Counseling Black Men and Boys with Excellence

Counseling Black Men and Boys with Excellence: Exploring Career, Clinical, and School Contexts is a groundbreaking and urgently needed contribution to the fields of counseling, education, and mental health. As a scholar who investigates the intersections of race, structural racism, and well-being in STEM, I recognize the profound importance of this volume in addressing the systemic inequities that Black males face across their lifespans. The editors and contributors powerfully dismantle deficit narratives and instead center Black fathers, sons, and communities through frameworks of resistance, cultural affirmation, and liberation.

The book’s emphasis on culturally relevant theories—such as Black Psychology, Liberation Psychology, and Optimal Conceptual Theory—resonates deeply with my own work on equity ethics and the mental health toll of racialized stress. The chapters on Black fatherhood, career development, and school readiness offer actionable insights for practitioners, while challenging policymakers and researchers to reimagine systems that too often fail Black boys and men.

This volume is not just a resource; it is a call to action. It equips counselors, educators, and advocates with the tools to foster healing, empowerment, and joy in Black male clients. As someone committed to dismantling structural barriers in STEM and beyond, I celebrate this book as a vital blueprint for transformative practice. It is essential reading for anyone dedicated to ensuring that Black males thrive—academically, professionally, and holistically.

-- Jesse R. Ford, PhD, Associate Professor, Higher Director, Collaborative for Black Men Success, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Counseling Black Men and Boys with Excellence: Exploring Career, Clinical, and School Contexts is an essential resource that equips practitioners, researchers, and policymakers with culturally responsive, strengths-based, and innovative strategies to support Black males across clinical, educational, and career contexts. This timely volume challenges deficit narratives and offers actionable guidance that belongs in the hands of every counseling professional.

-- Paul C. Harris, Ph.D.Associate Professor, Department of Counseling and Special Education, Virginia Commonwealth University

This text centers and celebrates the intentional work of counseling Black men and boys while clearly guiding readers through contextual considerations that impact both their wellbeing and survival. It weaves poignant scholarship throughout while inviting us to wholly view Black men and boys in their full contexts. The authors are clear, honest, and focused on avenues toward thriving. The spirit of activated advocacy is carried forth throughout this text; resulting in a textbook that is engaging, timely, and alive!

-- Latoya Haynes-Thoby, PhD, LPC, ACS, NCC, CCTP-II, Assistant Professor, Counselor Education, University of Connecticut

The challenges confronting Black boys and men are painfully real, rooted in centuries of systemic racism, structural oppression, and accumulated disadvantage. Despite enduring immense harm, Black men and boys continue to grapple with grief, pain, and the struggle for self-actualization within a society that has consistently marginalized them. Fortunately, an impressive group of transformative scholars has illuminated a path forward, offering evidence-based solutions and emphasizing the crucial importance of culturally responsive healing approaches tailored to Black men and boys. These influential thinkers remind us that while counseling and therapy are vital, we must resist reverting to generic, one-size-fits-all models. Hines, Steen, and Moore underscore that when counseling is culturally attuned, innovative, persistent, and truly accessible, Black men and boys not only can heal—they will heal and subsequently thrive.

Counseling Black Men and Boys with Excellence is essential reading for practitioners, policymakers, and all those committed to fostering genuine love, support, hope, and healing within Black communities. For anyone serious about transformative change, this work is both a guide and an urgent call to action.

-- Tyrone C. Howard, Ph.D.Professor of Education, Pritzker Family Endowed Chair of Education, Director, UCLA Black Male Institute, University of California, Los Angeles. Past President, American Educational Research Association

The editors of this book have created an exceptional resource for counselors who serve both as practitioners and researchers. Regardless of the counselor's cultural background, this text stands as a valuable contribution to the profession and an effective tool for those committed to advancing counseling practice and scholarship.

-- Clifford H. Mack, Jr., Ph.D.Professional School Counselor, Calvary Christian Academy

Counseling Black Men and Boys with Excellence: Exploring Career, Clinical, and School Contexts is an essential and timely contribution to the field of counseling. Coedited by Dr. Erik M. Hines, Dr. Sammy Steen, and Dr. James L. Moore III, this book bridges theory, practice, and policy to provide a multidimensional framework for working effectively with Black males across the lifespan.

What sets this book apart is its intentional focus on the lived experiences of Black boys and men in both school and community mental health contexts, making it a broadly applicable and deeply resonant resource for counselors, educators, and mental health professionals. The inclusion of culturally grounded theories such as the Optimal Theory, as well as real-world cultural references—ranging from music and film to iconic Black artists—makes the material highly relatable and impactful.

The book thoughtfully addresses the challenges Black fathers face while navigating anti-Black systems, offering practical strategies and culturally relevant insights that empower both practitioners and the individuals they serve. Most notably, the book is rich with diverse, actionable techniques specifically tailored to Black male cultural experiences—tools that have been sorely lacking in traditional training materials.

This book is a must-have for any professional seeking to work with excellence, intentionality, and cultural competence in support of Black men and Black boys.

-- V. Simone May, PhD, LMHC, Assistant Teaching Professor. Clinical Mental Health Counseling Clinical Coordinator, Educational Psychology and Learning Systems, Florida State University

Counseling Black Men and Boys with Excellence: Exploring Career, Clinical, and School Contexts is a groundbreaking and urgently needed contribution to the fields of counseling, education, and mental health. As a scholar who investigates the intersections of race, structural racism, and well-being in STEM, I recognize the profound importance of this volume in addressing the systemic inequities that Black males face across their lifespans. The editors and contributors powerfully dismantle deficit narratives and instead center Black fathers, sons, and communities through frameworks of resistance, cultural affirmation, and liberation.

The book’s emphasis on culturally relevant theories—such as Black Psychology, Liberation Psychology, and Optimal Conceptual Theory—resonates deeply with my own work on equity ethics and the mental health toll of racialized stress. The chapters on Black fatherhood, career development, and school readiness offer actionable insights for practitioners, while challenging policymakers and researchers to reimagine systems that too often fail Black boys and men.This volume is not just a resource; it is a call to action. It equips counselors, educators, and advocates with the tools to foster healing, empowerment, and joy in Black male clients. As someone committed to dismantling structural barriers in STEM and beyond, I celebrate this bookas a vital blueprint for transformative practice. It is essential reading for anyone dedicated to ensuring that Black males thrive—academically, professionally, and holistically

-- Dr. Ebony O. McGee, Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Innovation and Inclusion in the STEM Ecosystem, Johns Hopkins University. Founder, R-RIGHTS (Racial Revolutionary and Inclusive Guidance for Health Throughout STEM)

This essential volume transcends traditional deficit-based narratives to uplift a profound truth: Black boys and men deserve more than survival. They deserve to thrive, actualize their fullest potential, and live with purpose across every stage of their lives. The chapters demonstrate how culturally grounded counseling approaches can transform therapeutic practice from simply helping Black boys and men cope with systemic barriers to empowering them to flourish despite and beyond those barriers, solidifying tools to pay it forward to future generations. From the Optimal Conceptual Theory's focus on reconstructing fractured worldviews to the reimagined 'three Ps' that call us to protect Black joy rather than just prevent harm, these authors challenge us to see Black boys and men through a lens of infinite possibility. What strikes me most powerfully is how this work bridges individual healing with collective liberation, offering both theoretical frameworks and practical interventions that honor the full humanity and potential of Black boys and men. For counselors, educators, researchers, and anyone committed to authentic allyship, this book provides the roadmap for moving beyond crisis intervention to life affirmation.

-- Felix Morton, IV, Ph.D.Core Teaching Faculty, Northwestern University

Erik M. Hines, Sammy Steen, and James L. Moore III’s Counseling Black Men and Boys with Excellence is the next great important find for all who work within our communities. The attention to career, mental health, and school counseling interweaves theoretical frameworks with practical solutions to counter maladaptive issues which have left Black men and boys miredin disparity. Each chapter provides a comprehensive and unique blend of analysis from contributors who are the foremost leaders with a multidisciplinary lens offering culturally relevant recommendations for reviewers to consider. This book on the research of Black men andboys will build on the scholarship greatly to the understanding of how to support, advocate, and create change for generations to come.

-- Ezekiel Peebles III, CEO and Clinical Director, Key Counseling & Consultation

The upcoming book, Counseling Black Men and Boys with Excellence: Exploring Career, Clinical, and School Contexts is a vital resource for practitioners, educators, and policymakers dedicated to supporting Black males across diverse settings. This collection of chapters thoughtfully addresses the unique challenges and strengths of Black men and boys, highlighting culturally responsive strategies to overcome systemic barriers such as racism and racial fatigue in career counseling. It also emphasizes the importance of elevating the underrepresented narratives of Black fathers and advocates for innovative, culturally relevant counseling practices, including the integration of gaming, Hip Hop, and podcasting within educational environments. By emphasizing evidence-based approaches that are culturally relevant, this book offers practical recommendations for fostering resilience, authenticity, and holistic well-being, making it a valuable tool for promoting equity and excellence when counseling Black males.

-- Paul Singleton, Ph.D.School Counselor, Director of the LEAP leadership & mentoring Program, The Potomac School

As a higher education leader, mentor, and advocate deeply committed to the holistic advancement of Black men and boys, I wholeheartedly endorse "Counseling Black Men and Boys with Excellence: Exploring Career, Clinical, and School Contexts." This essential and timely contribution to the counseling profession represents one of our most pressing social justice imperatives, as Drs. Hines, Steen, and Moore have assembled a powerful collection of scholarship that moves beyond deficit-based narratives to offer unapologetically affirming, strength-centered approaches to supporting Black males across life's most pivotal domains. The contributors demonstrate sophisticated understanding of how systemic racism, racial battle fatigue, and structural barriers impact Black men and boys, while simultaneously providing practitioners with concrete, evidence-based interventions grounded in African psychology, optimal theory, and other culturally relevant frameworks that center Black excellence and joy. From career development considerations that honor the collectivist values many Black males bring to individualistic work environments, to affirming the ethic of care that Black fathers embody in protecting, providing for, and preparing their children, this volume offers both theoretical depth and practical wisdom rooted in resilience, creativity, and collective healing. Every counselor, counselor educator, and mental health professional working with Black males, or seeking to better understand how to create affirming, empowering therapeutic relationships with this population, needs this essential blueprint on their shelf and in their practice to uplift Black men and boys with excellence and intention.

-- Jasmin L. Spain, M.Ed.U Good, Bro?! Inc.™ | Founder & Presi