Intersectionality in Research: Call for Inclusive, Decolonized, and Culturally Sensitive Research Designs in Counselor Education

Abstract

With the increasing growth of diversity and attention to intersectionality within our society, it is more important than ever that counselor researchers intentionally use methods that underscore the complex people we seek to serve. The Association for Assessment and Research in Counseling (AARC), as a division of the American Counseling Association (ACA), is especially committed to promoting diversity through novel methodological avenues and frameworks. Moreover, the AARC Diversity Committee encourages researchers in the field of counseling, and counselor education and supervision, to expand their research praxis to embody inclusive, decolonized, and culturally sensitive research practices. Suggestions and implications for inclusive, decolonized, and culturally sensitive research practices within the scope of counseling research are included.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jyotsana Sharma

Jyotsana Sharma, PhD, LCMHC (NH), NCC, ACS, is an Assistant Professor at Oklahoma State University in the department of Counseling and Counseling Psychology. Her research is focused on exploring socio-cultural contexts and their effect on trauma recovery and post trauma growth, specifically in the context of interpersonal violence.

C. Peeper McDonald, PhD, LPC (GA), ACS, NCC, is an Assistant Professor of Counseling at Mercer University. Her research interests include professional identity, social justice and advocacy issues, and multicultural issues in counseling.

Dr. Kenya G. Bledsoe is an Assistant Professor of Counselor Education at The University of Mississippi. Dr. Bledsoe’s research interests include supervision of school counselors, students from underrepresented backgrounds, and anti-racist school counseling.

Ramona I. Grad is an Assistant Professor at University of Texas at Tyler. Her clinical and research interests center around two main areas: early childhood trauma as manifested in adults and posttraumatic growth.

Kalesha D. Jenkins, PhD, LPC, NCC, is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati and specializes in multiculturalism and social justice. Her research focuses on self-awareness in multi­cultural competency development and her clinical practice focuses on trauma, specifically racial, generational and historical traumas.

David Moran recently graduated from his doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision from Old Dominion University. David’s research interest includes developing and validating strength-based assessments for Hispanic/Latino students in Grades K–12.

Caroline O’Hara, PhD, LPC (GA), NCC, is a scholar and advocate working as an Assistant Professor at Syracuse University. She primarily publishes and presents in the areas of microaggressions, social justice, and advocacy (both client and professional).

Danielle Pester is the Research Director for the Center for the Study of Community Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Her research focuses on the social determinants of mental health, culturally responsive training and intervention practices, the advocate identity of the counseling profession, and community-engaged scholarship.

C. Peeper McDonald

Jyotsana Sharma, PhD, LCMHC (NH), NCC, ACS, is an Assistant Professor at Oklahoma State University in the department of Counseling and Counseling Psychology. Her research is focused on exploring socio-cultural contexts and their effect on trauma recovery and post trauma growth, specifically in the context of interpersonal violence.

C. Peeper McDonald, PhD, LPC (GA), ACS, NCC, is an Assistant Professor of Counseling at Mercer University. Her research interests include professional identity, social justice and advocacy issues, and multicultural issues in counseling.

Dr. Kenya G. Bledsoe is an Assistant Professor of Counselor Education at The University of Mississippi. Dr. Bledsoe’s research interests include supervision of school counselors, students from underrepresented backgrounds, and anti-racist school counseling.

Ramona I. Grad is an Assistant Professor at University of Texas at Tyler. Her clinical and research interests center around two main areas: early childhood trauma as manifested in adults and posttraumatic growth.

Kalesha D. Jenkins, PhD, LPC, NCC, is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati and specializes in multiculturalism and social justice. Her research focuses on self-awareness in multi­cultural competency development and her clinical practice focuses on trauma, specifically racial, generational and historical traumas.

David Moran recently graduated from his doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision from Old Dominion University. David’s research interest includes developing and validating strength-based assessments for Hispanic/Latino students in Grades K–12.

Caroline O’Hara, PhD, LPC (GA), NCC, is a scholar and advocate working as an Assistant Professor at Syracuse University. She primarily publishes and presents in the areas of microaggressions, social justice, and advocacy (both client and professional).

Danielle Pester is the Research Director for the Center for the Study of Community Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Her research focuses on the social determinants of mental health, culturally responsive training and intervention practices, the advocate identity of the counseling profession, and community-engaged scholarship.

Kenya G. Bledsoe

Jyotsana Sharma, PhD, LCMHC (NH), NCC, ACS, is an Assistant Professor at Oklahoma State University in the department of Counseling and Counseling Psychology. Her research is focused on exploring socio-cultural contexts and their effect on trauma recovery and post trauma growth, specifically in the context of interpersonal violence.

C. Peeper McDonald, PhD, LPC (GA), ACS, NCC, is an Assistant Professor of Counseling at Mercer University. Her research interests include professional identity, social justice and advocacy issues, and multicultural issues in counseling.

Dr. Kenya G. Bledsoe is an Assistant Professor of Counselor Education at The University of Mississippi. Dr. Bledsoe’s research interests include supervision of school counselors, students from underrepresented backgrounds, and anti-racist school counseling.

Ramona I. Grad is an Assistant Professor at University of Texas at Tyler. Her clinical and research interests center around two main areas: early childhood trauma as manifested in adults and posttraumatic growth.

Kalesha D. Jenkins, PhD, LPC, NCC, is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati and specializes in multiculturalism and social justice. Her research focuses on self-awareness in multi­cultural competency development and her clinical practice focuses on trauma, specifically racial, generational and historical traumas.

David Moran recently graduated from his doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision from Old Dominion University. David’s research interest includes developing and validating strength-based assessments for Hispanic/Latino students in Grades K–12.

Caroline O’Hara, PhD, LPC (GA), NCC, is a scholar and advocate working as an Assistant Professor at Syracuse University. She primarily publishes and presents in the areas of microaggressions, social justice, and advocacy (both client and professional).

Danielle Pester is the Research Director for the Center for the Study of Community Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Her research focuses on the social determinants of mental health, culturally responsive training and intervention practices, the advocate identity of the counseling profession, and community-engaged scholarship.

Ramona I. Grad

Jyotsana Sharma, PhD, LCMHC (NH), NCC, ACS, is an Assistant Professor at Oklahoma State University in the department of Counseling and Counseling Psychology. Her research is focused on exploring socio-cultural contexts and their effect on trauma recovery and post trauma growth, specifically in the context of interpersonal violence.

C. Peeper McDonald, PhD, LPC (GA), ACS, NCC, is an Assistant Professor of Counseling at Mercer University. Her research interests include professional identity, social justice and advocacy issues, and multicultural issues in counseling.

Dr. Kenya G. Bledsoe is an Assistant Professor of Counselor Education at The University of Mississippi. Dr. Bledsoe’s research interests include supervision of school counselors, students from underrepresented backgrounds, and anti-racist school counseling.

Ramona I. Grad is an Assistant Professor at University of Texas at Tyler. Her clinical and research interests center around two main areas: early childhood trauma as manifested in adults and posttraumatic growth.

Kalesha D. Jenkins, PhD, LPC, NCC, is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati and specializes in multiculturalism and social justice. Her research focuses on self-awareness in multi­cultural competency development and her clinical practice focuses on trauma, specifically racial, generational and historical traumas.

David Moran recently graduated from his doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision from Old Dominion University. David’s research interest includes developing and validating strength-based assessments for Hispanic/Latino students in Grades K–12.

Caroline O’Hara, PhD, LPC (GA), NCC, is a scholar and advocate working as an Assistant Professor at Syracuse University. She primarily publishes and presents in the areas of microaggressions, social justice, and advocacy (both client and professional).

Danielle Pester is the Research Director for the Center for the Study of Community Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Her research focuses on the social determinants of mental health, culturally responsive training and intervention practices, the advocate identity of the counseling profession, and community-engaged scholarship.

Kalesha D. Jenkins

Jyotsana Sharma, PhD, LCMHC (NH), NCC, ACS, is an Assistant Professor at Oklahoma State University in the department of Counseling and Counseling Psychology. Her research is focused on exploring socio-cultural contexts and their effect on trauma recovery and post trauma growth, specifically in the context of interpersonal violence.

C. Peeper McDonald, PhD, LPC (GA), ACS, NCC, is an Assistant Professor of Counseling at Mercer University. Her research interests include professional identity, social justice and advocacy issues, and multicultural issues in counseling.

Dr. Kenya G. Bledsoe is an Assistant Professor of Counselor Education at The University of Mississippi. Dr. Bledsoe’s research interests include supervision of school counselors, students from underrepresented backgrounds, and anti-racist school counseling.

Ramona I. Grad is an Assistant Professor at University of Texas at Tyler. Her clinical and research interests center around two main areas: early childhood trauma as manifested in adults and posttraumatic growth.

Kalesha D. Jenkins, PhD, LPC, NCC, is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati and specializes in multiculturalism and social justice. Her research focuses on self-awareness in multi­cultural competency development and her clinical practice focuses on trauma, specifically racial, generational and historical traumas.

David Moran recently graduated from his doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision from Old Dominion University. David’s research interest includes developing and validating strength-based assessments for Hispanic/Latino students in Grades K–12.

Caroline O’Hara, PhD, LPC (GA), NCC, is a scholar and advocate working as an Assistant Professor at Syracuse University. She primarily publishes and presents in the areas of microaggressions, social justice, and advocacy (both client and professional).

Danielle Pester is the Research Director for the Center for the Study of Community Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Her research focuses on the social determinants of mental health, culturally responsive training and intervention practices, the advocate identity of the counseling profession, and community-engaged scholarship.

David Moran

Jyotsana Sharma, PhD, LCMHC (NH), NCC, ACS, is an Assistant Professor at Oklahoma State University in the department of Counseling and Counseling Psychology. Her research is focused on exploring socio-cultural contexts and their effect on trauma recovery and post trauma growth, specifically in the context of interpersonal violence.

C. Peeper McDonald, PhD, LPC (GA), ACS, NCC, is an Assistant Professor of Counseling at Mercer University. Her research interests include professional identity, social justice and advocacy issues, and multicultural issues in counseling.

Dr. Kenya G. Bledsoe is an Assistant Professor of Counselor Education at The University of Mississippi. Dr. Bledsoe’s research interests include supervision of school counselors, students from underrepresented backgrounds, and anti-racist school counseling.

Ramona I. Grad is an Assistant Professor at University of Texas at Tyler. Her clinical and research interests center around two main areas: early childhood trauma as manifested in adults and posttraumatic growth.

Kalesha D. Jenkins, PhD, LPC, NCC, is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati and specializes in multiculturalism and social justice. Her research focuses on self-awareness in multi­cultural competency development and her clinical practice focuses on trauma, specifically racial, generational and historical traumas.

David Moran recently graduated from his doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision from Old Dominion University. David’s research interest includes developing and validating strength-based assessments for Hispanic/Latino students in Grades K–12.

Caroline O’Hara, PhD, LPC (GA), NCC, is a scholar and advocate working as an Assistant Professor at Syracuse University. She primarily publishes and presents in the areas of microaggressions, social justice, and advocacy (both client and professional).

Danielle Pester is the Research Director for the Center for the Study of Community Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Her research focuses on the social determinants of mental health, culturally responsive training and intervention practices, the advocate identity of the counseling profession, and community-engaged scholarship.

Danielle Pester

Jyotsana Sharma, PhD, LCMHC (NH), NCC, ACS, is an Assistant Professor at Oklahoma State University in the department of Counseling and Counseling Psychology. Her research is focused on exploring socio-cultural contexts and their effect on trauma recovery and post trauma growth, specifically in the context of interpersonal violence.

C. Peeper McDonald, PhD, LPC (GA), ACS, NCC, is an Assistant Professor of Counseling at Mercer University. Her research interests include professional identity, social justice and advocacy issues, and multicultural issues in counseling.

Dr. Kenya G. Bledsoe is an Assistant Professor of Counselor Education at The University of Mississippi. Dr. Bledsoe’s research interests include supervision of school counselors, students from underrepresented backgrounds, and anti-racist school counseling.

Ramona I. Grad is an Assistant Professor at University of Texas at Tyler. Her clinical and research interests center around two main areas: early childhood trauma as manifested in adults and posttraumatic growth.

Kalesha D. Jenkins, PhD, LPC, NCC, is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati and specializes in multiculturalism and social justice. Her research focuses on self-awareness in multi­cultural competency development and her clinical practice focuses on trauma, specifically racial, generational and historical traumas.

David Moran recently graduated from his doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision from Old Dominion University. David’s research interest includes developing and validating strength-based assessments for Hispanic/Latino students in Grades K–12.

Caroline O’Hara, PhD, LPC (GA), NCC, is a scholar and advocate working as an Assistant Professor at Syracuse University. She primarily publishes and presents in the areas of microaggressions, social justice, and advocacy (both client and professional).

Danielle Pester is the Research Director for the Center for the Study of Community Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Her research focuses on the social determinants of mental health, culturally responsive training and intervention practices, the advocate identity of the counseling profession, and community-engaged scholarship.