Racial-Cultural Events and Microaggressions in Group Counseling as Perceived by Group Counseling Members of Color

This dissertation study explored racial-cultural events and microaggressions in group counseling from the perspective of members of color. Seventeen participants were selected for the study, each completing a demographic questionnaire and completing a semi-structured phone interview. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, verified, and then analyzed according to the grounded theory methodology. Participants resided in either the United States or the United Kingdom and had participated in or were currently in counseling groups. The purpose of the interviews was to explore participants\u27 overall group counseling experience, how they experienced racial-cultural events in their groups, and if they witnessed or experienced microaggressions within their counseling groups. Results of the study suggested that internally- and externally-initiated racial-cultural events impact members of color and members of color do experience microaggressions in their groups. Further, the study illuminated the inhibited, impeded, and completed trajectories of racial-cultural events, the characteristics of participants\u27 responding, and groups\u27 antitherapeutic, nontherapeutic, and therapeutic responses; and that racial-cultural events in group counseling have intrapersonal and interpersonal impacts on members of color. Clinical, training, and theoretical implications are discussed