Counseling Persons of African Descent: Raising the Bar of Practitioner Competence

"Counseling Persons of African Descent represents a major breakthrough in scholarship on African American psychology. Thomas Parham and contributors present a candid critique of standard therapeutic practice, they provide a clear conceptualization of African-centered psychology and the African American experience, and they provide mental health professionals with specific clinical tools to enhance therapeutic practice with African American clients."

-- Joseph G. Ponterotto

Though important strides have been made in the last three decades in the research efforts on African Americans, there continues to be a lack of significant new understanding about the impact of the African American culture on the therapy process and dynamics. This volume provides an in-depth analysis of the counseling literature pertaining to African American clients. Specifically, the analysis includes a review of the different variables (client, counselor, counseling process, and assessment) that have received the bulk of research attention. This sets the stage for the presentation of a counseling model for African American clients. The authors discuss philosophical premises upon which the model is based and suggest specific counseling strategies and interventions related to the model. Case study material is integrated throughout the chapters, focusing on individual and group approaches.

This volume is an important work for counseling professionals as well as for students in social work and counseling programs.