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            Critical self-reflection for art therapists invested in a social justice framework explores biases, and conditions regarding identities and privilege (Pester et al., 2020; Sandmire et al., 2012). Relational social justice holds that person to person practices in cognitive and political theory are the central axes of social change paradigms as relationships, both personal and organizational are essential to the MSJCC process (Potash, 2018).

            As an example of why therapist must stay vigilant and why the MSJCC is so important, Karen Pence, wife of US Vice President Pence, has taken on the mantle of raising awareness of and promoting art therapy through her Art therapy: Healing hearts initiative (Heenan, 2006; Potash, 2018). Despite the social rights controversies surrounding the Trump administration, the American Art Therapists Association (AATA) embraced Mrs. Pence, extending their support and resources (Potash, 2018). The AATA faced criticism just as it had regarding its own lack of diversity offenses, when subsequent values statement was drafted to clarify its commitment to multicultural competency (Gipson, 2015; Hamrick & Byma, 2017; Potash, 2018). Mrs. Pence’s initiative had not leant any support to licensure or funding issues that restrict access for marginalized groups as of January 2018 (Potash, 2018). Relational multicultural competency ethics is a framework to compel art therapists to resist oppressive strategies and uphold reconciliation and social cohesion (Potash, 2018).