Process and Outcomes of an Anti-Racism Action Group for Counselors

Abstract

Commitment to anti-racism and multicultural and social justice counseling competence (MSJCC) are lifelong pursuits that require practice. With a multiple case study design, we analyzed relevant processes and outcomes of a six-month group for counselors invested in continuing this development. Group meetings regularly included mindfulness exercises, reviewing anti-racist material assigned for discussion, and setting actionable goals for advocacy. Results indicated that development in MSJCC action self-efficacy differed across participants, whereas development in mindfulness was more consistently positive. Themes in action goals displayed an emphasis on knowledge-oriented, internal actions as opposed to externally observable, advocacy and activism behaviors. Finally, group members reported higher average positive affect relative to negative affect. Implications for continuing counselors’ developmental trajectory in anti-racism in the field are discussed.