retaining and advancing counseling psychology students of color
TRANSCRIPT
RETAINING AND ADVANCING COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY
STUDENTS OF COLOR
Working Group Members
• Konjit V. Page, MS• Maryam Jernigan, M.Ed• Guerda Nicolas, PhD• Edward Delgado Romero, PhD• Scribe: Carlton E. Green, MA
Purpose of Working Group
• The purpose of this working group is to discuss the challenges of providing support and resources for students of color in the field of counseling psychology and to highlight some strategies that students and faculty can utilize to decrease the negative experiences encountered in doctoral training
Major Issues Discussed
• Individual Costs to Students– Feelings of isolation and invisibility in the
classroom and research endeavors– The need to be “the expert” or the “super [fill in
race/ethnicity here]”– Going beyond the “extra mile” to seek the support
not received in the program– Withdrawing and internalizing the lack of
interaction with people of Color
Major Issues Discussed
• Individual Costs to Students (cont)– Actively needing to seek out other people of Color
for validation– Feelings of disappointment and frustration
Major Issues Discussed
• Challenges for Students– Being silenced in the classroom– Not receiving support from department faculty and/or
training directors around student interests– Difficulties with peer relationships within and across
cohorts– Remaining connected to overall goals of entering the
program without compromising future trajectory (e.g., deciding to not go into academia)
– Lack of support from faculty which results in rethinking decision to be in the program
Major Issues Discussed
• Individual Costs for Faculty– Dealing with the legacy of oppression and racism– Burden of mentoring students of Color and how
that might not be rewarded or recognized
Major Issues Discussed
• Challenges for Faculty– The complexity of supporting and relating to students
(e.g., how to keep the student from taking advantage of the relationship)
– Difference between mentoring and advising (i.e. developing a mutual relationship versus providing a student with information for completing requirements)
– Encouraging students to connect with professional organizations for rebirth and renewal
– Teaching students not to give away power
Major Issues Discussed
• Faculty/Student Relationships and Interactions– Dealing with the power dynamics students of Color may
encounter with White professors– Students becoming disappointed by faculty of Color who
may invalidate their experiences – The lack of faculty of Color– Experiencing faculty members of Color who were not
supportive– How to create a dialogue with faculty without
experiencing a backlash (i.e. effect upon evaluation process, publication assistance)
Major Issues Discussed
• Dealing with Racism and Oppression– Overt and covert racial acts, racial micro (and
sometimes macro) aggressions– Experiences of racial divide in the program– Clashes between oppressed groups if there is no
understanding of dynamics of oppression (i.e. re-enacting oppression between GLBT students and students of color)
Major Issues Discussed
• Dealing with the Academic Environment– Toxicity of the environment– Creating cultural comfort zones instead of
culturally sterile domains– Grad school is not a democracy: learning about
the environment– Being in “enemy territory”; armor up
Major Issues Discussed
• Addressing the Process of Change– Understand issues as systemic issues; change
takes time if issues are viewed from this perspective
– Previous generations have enacted change, but the desegregation model is still being used (i.e. change percentages instead of how we work)
– Students need to learn how to contextualize struggle: you will struggle in the classroom or on the street
Goals/Outcomes for Future• Dissemination of resources and strategies generated• Research on training needs of students of Color • Provide opportunities for all students of Color,
faculty, and professionals to participate in future dialogues
• Examining and addressing pipeline issues at all levels of the academy
• Increase awareness of existing resources (e.g. APAGS CEMA, OEMA)
Next Steps & Opportunities for Involvement
• Continue dialogue through email/listserv• Creation of annual working group at
convention and/or conferences• Collaboration with stakeholders invested in
issues for students of Color in Counseling Psychology
