Journal of Counseling Psychology, Vol 73(5), Oct 2026, 583-596; doi:10.1037/cou0000866
Exploring the clinical supervision that Black men trainees in psychology receive can illuminate whether these trainees are being prepared to provide culturally responsive clinical services to individuals and communities of color. However, there are limited studies on Black men’s clinical supervision experiences, particularly those that are perceived as growth-promoting and attentive to racial issues. Using semistructured interviews from 27 Black men enrolled in counseling psychology doctoral programs, this study examined Black men’s perceptions of growth-promoting, race-inclusive multicultural supervision that they received in their training. Findings revealed one overarching theme of race matters in supervision, with three subthemes of (a) identity congruence contributes to shared racial understanding, (b) supervisor’s race and race-inclusive multicultural competence matter, and (c) overcoming cultural/racial mistrust. Regardless of the racial background of the supervisor, multiple themes were consistently identified in participants’ descriptions of growth-promoting, race-inclusive multicultural supervision. These elements included (a) positive perceptions of race talk quality, (b) integration of supervisees’ salient identities, (c) integration of supervisors’ salient identities, and (d) connection to professional resources and opportunities. These findings suggest that there are specific strategies that clinical supervisors can implement when supervising Black men to enhance their race-inclusive multicultural competence. Implications for research and training are discussed to improve Black men’s experiences in clinical settings. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved)