Master's-Level Counseling Students of Color in Personal Growth Groups: A Phenomenological Study of Congruence

Abstract

This study investigated the phenomenon of congruence for students of color (N = 6) in master’s-level counseling programs using interpretive phenomenological analysis. The authors identified 3 main themes: (a) congruence-facilitating experiences (safety and necessity), (b) congruence-inhibiting experiences (micro- and macroaggressions and risks and consequences), and (c) personal and professional influences (microaggressive stress and interpersonal awareness and empathy).