10 TPC Digest 11 TPC Digest 10 T he cultural experiences and backgrounds of clients and counselors impact the counseling relationship, counseling process, treatment selection, and outcomes. Microaggressions occur in the counseling process, as they do in everyday life, yet there is little literature about how counselors-in-training (CITs) experience microaggressions from clients or how they may respond to clients who may perpetuate microaggressions against them in a therapeutic setting. CITs with marginalized identities are often uncertain of whether or how to respond to microaggressions in counseling sessions in a way that is not harmful to the counseling relationship. Therefore, in this study, we explored CITs’ experiences of microaggressions from clients in the counseling process. We utilized a constructivist hermeneutic phenomenological approach, which is reflective and focused on the lived experiences of participants. By specifically focusing on CITs’ experiences of microaggressions from clients, we gained insight into these experiences and offered implications for CITs, counselor educators, and supervisors in navigating this phenomenon in the counseling process. Participants consisted of six CITs from CACREP-accredited counselor education programs in the United States with specialty areas in either clinical mental health or school counseling. The participants were either currently enrolled in, or had completed, practicum or internship in their program. All participants reported having experienced at least one microaggression from a client, targeted at one or more marginalized identities of the CIT. We conducted two interviews with each participant to understand their experiences. Interviews with participants revealed the following themes: (a) internal reactions; (b) attempts to contextualize, (c) prevalence of microaggressions, (d) navigating microaggressions, and (e) seeking support. The first theme, internal reactions, embodied what was happening internally with CITs as they experienced microaggressions in the counseling process. This theme included subthemes and experiences of being caught off guard, feeling discomfort, and imposter phenomenon. The next theme encompassed CITs’ perspectives that microaggressions are part of their lives and ongoing experiences, and in some cases the CITs described feeling a bit numb to microaggressions. The next theme indicated how CITs navigated, or thought about navigating, microaggressions with clients. These responses ranged broadly from fear of responding genuinely to letting it go, attempting to redirect, directly responding, and avoiding. The final theme, seeking support, captured participants’ experiences (or lack thereof) of seeking and finding support from their sites, university supervisors and faculty, and families and peers. The findings from this study provided insight into how CITs experienced microaggressions from their clients and how they chose to handle those situations. CITs responded to microaggressions from clients in varied ways, including the degree to which they discussed their experiences, and with whom, and not responding at all. In the CITs’ decision-making process, they considered their position of power in the counselor role, the impact of response on the counseling relationship, the intentionality of clients’ microaggressions, and their own emotional well-being. We hope this manuscript enriches the understanding of client-based microaggressions and we offer implications for CITs, counselor educators, and supervisors. Corrine R. Sackett, PhD, LMFT, is an associate professor at Clemson University. Heather L. Mack, LPC, works for The Well Center in South Carolina. Jyotsana Sharma, PhD, ACS, LCMHC(NH), is an assistant professor at Oklahoma State University. Ryan M. Cook, PhD, LPC, ACS, is an associate professor at the University of Alabama. Jardin Dogan-Dixon, PhD, is a Correctional Psychologist for the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Correspondence may be addressed to Corrine R. Sackett, 225 S. Pleasantburg Dr., Suite D-1, Greenville, SC 29607, csacket@clemson.edu. Corrine R. Sackett, Heather L. Mack, Jyotsana Sharma, Ryan M. Cook, Jardin Dogan-Dixon A Phenomenological Exploration of Counselors-in-Training’s Experiences of Microaggressions From Clients 11 Read full article and references: Sackett, C. R., Mack, H. L., Sharma, J., Cook, R. M., & Dogan-Dixon, J. (2023). A phenomenological exploration of counselors-in-training’s experiences of microaggressions from clients. The Professional Counselor, 13(2), 145–161. doi: 10.15241/crs.13.2.145
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