Psychological research has shown the detrimental effects that overt heterosexism have on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) clients and on the psychotherapeutic relationship. However, the effects of subtle forms of discrimination, specifically sexual orientation microaggressions, have on LGBQ clients and the therapeutic relationship have not been addressed. This study used qualitative methodology to explore the phenomenon of sexual orientation microaggressions with 16 self-identified LGBQ psychotherapy clients. Results of this study support the existence of sexual orientation microaggressions within the therapeutic environment and provide a descriptive account of 7 sexual orientation microaggression themes, channels of microaggression communication, and the impact microaggressions have on therapy and clients.

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Psychological research has shown the detrimental effects that overt heterosexism have on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) clients and on the psychotherapeutic relationship. However, the effects of subtle forms of discrimination, specifically sexual orientation microaggressions, have on LGBQ clients and the therapeutic relationship have not been addressed. This study used qualitative methodology to explore the phenomenon of sexual orientation microaggressions with 16 self-identified LGBQ psychotherapy clients. Results of this study support the existence of sexual orientation microaggressions within the therapeutic environment and provide a descriptive account of 7 sexual orientation microaggression themes, channels of microaggression communication, and the impact microaggressions have on therapy and clients.

This article examined 796 empirical studies published in the Journal of Counseling Psychology, the Journal of Counseling and Development, and The Counseling Psychologist from 1990 to 1999 and found that only 457 (57%) reported racial and ethnic characteristics of research participants. From this data, an overall picture was generated of the racial and ethnic compositionof counselingand counseling psychology research participants: 78.2% White, 5.8% Asian American, 6.7% African American, 6.6% Hispanic, 0.9% Native American, and 0.1% multiracial. Compared to the overall U.S. population, Whites and Asian Americans were overrepresented, and African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans were underrepresented. There was limited information about how researchers gathered participants’ race and ethnicity information and on factors that might inform participants’experience as racial and ethnic beings (e.g., racial and ethnic identity, generation status, acculturation). Findings are compared and contrasted with previous reviews related to issues of race and ethnicity in counseling research.

In this article, a diverse group of early, mid, and advanced career scholars call for counseling psychology to continue to evolve in our integration of social justice action in our field. In doing so, we first consider our history as proponents and enactors of social justice, highlighting the ways in which counseling psychologists have served as social justice leaders in psychology. We then discuss our field’s contemporary challenges to, and opportunities for, social justice progress as we work toward equity and justice. Finally, we offer recommendations for counseling psychologists individually and as a field to move forward in our social justice action. Given our longstanding social justice values and our unique training as counseling psychologists, if we aim with intentionality to use our skills toward systems change, counseling psychologists are poised to have a strong and proactive role as social change agents within psychology and society at large.