10.1177/0011000004269058ARTICLETHE COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGIST / July 2005Utsey et al. / WHITE COUNSE R TRAINEES ’ REACTIONSExamining White Counselor Trainees’ Reactions to Racial Issues in Counseling and Supervision Dyads

This study examined the reactions of White counselor trainees to hypothetical, provoca-tive, cross-racial counseling and supervision dyads. It employed a qualitative methodol-ogy of inquiry to explore the underlying dynamics associated with cross-racial counsel-ing and supervision dyads. Working with a sample of 8 White male and female counselor trainees, a focus group interview was conducted using vignettes that depicted racial issues in counseling and supervision situations. The focus group interview was tran-scribed, and themes and categories that captured the complexity of the trainees ’ reac-tions to racially charged situations in counseling and supervision were identified. The implications of the study’s findings are discussed and direction is offered for future research in this area. Prior research has established the importance of openly addressing issues related to race and ethnicity as they arise in counseling (Bradby & Helms