Chapter 11: Enhancing Counseling Services for Black Men Collegians: A Culturally Engaging Counseling Approach

Black men face numerous challenges in accessing, navigating, and persisting in higher education, especially given the ways that they are challenged and troubled across the educational continuum. Scholars have identified racism and stereotyping, antiblackness, microaggressions, and hostile campus environments as obstacles that undermine Black men’s academic performances and outcomes as well as their psychological health and functioning during their college years. These challenges and obstacles must be taken into account in both theory and practice. The culturally engaging counseling approach builds on cultural responsiveness to strengthen the practices used by institutional agents and for enhancing how Black men collegians are served and supported. Four main dimensions of the approach are described, connecting with and expanding upon practices that contribute to Black men’s health and wellness. This conceptualization provides a foundation for college counseling to support and strengthen the health and wellness of Black men collegians.