Mental health counselor trainees' advocacy identity development: A qualitative study

This qualitative, transcendental phenomenological study explored the perceptions of Mental Health counselors in training (CIT) who experienced the process of becoming a social justice advocate. To collect data, individual interviews were conducted with each of the ten participants using a series of field tested guided interview questions. The data was analyzed using the modified version of the Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen method of analysis of phenomenological data. The transcendental phenomenological approach, illuminated what was experienced and in what context the ten CIT participants experienced their process of becoming a social justice advocate. The findings from this study are among the first to provide empirical insights as to the CIT's process of becoming a social justice advocate. Specifically, the study's findings illuminated that a CIT's process of becoming a social justice advocate is continual and cyclical; requiring the CIT to experience internal and external experiences that occur within the contexts of conscious awareness and connectedness. Freire's critical pedagogical constructs of dialogue, reflection and action further support and extend meaning to the study's findings of the CITs process of becoming a social justice advocate. The implications of this study extend to training institutions, counselor educators and supervisors, and future and current CITs.