Broaching Race, Ethnicity, and Culture: Examining Counselor Trainees’ Growth Through Experiential Training

ABSTRACT This study examined the development of counselor trainees’ ( n = 26) broaching skills over a 15‐week multicultural–social justice counseling course using pre‐ and posttest video vignette responses. Grounded in the Multidimensional Model of Broaching Behavior and the Multicultural Orientation framework, this study evaluated growth across five key dimensions: directness in broaching, validation of client experience, depth of exploration, conciseness and clarity, and comfort and confidence in broaching. Content analysis revealed meaningful gains in trainees’ ability to explicitly name race, acknowledge systemic discrimination, and foster safe, culturally responsive spaces for clients. The findings underscore that broaching is both a technical and relational skill that requires practice, reflection, and cultural humility. Implications for integrating broaching skill development into counselor education curricula and directions for future research are discussed.