Date of Conferral

4-30-2026

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Counselor Education and Supervision

Advisor

Jason Patton

Abstract

Black counselor educator mothers navigate intersecting identities. Despite growing attention to women of color, scholarship remains limited on how Black counselor educator mothers manage caregiving and professional duties. This gap contributes to practices that overlook labor, taxation, and strains that affect retention and the ability to thrive. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to answer the question of what the lived experiences of Black counselor educator mothers are as they navigate the intersecting identities of race, gender, and motherhood in their personal and professional lives. This study also answered the question of what meaning Black counselor educator mothers ascribe to balancing caregiving responsibilities, professional expectations, and systemic challenges within counselor education.. Guided by qualitative hermeneutic phenomenology and intersectionality theory, I conducted semistructured interviews with six Black counselor educator mothers. Data analysis using van Manen’s existentials yielded five themes: purpose as prevention and representation; invisible labor and survival costs; institutional space and negotiation; resilience, agency, and boundaries; and meaning-making through faith, time, and integration. Black mother solidarity functioned as a cross-cutting resource. Findings revealed that motherhood intensified professional purpose while producing cumulative strain and conditional belonging. Implications include recognizing invisible labor, providing cultural mentorship, ensuring equitable workloads, and offering intentional support. This study contributes to positive social change by amplifying Black counselor educator mothers’ voices and informing practices that promote faculty sustainability and belonging.

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