Promoting Anti-Racism and Critical Consciousness through a Critical Counseling Theories Course

Abstract

Racism is alive and well in the United States. To promote critical consciousness and anti-racism in counselors-in-training, the counseling theories course, typically a student’s introduction to the profession, requires revision. Thus, we propose a critical counseling theories course. In this course we argue critical theories (multicultural theory, social constructivism, feminist theory, and critical race theory) and neurocounseling theory should be centered; introducing theories that are relevant to our current sociopolitical reality and that promote the values of anti-racism in the counseling profession. In this article we describe the critical counseling theories course structure, instructional approach, and assignments. Data from student evaluations, instructor reflections, and student focus groups add to the justification that a critical counseling theories course could successfully instill critical consciousness in counselors-in-training and in turn promote anti-racism in counseling theory and practice.

Keywords

• critical counseling theories
• anti-racism
• critical consciousness
• critical race theory
• counselor education