Chapter 4: Individual Counseling and Black Males Living in Urban Contexts

Within the counseling and educational literature, accounts of the lived experiences and challenges facing urban Black male students are abundant. However, too little attention has been dedicated to the role individual counseling can play in the lives of these youth. The American School Counseling Association (ASCA, 2012) clearly articulates a comprehensive school counseling framework that empowers school counselors, as uniquely qualified professionals, to address students’ needs (i.e., academic, career, personal, and social) through developmentally appropriate interventions. In this chapter, the authors briefly explore Young’s (2000) notion of cultural imperialism and the creation of the cultural other, and the consequences this othering can have on urban Black male students’ lives. Furthermore, the authors explore Clare’s (2009) concept of decolonization and its relevance to school counselors’ individual counseling practices with urban Black male students. In particular, the authors contend Clare’s ideas on decolonization and Rogers’s personcentered tenets of empathy, genuineness, and unconditional positive regard can provide school counselors with a more humanistic framework that can positively impact the lives of urban Black male students. The authors conclude with practical recommendations for counselors and educators to assist urban Black male students in their educational and career pursuits.