White Counselor Education Faculty on the Topics of Racism and Privileges in the Classroom: A Personal Journey

Abstract

Engaging in critical conversations about race and racism requires counselor educators to be courageous and fearless. The current study explored how White counselor educators engage in honest discussions regarding race and racism. Using semi-structured interviews, three White counselor educators from CACREP Accredited programs were interviewed to explore their experiences of fearlessly leading courageous conversations on race and racism. A thematic analysis yielded three consistent themes, including a pattern centered around creating a safe space for discussions, being okay with being imperfect, and encounters that transform. The last theme also had two sub-themes: constructing intentional relationships with truth-tellers and world-changing experiences. These findings offer insight for White counselor educators to traverse challenges associated with having provocative conversations about race and racism, both inside and outside of the classroom.