ERIC Number: ED668810
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 281
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-5355-6959-8
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Grappling with Race, Power, and Privilege: Experiences of Critical Self-Reflection and Cultural Humility among Counseling Trainees
Traci C. Terrance
ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Rochester
Racial/ethnic minorities carry a disproportionate burden of mental illness, in comparison to Whites. As such, the integration of cultural humility within mental health oriented (MHO) counseling disciplines seeks to prepare counseling professionals to address root causes of these disparities. Cultural humility requires lifelong learning and ongoing critical self-reflection. In addition, such a stance compels the acknowledgement and mitigation of power imbalances within the therapeutic dynamic. Yet, despite its promising potential, research has not considered how one develops a cultural humility orientation. Thus, it is assumed that by knowing what cultural humility is, one will then be culturally humble. Drawing on 3 semi-structured interviews of 8 marriage and family therapy trainees (MFTT), this phenomenological study sought to understand the experience of critical self-reflection on race, power, and privilege within the context of cultural humility and clinical practice. Posing two research questions: (RQ1) How do MHO graduate students experience critical self-reflection as it relates to exploring their own race, power, and privilege? (RQ2) How do these experiences inform their clinical practice? The constant comparison analysis revealed an interplay of two main themes--dichotomy and masking-unmasking--and five subthemes--grappling, ambivalence, ambiguity, naming whiteness, therapist as powerful, and responsibility of privilege--in relation to RQ1. Regarding RQ2, participants' responses illustrated variability in the ways cultural humility, and race, power, and privilege influenced clinical practice. This study underscores the need for exploration of cultural humility within learning contexts for the purpose of mitigating disparities, and supporting high quality care for racial and ethnic minorities. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Race, Cultural Awareness, Power Structure, Self Concept, Reflection, Counselor Training, Mental Health, Personality Traits, Marriage Counseling, Family Counseling, Graduate Students, Student Experience
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Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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