African American Counselors: A Case Study

There are several factors and steps counselors should take when developing effective counseling services for African American clients. The first is taking the time to explore one’s own culture, worldview, and their awareness of their own spiritual and religious development (Moore-Thomas & Day-Vines, 2008; Hays & Erford, 2014). Next, the counselor must take steps to learn about African-American history, culture, stigmas related to mental health and counseling, and barriers to seeking and obtaining care, and recognize the roles of oppression and privilege. While counselors from other cultures can never fully know what it is like to be African American, taking the time to learn about the history of racism, discrimination, racial identity, acculturation,
This can include questions about their family structure and history, education, job history, marital status, religious beliefs, childhood, and current support network. Additionally, Hays and Erford (2014) recommend the counselor gain an understanding of the client’s racial identity, as a positive racial identity has been shown to be a protective function. For those who were born outside of the United States, they recommend assessing their level of acculturation, which can create barriers to
Hays and Erford (2014) suggest explaining what counseling is, the boundaries of the counseling relationship, being thoughtful in their informed consent, and asking the client what they like to be called and asking if they prefer a counselor from a certain race. They caution against using theories and systems with a European worldview and, instead, suggest using Afrocentric psychotherapies, such as, NTU. Counselors can also modify traditional approaches, such as Client-Centered, Psychodynamic, and Adlerian therapies. Additionally, they should be aware of support systems which are available in the client’s community and be aware of the benefits of combining religion in conjunction with traditional interventions (Colbert, Jefferson, Gallo, & Davis, 2009). Lastly, they should be prepared to advocate for their clients in regard to barriers to obtaining services beyond counseling, such as health care, housing,