Description: 

This interactive therapy card deck is designed as a practical and reflective tool to help counselors address microaggressions in multicultural therapeutic settings. Drawing on research from the article “Addressing Racial and Ethnic Microaggressions in Therapy” by Jesse Owen et al., the deck emphasizes how microaggressions—subtle but harmful comments or behaviors—can significantly impact the therapeutic alliance. The research highlights that more than half of clients from racially and ethnically marginalized backgrounds report experiencing microaggressions in therapy, often leading to ruptures in trust. However, it also shows that when therapists acknowledge and address these missteps, the alliance can be repaired and even strengthened over time. 

Organized into four categories—Realistic Scenarios, Client Perspectives, Repair Strategies, and Self-Reflection Prompts—this deck supports multicultural counseling practices by promoting awareness, empathy, and cultural humility. The cards can be used for individual self-study, supervision discussions, or group training. Each card invites therapists to explore real-world situations, hear the client’s point of view, consider effective reparative actions, and reflect on their own cultural biases and assumptions. 

Whether you’re a student, counselor-in-training, or experienced clinician, this deck offers an accessible way to improve your responsiveness in diverse therapeutic relationships. It encourages continuous learning and helps practitioners cultivate a more inclusive and socially just approach to therapy. By engaging with these cards, therapists strengthen their ability to create inclusive, ethical, and healing spaces for all clients, fostering deeper trust and promoting meaningful, long-term change in the therapeutic process.

You can also view the therapy card deck here: Addressing Microaggressions in The Therapeutic Relationship 

Examples of Microaggressions

Client Perspectives 

Repair Strategies 

Self-Reflection Prompts 

References: Owen, J., Tao, K. W., Imel, Z. E., Wampold, B. E., & Rodolfa, E. (2014). Addressing racial and ethnic microaggressions in therapy. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 45(4), 283–290. https://doi org.offcampus.lib.washington.edu/10.1037/a0037420