Abstract
The experience of racism and discrimination in the therapy room has largely been studied from the perspective of clients who are people of color (POC). There is little literature on when the clinician is a POC and on the receiving end of discrimination from their client. The purpose of this pilot study is to give voice to the experience of discrimination directed towards clinicians of color (COC) in their clinical work and how they navigated the discrimination. A heuristic phenomenological approach was chosen for this pilot study. A total of 20 participants completed the study, with 17 female and three male identified participants. Eight identified as Hispanic/Latino, seven identified as Black/African American, and five as Asian/Asian American. We constructed two main themes that illuminate participants’ experience of discrimination from their clients: Maintaining Therapeutic Engagement and Clinician Responses. The findings suggest that COC who experience discrimination are affected by the event. However, despite personal discomfort, clinicians continued to provide therapeutic care in an ethical and respectful manner. Clinical and supervisory implications are provided.