The Preparedness of Counselors in Training to Work with Transgender Clients: A Mixed Methods Investigation

Abstract

Although transgender people have increasingly become more visible, there still remains a dearth in the counseling literature regarding counselor preparation with this population. A mixed-method research study was designed to investigate the strengths and gaps in counselor preparedness regarding transgender individuals. In Phase 1, counselors in training (N = 87) from an urban university in the southeastern United States completed a questionnaire on transgender counseling competence. Phase 2 investigated the educative experiences of diverse counselors in training (N = 7) in two separate focus group interviews. The authors converged the results and discuss implications for professional counseling practice and preparation.

KEYWORDS:

• advocacy
• counselor education
• gender identity
• multicultural competence
• professional counseling
• transgender

Acknowledgments

Rebecca A. C. Blood is now at U.S. Army, Fort Hood, Texas.