Canadian Psychology / Psychologie canadienne, Vol 66(3), Aug 2025, 142-157; doi:10.1037/cap0000433
The urgent need for decolonization, diversity, equity and inclusivity (DEI) in Canadian counselling education programmes is increasingly threatened by anti-DEI legislation from the United States. President Trump signed an executive order to terminate all DEI programmes and policies at institutions and universities across the United States. Our Canadian universities are also pressured to diminish DEI efforts. Despite these attempts, I contend that this pressure must strengthen our resolve. I share my own narrative experiences and propose two models in line with critical race epistemologies wherein race consciousness and antioppression can thrive: (a) the framework for lionhearted conversations and (b) the self-assessment wheel for lionhearted stances. These models encourage growth through cultural humility and courageous dialogue, promoting meaningful legacies of change. A tertiary analysis of Canadian counselling and psychology associations’ commitment to decolonization and DEI provides insights into the broader landscape. The effective application of the framework for lionhearted conversations and self-assessment wheel for lionhearted stances in an educational setting is discussed to illustrate the usefulness of models that can transform academic institutions into spaces for decolonized practices. Additionally, I present an ecological model to illustrate how critical race theory can contribute to the development of socially just communities. Last, future research and possible next steps are identified, and recommendations are summarized to guide the elimination of systemic racism in counselling education. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)