When You Are the "Other": A Scoping Review of the Experiences of Clinicians of Color Working With White Clients

• Published in: Journal of counseling psychology Vol. 71; no. 3; pp. 170 - 178
• Main Authors: Choe, Elise J. Y., Blake, Jasmine, Huenergarde, Morgan C., Wells, Liz S., Srisarajivakul, Emily N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Psychological Association 01-04-2024
• Subjects: Clients; Clinicians; Color; Health behavior; Human; Humility; Life Experiences; Literature reviews; Mental health; Mental Health Programs; Mental health services; People of Color; Psychologists; Sociocultural Factors; cultural humility; psychologists of color; therapists of color; clinicians of color
• ISSN: 0022-0167; 1939-2168
• DOI: 10.1037/cou0000729

With an ever-diversifying population and society, intercultural dynamics has been a topic of interest for many years. This is especially true within the mental health profession, as the effects of clinician bias and behaviors on client outcomes have been studied and documented many times over. However, often times these studies focus on the White clinician and client of color dynamic, with focus on the White clinician's way of being or competency and the resulting perceptions of the client of color. The opposite dynamic, that of a clinician of color with a White client, has often been overlooked and ignored. Yet, with more clinicians of color (COCs) entering the field, and with demand of mental health services increasing, this unique dynamic needs to be understood. The experiences of COCs when they are the "other" within the room is unique and not well-documented. A scoping review of the literature is conducted to examine what research has been conducted on COCs working with White clients. A total of four articles were included in the final review, and the types of research being conducted, risks of micro- and macroaggressions, the different strategies utilized, and the unique needs of COCs are analyzed and summarized. This study adds to this budding conversation by examining the extant literature on COC's experiences. Results of the limited literature and hopeful future directions are discussed, including a discussion on cultural humility as a critical factor in individual and systemic change.
Public Significance Statement
This scoping review on the experiences of clinicians of color (COCs) working with White clients suggests that COCs not only have a different professional experience than their White colleagues but also lack the proper training and support to address client-led microaggressions and negative experiences. More nuanced understanding of the unique experiences of COCs is imperative to guide systemic change for the field.