised identities. Using systemic ideas, particularly coordinated management of meaning, circularity, and reflective teams, I use case examples to illustrate how practitioners can deconstruct power and resist dominant narratives, countering oppressive practice in action. I critique the existing systemic literature in relation to anti‐oppressive work and offer suggestions for future research and practice such as holding an anti‐oppressive lens and understanding power and difference within the reflecting team.