Date of Graduation
Fall 2012
Degree
Master of Science in Counseling
Department
Counseling, Leadership, and Special Education
Committee Chair
Angela Anderson
Abstract
Broaching attitudes and factors affecting the decision to broach race in African American therapists are examined using a survey and interview design. Broaching involves addressing racial differences in therapy sessions with clients, and is recommended in counseling-training literature for White therapists when working with clients of color. Given the lack of guidelines for therapists of color working with White clients, this study examined the broaching attitudes of African American therapists working with White clients. This study found that the decision to broach race in the Black therapist/White client dyad is complex. Many factors involving the therapists' comfort, therapists' self-awareness, clients' comfort, stage of therapy, and the therapeutic relationship come into play when African American therapists are deciding to broach race with their European-American clients.
Keywords
broaching, race, African-American therapists, European-American clients, attitudes, black therapists, white clients
Subject Categories
Counseling
Copyright
© Michelle Gavel
Recommended Citation
Gavel, Michelle, "Opening a Can of Worms: African American Therapists' Attitudes about Broaching Race with White Clients" (2012). MSU Graduate Theses. 2048.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/2048
