Racial Microaggressions: A Primer with Implications for Counseling Practice

Given their societal toll and ubiquitous nature, counselors and other mental health professionals inevitably will encounter clients who have experienced racial microaggressions in their practice. In this primer, we examine key issues relative to racial microaggressions and their impact on the lives of members of racial and ethnic minority groups. Drawing on burgeoning research, we also address likely coping strategies. Finally, we offer implications for mental health training and counseling practice. Throughout, we highlight the evident resilience of racial and ethnic minority individuals in the context of racial microaggressions.