“Our lives don’t matter”

An exploration of the experiences of Black trainee counselling psychologists studying on a doctoral course in the UK

Bibliographic Data

ID21516342
AuthorsIreoluwa Sobogun (University of London, corresponding author), Ohemaa Nkansa-Dwamena (0000-0003-4599-0717, University of London)
Year2025
Pages1-20
Publication date2025-09-29
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueBritish Journal of Guidance and Counselling (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0306-9885 • E-ISSN: 1469-3534
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/03069885.2025.2553917
OpenAlexW4414592669
LanguageEN
References cited33

Black individuals continue to be underrepresented in counselling psychology (CoP) training in the U.K., despite documented and anecdotal evidence supporting the importance of having a diverse mental health workforce in the country. There is a scarcity of empirical research seeking to gain a better understanding of the experiences of Black CoP trainees and systemic disparities within the field. This paper presents qualitative research which explored the experiences of Black trainee CoPs enrolled in doctoral courses in the UK. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), eight semi-structured interviews were conducted. Findings yielded four superordinate themes, each with two-four sub-themes: a) Identity, b) Black and in training, c) The challenge of balancing various professional and personal demands, d) Recommendations and suggestions to improve access and representation of Black individuals within the CoP field. Implications for CoP practice, training and the profession are discussed

Career Pathways · Empirical research · Interpretative phenomenological analysis · Mental health · Qualitative research · Scarcity · Superordinate goals · Workforce · Doctoral Education Challenges and Solutions · Global Health Workforce Issues · Occupational Therapy Practice and Research

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Open DOIOpen Access