The Lived Experiences of Queer Faculty Working in CACREP-Accredited Counselor Education Programs

Queer professionals have historically experienced discrimination, persecution, and oppression in the workplace. While the field of counselor education has ethical and accreditation standards that require multicultural inclusion and competence, no empirical studies currently explore the experiences of queer counselor educators in the workplace. An interpretive phenomenological approach was used to explore the experiences of queer faculty working in CACREP-accredited counselor education programs. Four participants completed semi-structured interviews, resulting in the development of four themes: 1) career journey, 2) visibility matters, 3) if not us then who, and 4) work in progress. These themes were used to provide implications for counselor education programs. Recommendations for future research related to this topic were also provided based on the findings of the study.