Abstract
School counselors are change agents and social justice advocates and must be prepared to address problematic issues that impact students. With this in mind, school counselors must consider how environmental stressors and racial trauma can adversely impact student outcomes. The purpose of this chapter is to provide tools for school counselors to operate from a culturally affirming lens. This chapter addresses approaches to counselor training, the psychological distress, as well as contributors of racial trauma, ethical considerations, counterproductive practices, and implications for the school counseling field.
TopBackground
The United States has an extensive history of racism, oppression, and discrimination which continues to impact subsequent generations. Racial trauma or race-based traumatic stress (RBTS) refers to the mental and emotional injury caused by encounters with racial bias, discrimination, hate crimes, and racism (Carter, 2007). Racial trauma has an individual, societal, and global impact. Racism exists throughout various levels of the educational system, which has contributed to continued inequities within school settings (LaForett & De Marco, 2020). Counselor educators and school counselors have an obligation to work toward mitigating racism and bias to lessen the impact of systemic racism on student development (ASCA, 2020). These professionals are called to render culturally affirming methods of education, supervision, and/or service delivery.
Effective service delivery is an ongoing evaluative process that starts with a commitment to self-awareness. A self-aware counselor is one who practices professionally and competently (Wilkinson, 2011). Self-aware counselors demonstrate the ability to recognize their limitations, biases, seek supervision, and ethically refer when appropriate (American Counseling Association [ACA], 2014; Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs [CACREP], 2016). Throughout this chapter, readers will be encouraged to engage in self-reflection by contemplating one’s perspective on thought-provoking topics and questions presented throughout the chapter.
ASCA (2021)
urges school counselors to commit to self-awareness and regularly reflect on personal cultural worldviews (e.g., values, beliefs, assumptions, and biases). School counselors are to strive to understand how personal views influence their service delivery and reflect on personal resistance that might arise in exploring topics of racism, privilege, oppression, and marginalization (ASCA, 2021). Counselor self-awareness increases objectivity and the use of culturally affirming practices.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Discrimination: This behavior often begins with negative stereotypes and prejudices ranging from slights to hate crimes.
Institutionalized Racism: A system of assigning value and allocating opportunities based on skin color. The structure unfairly privileges individuals and groups over others and influences social institutions in legal, educational, and governmental systems.
Stereotypes: Generalized beliefs about groups and their members.
Individual Racism: An expression of implicit and explicit biases linked to racial prejudice and discrimination.
Explicit Bias: A person is consciously aware of personal feelings, attitudes, and related behaviors are conducted with intent.
Color-Evasiveness: Denying the societal experience of race and the existence of racism.
Intergenerational Trauma: Trauma experienced in one generation adversely impacts the well-being of descendant subsequent generations.
Microaggressions: Subtle, yet pervasive acts of racism. Such acts may include brief remarks, vague insults, and/or non-verbal exchanges (e.g., scowl or refusal to sit next to a person based on race).
Implicit Bias: A person is unconsciously aware of personal feelings, attitudes, and related behaviors. This bias operates outside of a person’s awareness and can be in direct contradiction to a person’s beliefs and values.
Racial trauma or race-based traumatic stress (RBTS): Refers to the mental and emotional injury caused by encounters with racial bias, discrimination, hate crimes, and racism
Prejudice: An opinion, prejudgment, or attitude about a group or its individual members.