Culturally Responsive Counseling for Clients of European American Descent

This chapter explores the features of working with clients of European American descent in a counseling context. Racial identity development models and counseling competencies are reviewed and applied to clients of European American descent. Due to a history of White supremacy in the development of the counseling field, White allyship is explored as a tool to combat the centering of Whiteness and to foster solidarity with non-White groups in the United States. Additionally, professional initiatives, such as the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies (MSJCC), give direction on how to help clients from a variety of backgrounds. Implications for practice are contextualized within developmental considerations present across the life span.