Preferred Name
Destini Moore
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
ORCID
https://orcid.org/0009-0002-0201-7124
Date of Graduation
5-14-2026
Semester of Graduation
Spring
Degree Name
Educational Specialist (EdS)
Department
Department of Graduate Psychology
First Advisor
Amanda Evans
Second Advisor
Kenson Hiatt
Third Advisor
Robin Anderson
Abstract
Black women in the United States are disproportionately impacted by race-based trauma. This then becomes the catalyst that sets off a cycle of generational trauma that is continually perpetuated by racism and oppressive systems. Despite the lopsided levels of trauma compared to other racial groups of women, Black women are less likely to seek out services to remedy their mental health concerns. Their issues are often minimized and overlooked within their community and in traditional counseling spaces. Traditional formats of care fail to account for the systemic and sociocultural forces that shape the ongoing experiences of Black women. This manuscript serves as a culturally responsive tool for counselors to utilize when considering facilitating group counseling, specifically for college-aged Black women who suffer from and wish to navigate through racial trauma, identity-related challenges, chronic stress, depression, and anxiety symptoms. With a foundation built upon anti-oppression theories, narrative therapy, and a trauma-informed framework, this manual synthesizes current research on how Black women have been, and continue to be, impacted by a long-standing history of oppressive and discriminatory constructs. Anti-blackness and the strong black woman trope (SBW) are both deeply ingrained in the culture that Black women have been raised in. Dismantling these harmful archetypes and building resilience against hurtful rhetoric is what this proposed group aims to do. This manual acts as a guide, outlining the weekly session design, recruitment and screening processes, group structure, as well as anticipated group outcomes, ultimately providing support to clinicians to assist with facilitating a group in an effective and culturally competent manner. Additionally, this project aims to deconstruct and address systemic barriers that are preventing access to Black women, while providing potential recommendations to increase accessibility and enhance inclusivity. By elevating Black women and centralizing their experiences, the goal is to promote collective healing while equipping counselors with the toolkit grounded in evidence-based practice for facilitation. This manual aims to provide culturally responsive guidelines that foster identity reclamation, resilience, and psychological well-being among Black women
