representation - The Professional Counselor

Beyond Awareness: Actionable Recommendations for Counselor Educators to Combat Ableism

Aug 26, 2025 | Volume 15 - Issue 3

Julie C. Hill, Toni Saia, Marcus Weathers, Jr.

Ableism is often neglected in conversations about oppression and intersectionality within counselor education programs. It is vital to expand our understanding of disability as a social construct shaped by power and oppression, not a medical issue defined by diagnosis. This article is a call to action to combat ableism in counselor education. Actionable recommendations include: (a) encouraging professionals to define and discuss ableism; (b) including disability representation in course materials; (c) engaging in conversations about disability with students; (d) collaborating with, responding to, and supporting disabled people and communities; and (e) reflecting on personal biases to help dismantle ableism within counselor education. Implications for counselor educators highlight the ongoing need for more ableism content within the profession.

Keywords: ableism, disability, counselor education, representation, biases

Disability is rarely examined through intersectionality and critical consciousness, despite its deep connections to race, class, gender, and other social identities (Berne et al., 2018). As the United States becomes increasingly diverse, the need for counselors who can competently address the complex, intersecting needs of disabled people has never been more urgent (Dollarhide et al., 2020). Disabled people are the largest and fastest-growing minority group, with approximately 60 million people reporting some form of disability (Elflein, 2024). Despite this increasing prevalence, ableism, known as the systemic discrimination and exclusion of disabled people, remains persistent in our society. Slesaransky-Poe and García (2014) further discuss ableism as the belief that disability makes someone less deserving of many things, including respect, education, and access within the community.

Ableism and ableist beliefs have profoundly shaped how society perceives and interprets the disability experience. Historically, the medical model has framed disability as an inherent defect within the individual, requiring treatment, rehabilitation, or correction to restore “normal” functioning (Leonardi et al., 2006). This deficit-based perspective, reinforced by legal definitions, has shaped societal attitudes and policies, often prioritizing intervention over community integration. In contrast, the social model of disability shifts the focus from the individual to the broader societal structures, emphasizing how inaccessible environments, exclusionary policies, and ableist attitudes create disabling conditions (Bunbury, 2019; Friedman & Owen, 2017; Shakespeare, 2006). This model asserts that disability is not simply a medical issue, but a social justice concern requiring systemic change to remove barriers and promote full participation. Within counselor education programs, the biopsychosocial model is often taught as a more integrative framework that acknowledges disability as a complex interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors. Although medical interventions may be necessary for some individuals, this model emphasizes addressing environmental and attitudinal barriers contributing to marginalization. By adopting this holistic approach, counselors can better advocate for equity, inclusion, and meaningful accessibility for all.

This article provides an asset-based framework that views disability as a valuable aspect of diversity rather than a deficit or limitation. This approach recognizes the strengths, perspectives, and contributions that disabled people bring to communities and educational spaces (Olkin, 2002; Perrin, 2019). By embracing disability as an aspect of diversity, this framework challenges societal norms rooted in ableism, which often prioritize conformity and cure over anti-ableism (Bogart & Dunn, 2019). Through this lens of power and oppression, disability is celebrated as a source of innovation, creativity, and cultural richness, encouraging practices that empower disabled individuals to thrive both in the classroom and in the community. To reinforce this shift in thinking to disability as an asset, we use identity-first language, recognizing that many disabled people prefer it as a positive affirmation of their lived experiences and their connection to the disability community (Sharif et al., 2022; Taboas et al., 2023).

Intersectionality and Disability
Scholars recognize intersectionality as an analytical tool to investigate how multiple systems of oppression interact with an individual’s social identities, creating complex social inequities and unique experiences of oppression and privilege for individuals with multiple marginalized identities (Collins & Bilge, 2020; Crenshaw, 1989; Grzanka, 2020; Moradi & Grzanka, 2017; Shin et al., 2017). The topic of disability is often absent in conversations regarding power, oppression, and privilege (Ben-Moshe & Magaña, 2014; Erevelles & Minear, 2010; Frederick & Shifrer, 2018; Mueller et al., 2019; Wolbring & Nasir, 2024) despite the potential for disability to intersect with other marginalized identities (e.g., racial/ethnic identity, gender identity, socioeconomic status, religious and spiritual beliefs, citizenship/immigration status) that lead to intersectionality-based challenges that conflict with the marginalization of being disabled (Wolbring & Nasir, 2024). For example, Lewis and Brown (2018) condemned the lack of accountability in reporting on disability, race, and police violence, which often irresponsibly neglects the coexistence of disability in conversations of experienced violence. Using the framework of intersectionality responsibly in disability discourse within counselor education holds significant potential for the professional development of counselors to work toward unmasking and dismantling ableism.

Challenges and Gaps in Anti-Ableism in Counselor Education and Training

How counselor educators teach about disability is crucial to dismantling ableism, yet history reveals a troubling lack of cultural humility in educational approaches. Cultural humility is a process-oriented approach that continuously emphasizes the counselor’s openness to learn about a client’s culture and invites counselors to consistently incorporate self-reflective activities to enhance their self-awareness (Mosher et al., 2017). Although cultural humility may be well intended, it may also have a harmful impact and fall flat if inherent biases go unrecognized. For example, counselor educators heavily relied on simulation exercises to address disability in the classroom (e.g., having students blindfold themselves for an activity to simulate blindness or having them sit in a wheelchair for a short period). Simulation exercises reinforce a deeply medicalized and reductive view of disability, one rooted in fear, pity, and misconception, ultimately erasing disability as both a culture and an identity (Öksüz & Brubaker, 2020; Shakespeare & Kleine, 2013). Beatrice Wright (1980, as cited in Herbert, 2000), cautioned that simulation experiences evoke fear, aversion, and guilt. These exercises rarely foster meaningful or constructive perspectives on disability. Instead of deepening understanding, these exercises risk reinforcing harmful stereotypes, further marginalizing disabled individuals rather than empowering them. Instead of disability simulations, honor the voices and experiences of disabled individuals through their narratives, such as Being Heumann by Judy Heumann, as well as documentaries and movies like Crip Camp, Patrice, or CODA. Contact with disabled individuals has been shown to reduce stigma against disabled people (Feldner et al., 2022; Smith et al., 2011). Additionally, incorporate analyzing ableism through case studies, readings, or media, followed by a structured discussion.

Topics of multiculturalism and diversity have increased over the years; the same cannot be said for disability (Rivas, 2020). Davis (2011) poignantly asked, “Is this simply neglect, or is there something inherent in the way diversity is considered that makes it impossible to recognize disability as a valid human identity?” (p. 4). More than a decade later, this question remains painfully relevant. Atkins et al. (2023) explored this issue through a study using the Counseling Clients with Disabilities Scale to evaluate professionals’ attitudes, competencies, and preparedness when working with disabled clients. The findings underscore the critical need for education and exposure to disability-related topics in counselor training, demonstrating that such efforts improve competency, reduce biases, and foster more inclusive, equitable, and empowering support. However, disability continues to receive significantly less attention than other cultural and identity groups in professional training and discourse (Deroche et al., 2020).

Furthermore, ableist microaggressions continue to be a concern for disabled individuals. Cook and colleagues (2024) conducted a study looking at microaggressions experienced by disabled individuals and found four categories of microaggressions: minimization, denial of personhood, otherization, and helplessness. They also found that experiencing ableist microaggressions affected participants’ mental health and wellness. Additionally, they found that those with visible disabilities were more likely to experience ableist microaggressions than those with invisible disabilities. Given these findings, counselor educators need to be aware that ableist microaggressions exist, what those microaggressions may sound like, and how they impact disabled clients.

Concerns exist about the extent to which counselor education programs cover disability content; there is also a need to examine instructors’ preparedness for covering such content. In a survey of counselor educators in programs accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), 36% of the faculty surveyed believed their program was ineffective at addressing disability topics and that programs did not address disability and ableism to the extent necessary to produce competent professionals. Only 10.6% felt their program to be “very effective” in this content area, with the belief that their students were only somewhat prepared to work with disabled people (Feather & Carlson, 2019). Notably, these oversights in education translate into inadequacy in practice. A sample of mental health professionals who all reported working with disabled clients indicated the least amount of perceived disability competence in skills, the second least competence in knowledge, and the most competence in awareness (Strike et al., 2004). Faculty self-assessment of their ability to teach disability-related content was strongly linked to their prior work or personal experience with disability. This highlights the importance of integrating exposure to and training on disability-related concepts throughout core areas (Pierce, 2024). Although separated by a decade, these studies can be tied to a unifying, persistent issue: the lack of disability competence in counseling and counselor education spaces.

The 2024 CACREP standards call for an infusion of disability competencies into counseling curricula (CACREP, 2023), meaning that counselor educators and counselors-in-training must reimagine the available literature to provide adequate professional development and growth. Pierce (2024) advised that disability competence areas be focused on the following topics: accessibility, able privilege, disability culture, and disability justice. We must seek to dismantle ableism by infusing disability into curricula in an authentic manner that highlights the societal values and attitudes in which multiple forms of oppression work in tandem to create unique, intersectional experiences for disabled people.

Training Recommendations for Counselor Education Programs

The authors aim to ensure counselor educators have tangible strategies to dismantle ableism and teach their students to do the same. Counselor educators and counselors-in-training must look inward and rid themselves of negative attitudes and biases to eradicate ableism. Part of this process includes the critical skill of self-reflection and examining and understanding biased and ableist beliefs held by individuals and perpetuated by society. Until that happens, counselors will continue to do a disservice to disabled people (Friedman, 2023). For students who have never interacted with disabled people or thought about ableism, these conversations and strategies have the very real possibility of making them uncomfortable. Discomfort is okay. Disabled people often feel awkward or out of place every day because of ableism. It is not our job as counselor educators to make students comfortable; it is our job to make them competent, informed, and ethical professionals.

The following are five tangible strategies to thoughtfully and intentionally dismantle ableism. These strategies are purposefully broad and aim to expose counseling professionals and those in training to an intersectional perspective of disability that acknowledges disability as a valid aspect of diversity, identity, and culture. Rather than siloing these discussions to disability-related training, these strategies belong in all settings within counseling. Counseling professionals must include ableism in the conversations happening in places where they learn and work to shift the way they think, view, respond to, and construct disability. To begin, counselor education programs should consider hosting a workshop or seminar focused on ableism by disabled people to ensure that all students and faculty are on the same page and are using the same terminology. Once this has been established, ableism and disability content and knowledge should be incorporated into lectures, assignments, discussions, and exams across the counselor education curriculum. Further information on this integration is described in the first strategy below.

Define Ableism
One of the factors that further perpetuates ableism is the lack of clarity on what ableism is and how it intersects with other forms of oppression. Counselor educators must share definitions of ableism that center on the perspective of the disabled community. Talia Lewis (2022) provided a working definition of ableism that disabled Black/negatively racialized communities developed:

A system of assigning value to people’s bodies and minds based on societally constructed ideas of normalcy, productivity, desirability, intelligence, excellence, and fitness. These constructed ideas are deeply rooted in eugenics, anti-Blackness, misogyny, colonialism, imperialism, and capitalism. This systemic oppression leads to people and society determining people’s value based on their culture, age, language, appearance, religion, birth or living place, “health/wellness,” and/or their ability to satisfactorily re/produce, “excel,” and “behave.” You do not have to be disabled to experience ableism. (para. 4–6)

This definition expands on the definition provided earlier of ableism as the systemic discrimination and exclusion of disabled people. It rejects the notion that ableism can be dismantled or separated from other forms of oppression (e.g., racism, sexism, and other systems of oppression). Within counseling curricula, we often use the term intersectionality, but it is impossible to address intersectionality with our students if we do not thoughtfully include ableism. We should challenge the idea that disability is a monolithic experience as we seek to build a more complex, interconnected, and whole understanding of disability (Mingus, 2011).

It is also essential to acknowledge internalized ableism, which is ableism directed inward when a disabled person consciously or unconsciously believes in the harmful messages they hear about disability. They project negative feelings onto themselves. They start to believe and internalize the message that society labels disability as inferior. They begin to accept the stereotypes. Internalized ableism occurs when individuals are so heavily influenced by stereotypes, misconceptions, and discrimination against disabled people that they start to think that their disabilities make them inferior (Presutti, 2021). For example, a disabled student may not participate in class because they believe their contributions are inferior compared to their nondisabled peers, or a disabled client may experience feeling undeserving, undesirable, and burdensome.

To effectively implement this awareness, ask students to define ableism in their own words. Coming up with their definition of ableism encourages critical thinking and allows the counselor educator to gauge students’ existing understanding. Then, introduce the Lewis (2022) definitions above to provide a more comprehensive framework. To reinforce these concepts, incorporate case studies illustrating real-world examples of ableism. Analyzing these cases in class discussions or group activities will help students identify ableist structures, challenge assumptions, and explore solutions for creating more welcoming environments. Counselors can examine ableism in societal contexts by viewing movies or television shows that feature disabled characters and analyzing how ableism is portrayed in media. Because of societal barriers to access and the taboos surrounding discussions of disability, the entertainment and news media serve as a key source for many people to form opinions about disability and disabled individuals. Unfortunately, these portrayals are limited and often spread misinformation and harmful stereotypes (Pierce, 2024). One way to help combat this could be by watching a movie or show together as a class and then having a discussion or having students watch on their own and write a short reflection followed by a class discussion. Some suggested movies include Crip Camp, Murderball, The Temple Grandin Story, Patrice, and Out of My Mind. Some suggested television shows include Speechless, Love on the Spectrum, Special, Raising Dion, Atypical, and The Healing Powers of Dude.

Include Disability Representation in Course Content
The phrase “representation matters” also applies to disability. Counselor educators should include disability and discussions of the impact of systemic ableism throughout course content, not only in a single lecture or reading on the course syllabus. Decisions about course content send powerful messages about what the counselor educator, the program, and the broader counseling profession prioritize and value. Including or excluding specific topics reflects the educator’s perspective and shapes future counselors’ professional identity and competencies. When disability is overlooked or inadequately addressed, it signals to students that it is not a central concern in counseling practice, which reinforces systemic gaps in knowledge, awareness, and advocacy. To counter this erasure and to ensure meaningful representation, intentionally incorporate guest speakers, videos, readings, memoirs, and research that center on the perspectives of disabled people. This gives students an authentic and multifaceted understanding of disability beyond theoretical discussions. Consider integrating a book or memoir that centers a disabled perspective alongside the course textbook to bridge the gap between academic content and real-life experiences. This approach not only deepens students’ engagement but also challenges ableist assumptions by highlighting the lived realities, resilience, and contributions of disabled people.

Engage in Conversation About Disability With Students
Disability is not a bad word. Counselor educators must instill this simple yet profound truth in students. Euphemisms like differently abled, handicapable, or special needs perpetuate ableism when used in place of the term disability, implying that disability is something shameful or in need of softening; they do more harm than good. Counselor educators must allow students the opportunity to engage in discussion about disability to challenge the idea that disability is taboo and move into a space where students can appreciate that disability is a natural part of life. Counselor educators must foster a safe and supportive learning community that allows students to engage in dialogue and discussion about their beliefs and experiences that have shaped their beliefs, and examine how those beliefs led to the development or perpetuation of ableist ideas and microaggressions. This allows students to learn, grow, and reshape their beliefs and understanding together. This quote sums it up best: “Disabled people are reclaiming our identities, our community, and our pride. We will no longer accept euphemisms that fracture our sense of unity as a culture: #SaytheWord” (Andrews et al., 2019, p. 6). To empower students to #SayTheWord in both classroom discussions and professional practice, dedicate time, especially during the first weeks of class, to explicitly affirm that disability is not a bad word. Normalize its use by providing historical context, sharing first-person perspectives, and emphasizing the importance of language in shaping attitudes. By reinforcing disability as an act of recognition rather than avoidance, you help students develop confidence in using identity-affirming language and challenging the stigma often associated with the term.

Collaborate, Respond, and Support Disabled People
Counselor educators, counselors, and counselors-in-training should seek opportunities to listen to, respond to, support, and collaborate with disabled counselors and other disabled scholars. Thoughtful collaborations allow for authentic exposure and conversation that support the unlearning of ableist beliefs. This approach is consistent with the disability rights mantra “nothing about us without us” (Charlton, 1998, p. 3), which implies that no change can occur without the direct input of disabled individuals. One opportunity for collaboration includes professional conferences and attending presentations by disabled academics and professionals. Other opportunities for collaboration include working with and supporting local disabled business owners and seeking out organizations such as independent living centers to bring in disabled speakers to share their lived experience and interactions with ableism and microaggressions. Be sure to compensate these individuals for their time so that the work of collaboration is mutually beneficial to all parties.

Disabled people are the experts of their experiences, not professionals. This statement is not synonymous with implementing a client-centered or person-centered approach. Instead, the focus of this statement is to make sure counselors have the tools to trust, support, uplift, and dismantle ableism with disabled clients. If it starts in the classroom, counselors-in-training will be better prepared in practice and life outside of work. As professionals know, trust in the counselor-client relationship is essential for the disabled community. It often develops when individuals feel heard, trusted, and validated, rather than being second-guessed or minimized, especially as they share about the external and internal ableism they face daily. Lund (2022) recommended consulting with both disabled psychologists and trainees to bring a “critical insider-professional perspective” (p. 582) to the profession. By consulting and bringing these disabled professionals in for training or speaking about personal experiences, we can ensure that disabled voices are heard and recognized.

Another way to amplify disabled voices is through the teaching of disability justice. The Disability Justice framework affirms that every person’s body holds inherent value, power, and uniqueness. It recognizes that identity is shaped by the interconnected influences of ability, race, gender, sexuality, class, nationality, religion, and other factors. It stresses the importance of viewing these influences together rather than separately. From this perspective, the fight for a just society must be grounded in these intertwined identities while also acknowledging Berne et al.’s (2018) critical insight that the current global system is “incompatible with life” (para. 13). Central principles of disability justice, such as centering leadership by those most impacted, fostering interdependence, ensuring collective access, building cross-disability solidarity, and pursuing collective liberation, prioritize intersectionality and cross-movement collaboration to guarantee that no one is excluded or left behind. (Pierce, 2024).

Helping students understand and internalize these ideas and principles should lead to the development of more aware and anti-ableist counselors in several ways. Rather than viewing client struggles as isolated or purely personal issues, understand that many forms of suffering, especially those faced by disabled people and people with intersecting marginalized identities, are rooted in larger social, economic, and political systems that devalue certain lives. For example, ableism, racism, and capitalism often create conditions that threaten people’s survival, whether through limited access to health care, environmental injustice, or social exclusion.

Counselors-in-training should be attuned to how multiple aspects of identity (such as disability, race, gender, and class) interact to shape each client’s lived experience. This approach moves counseling away from a one-size-fits-all perspective and helps address the unique, layered barriers that clients face. Traditional counseling and counselor preparation often focus on assisting clients to adapt to oppressive systems. The Disability Justice perspective instead calls for counselors-in-training to see their role as also advocating for systemic change, working toward environments and policies that are actually supportive of all people’s well-being. Rather than idealizing independence, disability justice values interdependence and community care. Counselors and counselors-in-training can foster this by helping clients build supportive networks and by modeling collaborative, relational approaches in practice.

Regularly Reflect on Personal Biases and Be Open to Feedback
Counselor educators often ask counselors-in-training to reflect on their own biases in terms of race, gender, and sexual orientation. However, ableism and disability are often forgotten or left out of those conversations. It is essential for these conversations about bias to include disability so that everyone has opportunities to explore and discuss their own potential biases. Embedding disability representation in the classroom allows everyone to see how they respond to disabled people, especially when that representation is in the form of case studies and client role-play. Then, everyone, including supervisors, can constructively receive feedback from a trusted figure and can change or improve their reactions and responses if necessary. Furthermore, counselor educators and counselors-in-training can keep reflective journals, seek supervision or peer discussions, and review case notes with an anti-ableist lens, which can help identify areas for growth. Additionally, counselor educators should actively solicit feedback from the disability community, welcoming their perspectives without defensiveness. When possible, attend training led by disabled professionals and the disabled community to reinforce a commitment to continuous learning and accountability.

Implications for Counselor Educators

Counselor educators are responsible for training counselors to work with all types of clients, including disabled clients. Counselors will encounter disabled clients, no matter the setting that they are working in. Disability can impact anyone and does not discriminate across gender, race, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, or geographic location. Disability is the one minority group that anyone can become a part of at any time in their life. Most people will age into disability as they get older (Shapiro, 1994). Counselor educators need to be sure that counselors are confronting and dismantling their own ableism and ableist beliefs and that they understand that they may need to assist clients in processing their own experiences with ableism in society and interactions with others. One self-assessment for self-reflection and insight is the Systematic Ableism Scale (SAS; Friedman, 2023). The SAS has four underlying themes: individualism, recognition of continuing discrimination, empathy for disabled people, and excessive demands. The SAS is a tool that can be used to help understand how contradicting disability ideologies manifest in modern society to determine how best to counteract them. By using this assessment as a self-evaluation tool, both students and counselor educators can identify where their beliefs may be problematic or ableist and then set goals to address and improve in those areas.

We recommend that counselors intentionally occupy spaces where discussions on disability advocacy are occurring. Universities are often regarded as a primary source of knowledge production, but a common misconception is that the people themselves produce the knowledge. The reality is that not all disability content is produced by disabled individuals or organizations. Thus, we encourage counselor educators to expand access to knowledge about disability by seeking spaces outside the institution that share insider perspectives on the disability experience and organizations dedicated to empowering disabled communities. This may involve engaging with informal educational organizations such as Sins Invalid, AXIS Dance Company, and Krip Hop Nation or getting involved with formal professional organizations such as APA Division 22, the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association, or the National Rehabilitation Counseling Association. Some strategies that can be used to advocate for and in support of disabled clients include client-centered advocacy, understanding disability as a cultural identity, and building knowledge of the disability rights movement, ableism, and intersectionality, as well as integrating disability-inclusive language, avoiding ableist assumptions, and incorporating clients’ lived experiences into treatment (Chapin et al., 2018; Smart, 2015; Smith et al., 2011).

The foundation for a competent and qualified counselor begins with their training. This training can be formal education or ongoing professional development. For those responsible for educating counselors-in-training, laying the foundation for anti-ableism practices begins in the classroom. A universal design for learning (UDL) framework, developed by the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST, 2018), aims to create accessible material and inclusive environments that are usable for all people by intentionally incorporating multiple representations of content to enhance student expression of learning and increase a variety of opportunities for engagement with the learning environment (Black et al., 2015; Dolmage, 2017; Fornauf & Erickson, 2020). UDL principles support anti-ableist practice by encouraging an ongoing partnership between students and instructors that facilitates consistent and practical feedback to promote student belongingness (Hennessey & Koch, 2007; Oswald et al., 2018). Promoting belonging and acceptance in counselor education programs requires intentional strategies that foster inclusivity, respect for diversity, and a strong sense of community. Effective techniques include: 1) Use inclusive curriculum design. Integrate diverse perspectives throughout the curriculum, with special attention paid to marginalized voices, such as disabled voices. 2) Use culturally responsive pedagogy. This includes employing a range of instructional methods to cater to diverse learning styles. Use trauma-informed practices by creating a learning environment that is sensitive to trauma, both past and present. 3) Implement community-building activities such as structuring programs around cohorts and encouraging the formation of affinity groups and peer support groups. 4) Encourage active dialogue and reflection around tough conversations such as diversity, ableism, inequality, and marginalization. This can be done both in person and online via discussion boards. Faculty can also encourage students to explore their thoughts, reflections, and experiences around issues of identity, belonging, and ableism in a reflective journal. 5) Collect feedback to guide continuous improvement. Faculty can assess students’ experiences with inclusion and ableism through climate surveys.

Additionally, the adoption of multiple methods for delivering information in alternate formats and continuous assessment of student progress reduces barriers to student engagement and expression in the learning environment, which in turn systematically challenges normative ableist practice that values a one-size-fits-all perspective that often neglects disabled thought and existence in pedagogical practices (Oswald et al., 2018). UDL strategies to disrupt ableist thought and practices may include using closed captioning on visual multimedia content (e.g., videos, PowerPoint presentations), incorporating movement breaks, creating interactive activities (e.g., role-play activities, gamification, debates on critical topics), and receiving feedback on instruction.

Hill and Delgado (2023) discussed the importance of including disability coursework and content across multiple domains to effectively address ableism in counselor education programs. Building upon their work, we suggest that the following key types of coursework and content be included. At a minimum, disability content should be integrated into the core CACREP curriculum areas: professional counseling orientation and ethical practice, social and cultural foundations, lifespan development, career development, counseling practice, group counseling, assessment and diagnosis, and research and program evaluation (CACREP, 2023).

Foundational Disability Studies
Students should explore and understand how ableism developed and its systemic nature, especially in the current political climate (Campbell, 2009; Dolmage, 2017). Additionally, students can learn about models of disability: medical, sociopolitical, functional, religious, moral, and biopsychosocial (Engel, 1977; Shakespeare, 2006; Smart, 2015). Students must also understand the concept of intersectionality, which examines how disability interacts with race, gender, sexuality, and socioeconomic status (Erevelles & Minear, 2010; Garland-Thompson, 2005).

Ethics and Multicultural Competence
Students should understand the intersection of disability and ethics by being able to apply the ACA Code of Ethics to disability issues (Chapin et al., 2018; Feather & Carlson, 2019). In either an ethics class or a multicultural class, students must learn about crucial disability-related legislation, such as the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. In the multicultural class, students need to understand disability cultural competence and receive training on disability as a cultural identity and recognizing ableism as a form of oppression (Feldner et al., 2022; Smith et al., 2011). Additionally, in the multicultural class, students should be taught about biases and microaggressions, as well as how to identify and address ableist language and behavior.

Counseling Skills and Practice
In a counseling skills class, students must learn accessible counseling techniques, such as modifying approaches for different abilities (e.g., sensory, cognitive, mobility). Students should also be presented with case studies involving disabled clients, with an emphasis on strengths-based and person-centered approaches. Additionally, students ought to receive supervision and advocacy training on how to support and advocate for clients with disabilities in clinical settings. Counselor educators can use the strategies listed here in the classroom and in practice.

Directions for Future Research

Two of the three authors of this article are disabled and bring lived experience to their teaching, writing, research, and engagement with the nondisabled world. This real-world experience informs the strategies presented and has been applied in both classroom and professional settings. However, these approaches have not yet been empirically tested through formal research. Future research could focus on empirically validating these strategies through qualitative or quantitative studies, particularly in evaluating confidence when working with disabled clients before and after implementing these strategies. Strategies include incorporating disability knowledge into the counselor education curriculum coursework (Hill & Delgado, 2023), using critical pedagogy and disability justice frameworks when teaching (Dolmage, 2017; Erevelles & Minear, 2010), providing experiential learning and opportunities for contact with disabled individuals (Smith et al., 2011), giving disability-related education and training for faculty and supervisors (Feldner et al., 2022), and encouraging the development of allyship and advocacy skills (Feldner et al., 2022; Goodman et al., 2004). Additional studies are also needed to examine ableism and confidence in teaching anti-ableist concepts and disability-related competencies by counselor educators. Finally, scales or measures to assess ableism, specifically in counselor education, could be created and validated.

Conclusion

These strategies do not aim to be an all-encompassing, definitive, or exhaustive checklist, as there are many ways to dismantle ableism. These strategies are a starting point, a reminder, a point of reflection, or an opportunity to affirm current strategies. Significantly, these strategies extend beyond counseling and are relevant across various educational and professional settings, from K–12 classrooms to higher education, social work, health care, and beyond. Wherever you land, we invite you to continue learning, growing, and committing to change with us. Alice Wong (2020) proclaimed, “There is so much that able-bodied people could learn from the wisdom that often comes with disability. However, space needs to be made. Hands need to reach out. People need to be lifted up” (p. 17). Together, we can extend our hands, challenge systemic barriers, and work to dismantle ableism in counseling settings and across all aspects of society.

Conflict of Interest and Funding Disclosure
The authors reported no conflict of interest
or funding contributions for the development
of this manuscript.

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Julie C. Hill, PhD, NCC, BC-TMH, LPC, CRC, is an assistant professor at the University of Arkansas. Toni Saia, PhD, CRC, is an associate professor at San Diego State University. Marcus Weathers, Jr., PhD, CRC, LPC-IT, is an assistant professor at Mississippi State University. Correspondence may be addressed to Julie C. Hill, 751 W. Maple St., Fayetteville, AR 72701, jch029@uark.edu.

The Minority Fellowship Program: Promoting Representation Within Counselor Education and Supervision

Dec 16, 2020 | Volume 10 - Issue 4

Susan F. Branco, Melonie Davis

In 2012, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration awarded funding for the Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) to be managed by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) Foundation. The MFP aims to increase representation of minoritized students enrolled in counselor education and supervision doctoral programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). From 2012 to 2018, the NBCC MFP has disseminated 20–24 monetary fellowships each year. This article reviews representation within counselor education, offers a history of the MFP, provides doctoral fellowship recipient outcome data, and concludes with implications for counselor education.

Keywords: Minority Fellowship Program, counselor education and supervision, National Board for Certified Counselors Foundation, CACREP, representation

In August 2012, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) awarded $1.6 million to the National Board for Certified Counselors Foundation (NBCCF) to oversee the Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) for underrepresented, minoritized students in doctoral counselor education and supervision (CES) programs (Shallcross, 2012). The groundbreaking award for the counseling profession aimed to increase minoritized student representation in CES doctoral programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). It is important to note that NBCC now also offers MFP master’s-level fellowships for those students committed to collaborating with underrepresented and minoritized populations (NBCCF, n.d.). The goal of this article is to review the status of underrepresented racially and ethnically diverse faculty within counselor education, describe the doctoral MFP, and share the grant outcome data from its inception in 2012 through 2019.

Underrepresentation in CES
Diverse racial and ethnic representation within counselor education impacts recruitment and retention of master’s- and doctoral-level students of color (Henfield et al., 2013), perceived quality and content of course instruction to promote diverse perspectives (Seward, 2014), and preparation for graduates to work with diverse client populations (SAMHSA, 2020). Further, the ACA Code of Ethics (American Counseling Association [ACA], 2014) mandates that “counselor educators are committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse faculty” (F.11.a, p. 15). Similarly, CACREP (2015) requires that counselor education programs seek to recruit and retain both diverse faculty and students. Although representation of faculty of color in counselor education has increased (Baggerly et al., 2017), the majority of counselor educators are White (71.38%), with 14.52% Black, 4.77% Latinx, 4.03% Asian American, and 0.7% Native American (CACREP, 2018).

Gains made in ethnic and racial diversity among counselor education faculty and their subsequent experiences have shed light on oppressive factors that impact minoritized faculty members’ success. Spanierman and Smith (2017) urged ACA and the American Psychological Association to initiate a closer examination of how White hegemonic practices can be dismantled within their profession and training programs. Research has documented the experiences of faculty of color with microaggressions and disappointment in the counselor education profession during the on-campus interview process (Cartwright et al., 2018) and throughout the tenure and promotion academic journey, including experiencing isolation as a faculty member of color (Pérez & Carney, 2018). Other studies of female faculty of color in counselor education have illuminated the professional and personal strain experienced as they navigate a system traditionally built for White male faculty (Haskins et al., 2016; Shillingford et al., 2013).

However, despite the documented challenges for counselor educators of color, research also has highlighted factors that support their success and resilience in the academy. Cartwright et al. (2018) recommended that counselor education programs seek to understand the mentorship experiences of students of color in order to bolster retention. Henfield et al. (2013) and Spanierman and Smith (2017) echoed support for ongoing mentorship for students of color by faculty of color and intentionally recruiting and retaining faculty and students of color. Likewise, Pérez and Carney (2018) supported developing mentorship for new faculty of color as well as concerted preparation tailored for doctoral students of color to enter the academy. Lerma et al. (2015) additionally proposed the promotion of bicultural flexibility for faculty of color, which includes encouraging maintaining family ties as well as creating academic family support systems to include mentors, advisors, and allies. Next, a review of the MFP will be presented with focus on its incorporation into CACREP-accredited CES doctoral programs.

The Minority Fellowship Program (MFP)
SAMHSA commenced the MFP in 1973 in an effort to increase the number of ethnically and racially diverse, doctoral-level mental health practitioners to serve minoritized communities (SAMHSA, 2020). Currently, the SAMHSA (2020) MFP website notes that although racial and ethnic minority populations account for approximately 28% of the population, only 20% or less of the behavioral health care workforce includes those who identify as ethnically or racially minoritized individuals. Hence, the MFP also aims to reduce mental health disparities with regard to quality of service and access to behavioral health care (SAMHSA, 2020). J. M. Jones and Austin-Daily (2009) described the inception of the MFP as born from the advocacy of a group of Black psychiatrists. They reported that the initial MFP grant funding was distributed to ten doctoral-level minoritized psychology students led by an inaugural MFP Advisory Committee composed of prominent minoritized psychologists. Eventually, SAMHSA awarded MFP grant funding to additional mental health disciplines, including the American Nurses Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the Council on Social Work Education, and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (Shallcross, 2012).

The counseling profession was notably absent from the MFP grant awardee list until 2012, when the U.S. Congress approved the funding to include professional counselors (Shallcross, 2012). At the time, NBCC was awarded a $1.6 million grant to initiate and oversee the MFP for doctoral-level CES students. Then–NBCC President and CEO Thomas Clawson stated:

The NBCC Minority Fellowship Program will strategically promote and provide fellowships to doctoral students in the counseling profession. The fellows will obtain training in mental health and substance abuse, with specialty training in culturally competent service delivery. Fellows will provide leadership to the profession through education, research and practice benefiting vulnerable underserved consumers. The fellowship program will increase system capacity by increasing the number of culturally competent professional counselors available to underserved populations through engaging 24 doctoral fellows per year, by promoting national standards in culturally competent care and by providing online and conference-based training to practicing professional counselors. We like to project this yearly number over a decade to imagine more than 200 doctoral-level counselors and counselor educators being added to our ranks. (as cited in Shallcross, 2012, para. 8)

The inaugural NBCC MFP awarded 24 fellowships to doctoral students enrolled in CACREP-accredited CES programs (NBCCF, 2014). From 2013 to 2018, NBCC MFP doctoral-level fellowships were awarded to 138 students (NBCCF, 2018). Table 1 offers a demographic breakdown of doctoral-level NBCC MFP recipients.

Table 1

MFP Demographic Information from 2013–2018

Year	Number of Fellowships Awarded	Female	Male	Other	Racial Category AA W H AI A/PI MR						Doctoral Completion	Post-Doctoral Employment CE Clinical
2013	24	17	7		17	2	5	–	–	–	100%	–
2014	22	15	7		10	5	4	1	1	1	100%	1 2
2015	23	20	3		18	–	2	1	1	1	100%	7 2
2016	23	19	4		9	3	6	1	2	2	IP	6 2
2017	23	19	4		12	5	1	2	2	1	IP	2 2
2018	23	19	3	1	15	5	–	–	3	–	IP	2 2
2019	20	13	7		10	4	5	–	1	–	IP	–
Total	158	122	35	1	91	24	23	5	10	5		18 10

Note. The U.S. Census defines racial categorization based on identifying with “original peoples” of designated racial group (N. A. Jones & Bullock, 2012, p. 2): African American (AA), White (W), Hispanic/Latinx (H), American Indian (AI), Asian/Pacific Islander (A/PI), and Multi-Racial (MR). IP = degree completion in progress; CE = counselor education.

NBCC MFP Structure
Applications for the doctoral MFP are reviewed by NBCCF volunteers, many of whom are NBCC MFP alumni (NBCCF, 2019). Applicants must demonstrate a strong commitment to working with underserved and marginalized populations—including those who identify as racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse as well as members of the LGBTQIA population—after completion of their CES doctoral degree. Final applicant decisions are made by the MFP Advisory Council, composed of six counselors and/or counselor educators who represent diverse ethnic, racial, or linguistic backgrounds and have extensive experience “providing mental health counseling services to underserved racial and ethnic minority communities” (NBCCF, 2019, p. 63). Before MFP awards are conferred, finalists must agree and attest to the terms of the MFP: (a) documentation of enrollment in a CACREP-accredited program, (b) attendance at required MFP orientation and relevant training, and (c) continued and ongoing collaboration with underserved and marginalized clients or students within counselor education (NBCCF, 2019).

Individual Fellowship Plan. NBCC MFP staff work with each individual fellow to craft an Individual Fellowship Plan (IFP) in which educational and impact goals for the fellow’s targeted underserved community are created with the goal of completion during the fellowship year (NBCCF, 2019). Goals must have a stated benefit for or impact on the underserved or marginalized community with whom the MFP fellow is working and must also demonstrate an educational impact for the MFP fellow. Progress toward IFP goals are tracked by MFP staff and in collaboration with assigned mentors throughout the fellowship year in order to provide the necessary resources and support (NBCCF, 2019).

Mentors. MFP fellows are paired with volunteer mentors, many of whom are MFP alumni themselves and/or serve as counselor educators and practicing counselors (NBCCF, 2019). Mentorship occurs throughout the fellowship year in an effort to provide support and guidance for fellows as they navigate completion of their IFP, journey through the CES doctoral program, and consider professional careers (NBCCF, 2019). Mentors and mentees determine mutually agreed-upon goals, meeting times, and frequency, and establish the boundaries of the relationship for the fellowship.

Webinars and Trainings. All MFP fellows attend a minimum of six live or recorded webinars offered by NBCCF in their webinar series Innovations in Counseling: Working with Minority Populations and Building Professional Excellence (NBCCF, 2019). Training opportunities, such as attendance at the ACA or Association for Counselor Education and Supervision national or regional conferences promote fellows’ educational and professional IFP goals. The fellowship year culminates in the annual Bridging the Gap Symposium on Eliminating Mental Health Disparities where “counselors, counselor educators, and counselors-in-training come together from around the country to focus on the provision of mental health care for underserved minority, military, rural, and marginalized groups” (NBCCF, 2019, p. 58).

NBCC has awarded MFP fellowships to seven doctoral cohorts since 2013. Many MFP fellows have graduated from their doctoral programs and entered the counseling profession as advanced practitioners, supervisors, and counselor educators. However, a comprehensive description of outcome information from all the cohorts has not been undertaken. Therefore, we aimed to collate MFP data gleaned from awardee demographic information and annual surveys completed by the fellowship cohort members.

Method

In order to access the NBCC MFP cohort data for our analysis, we sought permission from the NBCC MFP administrators. Because our analysis utilized previously collected data by the NBCC MFP administrators and would not divulge protected health information, the project was deemed to be “not human research” by the first author’s institutional office of the IRB. Therefore, IRB approval was not warranted.

We aimed to collate the descriptive statistics gleaned from demographic data captured from applications of those doctoral students awarded the fellowship. We also culled qualitative responses from surveys distributed to NBCC MFP doctoral fellows during their fellowship year and 1 year after fellowship completion. The survey created by members of the NBCCF staff overseeing the MFP was developed to meet SAMHSA’s reporting criteria for MFP grant recipients. The survey consisted of 39 questions and included nine open-ended questions, allowing for short answers from the survey recipients. We aimed to analyze responses to only one of the survey questions—“In what ways has this scholarship or fellowship been meaningful to you?”—as we believed responses would offer a broad range of fellow experiences. In total, surveys were distributed to 158 active and alumni fellows.

Sample
Surveys were distributed once per quarter, or four times, throughout the fellowship year to active MFP fellows. Alumni fellows who had completed their fellowship year received the survey in June. All surveys were distributed via electronic correspondence using the email on record for each fellow. During the MFP orientation, all fellows were instructed to complete the end-of-fellowship survey as a condition to acceptance of the NBCC MFP enrollment. The demographic and doctoral completion rate data was retrieved from the MFP applications and the surveys captured responses from 54 NBCC MFP cohort members from 2013 through 2018 (Table 1).

Procedure
First, we ensured that all NBCC MFP fellows had previously offered consent for their feedback and participation in the program to be used in a variety of ways including research activities as evidenced in the “Terms and Conditions of Program Participation” (NBCCF, 2019, p. 7). Next, we collated all MFP fellow demographic data using information found in their MFP applications and from the survey responses (Table 1). Surveys were distributed to active fellows four times a year and to alumni fellows once per year in June. In total, the surveys were sent to 158 fellows (both active and alumni).

Authors’ Stance
The first author is a 2014 NBCC MFP cohort doctoral fellow alumna and identifies as a Latinx cisgender woman. She is a licensed professional counselor and is also a clinical assistant professor in a CACREP-accredited master’s in clinical mental health counseling program. The second author identifies as an African American cisgender woman and is a licensed professional counselor associate. She serves as the Professional Development Coordinator for NBCCF. Both consulted frequently with regard to collating the descriptive and qualitative data for the manuscript.

Data Analysis and Trustworthiness
We utilized thematic analysis (Nowell et al., 2017) to categorize the qualitative data culled from one survey question: “In what ways has this scholarship or fellowship been meaningful to you?” Braun and Clarke (2012) suggested that thematic analysis specifically allows for exploration and understanding of “meaning across a data set” to allow the researcher to “see and make sense of collective or shared meanings of experiences” (p. 57). Specifically, we adhered to the following steps in the thematic analytic process.

We familiarized ourselves with the data and read through the entirety of the survey questions and responses multiple times and then separated out the short-answer responses to the survey question of focus. We then reviewed each short answer to the survey question in multiple rounds to absorb the content. We initiated the coding process by way of extracting meaning from the survey response phrases, and we utilized qualitative software to aid in the categorization of codes, ultimately developing an initial codebook. Next, we examined the codes to note patterns of connection in order to group data together to generate themes and subthemes. The categorization was added to the revised codebook. We reviewed the themes, then created and compared the codes to the themes to determine coherence and/or if we needed to recategorize. During this quality review phase, as described by Braun and Clark (2012), we asked ourselves critical questions to ensure that themes were not really codes and if there was enough data in the survey responses to support the themes. Then we defined and named our themes to aid in clarity and included relevant participant quotes from the survey responses to illuminate the themes. Finally, we added our findings to our initially written literature review.

We followed Nowell et al.’s (2017) recommendations to increase trustworthiness within thematic analysis to correspond with previously described analytic steps. We reviewed the survey responses at multiple points in the data gathering process prior to initiating analysis. We then utilized peer debriefing to discuss the coding process and developed an audit trail where we stored the coding iterations within qualitative software. In this step, we used the developed codebooks to organize codes into themes where subthemes emerged. We continued the vetting process of the themes to ensure the codes fit coherently within each theme and subtheme and adjusted the codebook accordingly. Eventually we reached consensus on the final theme and subtheme definitions. Then, we utilized an outside auditor, a counselor educator, who confirmed coherence for the themes, with one recommendation to provide justification for one subtheme, which we addressed. Lastly, during the reporting phase we asked a staff member of NBCCF to read through the manuscript to confirm that the themes aligned with the data presented.

Results

In regard to the survey question, “In what ways has this scholarship or fellowship been meaningful to you?”, the overarching theme of access to the profession emerged, as evidenced by the number of responses highlighting the MFP as the “open door that gave me access.” Within this theme, the subthemes of doctoral program completion, networking, supportive cohort, financial support, and mentorship surfaced. The remaining themes included clinical and multicultural competence, with the subtheme of counselor identity, and paying it forward, with the subtheme of leadership.

Access to the Profession
Survey respondents’ experiences spoke to the overall sentiment of the MFP offering them an opportunity to enter the counseling profession, either as counselor educators or as clinical supervisors. The subthemes in this category described those aspects of the MFP that respondents utilized to gain access to the profession. Many of the responses reflected more than one subtheme.

The first subtheme, doctoral program completion, captures those respondents who indicated the MFP aided in their overall success to complete their studies. Examples included:

“I achieved my dream of a PhD.”
• “I would not have been able to complete my degree without it. I have made some
lasting relationships.”
• “Helped me graduate.”
• “I was able to finish my doctoral program.”

The following responses demonstrate how several factors supported a successful completion of the CES doctoral program:

“The fellowship allowed me to complete my PhD and receive extra training to
prepare for my career.”
“The fellowship helped me complete my program and support my family.”
• “It allowed me to finish my PhD, strengthen my private practice, and get a job as
an assistant professor. This fellowship has been the most meaningful and
beneficial award I’ve ever received.”

The networking subtheme describes how access to other CES doctoral students, professional counselors, and counselor educators benefited fellows’ entrance into the profession. Responses underscored how networking aided the fellows both during and after the fellowship year:

“I was able to connect with other scholars of color and the resources provided by
the Foundation.”
• “Through the fellowship, I have developed professional and personal
relationships that have resulted in jobs, consultation opportunities, and peer
networks.”
• “Networking has been the key element of the fellowship.”
• “It has provided invaluable contacts and collegial relationships that are
invaluable.”
“The fellowship was instrumental in making connections with other counselor
educators. We have done presentations at conferences together as well as sharing
our experiences in counselor education. Also, we have shared resources.”

The following responses also merge into the next subtheme related to the benefit of supportive cohort members:

“I continue to benefit from the fellowship experience through connections with
other fellows and by continuing to plow the ground cleared during the fellowship
experience.”
“This fellowship has connected me with many leaders in the profession that I
would not have been able to connect with. It has also provided another cohort of
peers to receive support and encouragement from when career challenges become
overwhelming and discouraging.”

The next subtheme, supportive cohort, reflects how the camaraderie, encouragement, and relationships developed with cohort members acted as positive reinforcement throughout the doctoral CES experience. Statements emphasized the respondents’ healthy dependence on the MFP cohort model, in which members may provide motivation and guidance even beyond the fellowship year:

“My NBCC MFP cohort is my family. I have continued the relationships with
other cohort members, and we share resources with one another as well as
support one another in the work we are doing.”
“The network of fellows has been my peer group and support system since 2013.”
“The group has guided me through my dissertation and job search.”
“The relationships built from the fellowship provided a long-lasting impact in my
professional development.”

The penultimate subtheme, financial support, described how the $20,000 financial grant offered to doctoral-level fellows aided in their ability to successfully complete their CES doctoral education:

“The fellowship provided a financial opportunity that allowed me to graduate
with less debt. Even more so, it has provided an invaluable professional network.”
“It has changed my life and my career. Being part of the NBCC family is amazing!
Taking leaps of faith with the money was the best thing I could have ever done.”
“The NBCC fellowship has meant the world to me because otherwise I would
have been in a significant amount of debt in completing my doctoral studies. In
the last year of the doctoral program, our school did not provide any funding, so
the fellowship brought me to the finish line so that I could initiate my career as a
counselor educator.”

All exemplify MFP fellow statements regarding the benefit of funding toward their doctoral degree. Similar to other subthemes, some respondents identified many areas that crossed subthemes and contributed to their success: “This fellowship has been instrumental in my successful completion of the doctoral program through resources, mentorship, financial support, and a network of professionals.”

Mentorship, the final subtheme in this category, reflects the impact of the mentors supporting fellows through their doctoral journey. Respondents indicated, “It allowed me to get the funding and mentorship needed to successfully graduate and transition into the mental health counseling field,” and “The scholarship was meaningful in providing collegial relationships with others pursuing their PhD, connected me with mentors and provided useful resources.” Mentorship, among other resources, is a core component of the MFP.

Clinical and Multicultural Competence
Survey respondents spoke to the NBCC MFP’s structured training in clinical and multicultural competencies woven within the fellowship year. Some responses included the following:

“It helped me become more confident about my counseling skills, especially when
working with minority populations.”
“Assisted me in completing my dissertation and getting the cultural training I
needed.”
“The fellowship allowed me to intern at the U.S. Department of Education, which
enriched my understanding of services to people with disabilities.”

The annual Bridging the Gap Symposium and its emphasis on mental health inequalities was mentioned in one response: “The [Symposium] networking with other fellows has been valuable. I’ve been able to build upon my education in regard to health care disparities for people of color.”

The subtheme of counselor identity describes survey respondents’ development as counselors within the profession. Examples included, “This fellowship validated my counselor identity because my interest is with minority populations,” and “Expanding my professional development and further defined my counselor identity.”

Paying It Forward
The final theme highlights how NBCC MFP fellow respondents desired to give back to the MFP community via mentorship, application reviews, and/or serving on the MFP Advisory Council. Some statements included:

“I’ve also been able to give back and mentor others as well as review scholarship/
fellowship proposals. Having those opportunities allowed me to have an
influence on the counseling field.”
“Further, I have been able to share my experiences as a fellow with my master’s
students and encourage them to apply.”
“The most meaningful elements of the fellowship have been the increased
professional network and the opportunity to give back to the MFP by working
with NBCCF and new fellows.”

The subtheme of leadership spotlights how the fellowship experience strengthened fellows’ leadership capacities and skills. One example included, “The fellowship has afforded me the opportunity to increase my leadership skills within the counseling profession, as well as provided me with resources and tools to enhance professional networking.” Another respondent encapsulated leadership within their fellowship experience:

I was able to complete my PhD with less financial burden than I had expected. I have made fabulous professional connections with other giants in the field of counseling and cohorts in the fellowship program, which has encouraged my ongoing research and presentation schedule. I have been motivated to give back to my physical community and my academic community because of a newfound sense of responsibility to utilize my degree and skills to their fullest advantage. The fellowship made me realize that my education was much more than a personal and professional milestone, but an opportunity to become a leader and an advocate in the counseling field. I take that very seriously.

Discussion

Since its inception within doctoral counselor education, the NBCC MFP has awarded fellowships to 158 CES doctoral students all committed to continued work with marginalized and underrepresented students and/or clients within the profession. The SAMHSA-funded MFP aimed to increase diversity among doctoral-level clinical providers and educators. The findings suggest the MFP within counselor education is successfully meeting this goal as evidenced by the theme of access to the profession, in which survey respondents described how the support system offered by the MFP, including networking, the cohort model, the $20,000 financial award, and mentorship, aided in their completion of their doctoral studies and, in many cases, supported their transition to the profession, either as clinical practitioners or counselor educators. According to the survey results, 18 MFP fellows have entered the counselor education profession.

Additionally, the NBCC MFP is meeting its intended goal to promote multicultural competence by training doctoral-level counselors who then may appropriately serve diverse communities and students. The theme of clinical and multicultural competence reflected the advantages of ongoing clinical and multiculturally competent training offered throughout the MFP fellowship year. Former NBCC President and CEO Thomas Clawson also reported that another goal for the NBCC MFP was to train and prepare doctoral-level leaders within the counseling profession (as cited in Shallcross, 2012). This goal is also being met as evidenced by the subtheme of leadership within the paying it forward theme. The survey respondents described their commitment to give back to their communities as a result of their participation in the NBCC MFP and indicated that acting as leaders within the profession is one relevant way in which to do so. The survey results report 10 participants are serving as clinical supervisors and/or practitioners in their target communities.

In addition, the survey responses also offer glimpses into the NBCC MFP’s potential buffers to known challenges faced by counselor educators of color. These include lack of mentorship by other faculty of color (Henfield et al., 2013), isolation (Seward, 2014), and overall lack of preparedness to adjust to the demand of a system created for White males (Spanierman & Smith, 2017). Participants’ responses suggest that MFP resources, including mentorship, networking, and the cohort model, offered ongoing opportunities for fellows to engage in communities of support, encouragement, and motivation to complete their doctoral degrees and, in many instances, enter the academy. In some cases, responses indicated that fellows experienced a heightened level of support well beyond their fellowship year and into their new roles as early professionals. These reported factors might prevent and or buffer challenges experienced by counselor educators of color.

Implications
Several recommendations for counselor educators, supervisors, and doctoral students of diverse backgrounds can be ascertained from what we know about the NBCC MFP since its inception in CES in 2012. First, counselor educators can become knowledgeable about the NBCC MFP and its application deadlines to encourage CES doctoral students committed to working with diverse communities to apply. In so doing, counselor educators can also mentor CES students as they gather application materials.

Secondly, counselor educators and clinical supervisors may increase their multicultural competency knowledge by accessing the clinical trainings offered by NBCCF and may likewise encourage all doctoral- and master’s-level counseling graduate program students to access those resources. Such training aligns with Seward’s (2014) call to systemically infuse training to address the needs of students and faculty of color. In addition, more direct and open communication about such training needs may also promote an improved classroom and program racial climate (Seward, 2014).

According to survey respondents, many aspects of the NBCC MFP bolstered and supported their efforts to complete their doctoral programs and transition to the profession. Counselor educators, supervisors, and CES doctoral students may capitalize on the access and relationships that are made available through the MFP, thereby creating inclusion and support in academic spaces where faculty of color might otherwise be overlooked or misunderstood. Counselor educators and supervisors may consider how the structural elements of the MFP could be replicated within their programs in addition to the focus on clinical and multicultural training, mentorships, networking, and a collaborative student experience, with emphasis placed on addressing cultural factors to create a supportive environment for students and faculty of color (Shillingford et al., 2013). Such an endeavor requires intentionality through an honest evaluation of CES program recruitment and retention practices of faculty of color (Baggerly et al., 2017), an examination of how multiculturalism and social justice are infused throughout the program (Spanierman & Smith, 2017), and ongoing program assessment.

Limitations and Recommendations for Future Research

One significant limitation is the low number of survey responses. Although we had access to survey responses from cohort members between 2013 through 2018, approximately one third of the 158 fellows across the six cohorts responded to the surveys. Therefore, the findings cannot be generalized to all MFP fellows’ experiences. Given this limitation, future reviews should include larger numbers of cohort data. To address this limitation, in 2020, MFP administrators initiated a fellow engagement committee to encourage ongoing fellow participation after fellowship completion as well as enforce stricter regulations surrounding survey completion (M. Davis, personal communication, June 29, 2020).

In addition, only one out of the nine short-answer survey questions was selected for data analysis. The remaining survey data could be further analyzed for a more in-depth examination of respondent experiences. Future research should include qualitative studies to gain greater clarity on fellow experiences in order to better understand what aspects of the MFP structure were perceived as most beneficial as well as MFP fellow recommendations for improvements to the program. Additional quantitative research focusing on fellow self-efficacy within counselor education could be conducted utilizing pre- and post-fellowship year assessments. Another area deserving attention is how the NBCC MFP might recruit and maintain more male-identifying applicants of color given the lower number of males awarded MFP fellowships. Finally, exploration examining counselor education faculty awareness of the MFP would be helpful to learn how to reach a broader audience of potential doctoral applicants.

Conclusion

Since 2012, the SAMHSA-grant funded MFP in collaboration with NBCC has awarded 158 fellowships to CES doctoral students throughout the country. This article reviewed the most recent demographics reflecting diverse representation within counselor education and included challenges encountered by counselor education faculty of color. Next, descriptive outcome data and qualitative themes culled from MFP fellow survey responses were presented. The findings demonstrate evidence that the goals of the NBCC MFP to promote diverse representation within counselor education are being met.

Conflict of Interest and Funding Disclosure
The authors reported no conflict of interest
or funding contributions for the development
of this manuscript.

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Susan F. Branco, PhD, NCC, ACS, BC-TMH, LPC, LCPC, is a clinical assistant professor at The Family Institute at Northwestern University. Melonie Davis, MA, NCC, LCMHC-A, is Professional Development Coordinator for the National Board for Certified Counselors Foundation. Correspondence may be addressed to Susan Branco, 618 Library Place, Evanston, IL 60201, susan.branco@northwestern.edu.

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