ABSTRACT
An ecological approach to clinical practice gives mental health professionals a way to take theory and apply it to practice. There are very few roadmaps for counselors who want to integrate into their clinical work what they know about the social determinants of health, human development in diverse social ecologies, human rights, the politics of race, gender, ability and sexual orientation, resilience, and a host of other theories that explain the threats to young people's positive psychosocial growth. An ecological practice does not necessarily replace individual or family interventions. It does, however, greatly expand what guidance counselors, social workers, family therapists, nurses, child and youth care workers, psychologists, or other helping professionals do as part of their interventions. It also highlights the need to adapt the service delivery systems to make them more responsive to people's needs in challenging contexts.
