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Abstract
This constructivist grounded theory study examined how working with students of color influences the racial identity development of White school counselors. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 practicing school counselors. The resulting data was analyzed using a constant comparative process, and a theoretical model outlining the process of racial identity development of White school counselors was generated grounded in the data. Life experiences, including exposure to people of color, exposure to other White people, educational experiences, emotional responses to racial situations, personal experiences with marginalization, relocation and travel, media and sociohistorical events, and school counseling experiences act as catalysts for change in the understanding of White racial identity. These changes help shape school counselors’ approach to their work, which, in turn, acts as an agent of change in racial identity in a bidirectional relationship.