The Journey to Becoming a Culturally Inclusive Counselor

Dr. S. Kent Butler is a dedicated advocate for social justice and a passionate supporter of family, firmly believing in the power of community to uplift and inspire. As an esteemed educator and counselor, Dr. Butler emphasizes the importance of meeting individuals where they are, not to change them, but to provide pathways to self-discovery, self-love, and a genuine desire for positive change.

Dr. Butler holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology with a concentration in Counseling Psychology from the University of Connecticut. He is a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC) and a Nationally Certified School Counselor (NCSC). Currently, Dr. Butler serves as a Professor of Counselor Education at the University of Central Florida.

A former President of the American Counseling Association (2021-2022), Dr. Butler is also an ACA Fellow and previously hosted the ACA’s weekly vodcast, “The Voice of Counseling.” His leadership extends to the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD), where he served as President and ACA Governing Council Representative. Dr. Butler is a proud member of AMCD’s Multicultural Counseling Competencies Revisions Committee, which developed the Multicultural & Social Justice Counseling Competencies (MSJCC).

Dr. B has co-edited two influential textbooks: “Introduction to 21st Century Counseling: A Multicultural and Social Justice Approach,” which received the 2022 Most Promising New Textbook Award from the Textbook & Academic Authors Association, and the newly published “Intersectional Counseling Skills: The Journey to Becoming a Culturally Inclusive Counselor.” These works are seminal in guiding counselors to adopt multicultural and social justice perspectives in their practice.

Dr. Butler’s extensive experience includes crisis management work in New Orleans post-Hurricane Katrina and impactful outreach initiatives in South Africa and Botswana. In 2012, he began creating mission opportunities for AMCD members and study abroad opportunities for students to support South African women affected by violence.

As a Faculty Fellow for Inclusive Excellence within the University of Central Florida’s Office of the Provost, Dr. Butler contributed significantly to equity, inclusion, and diversity initiatives. He also served as the Chief Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Officer at UCF and is a National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education Fellow (2020-2021).

Dr. Butler’s research interests encompass Multicultural Counseling and Supervision, Social Justice Advocacy, Mentoring, Black Males, and International, Group, and School Counseling. He has served as Principal Investigator for The High-Risk Delinquent and Dependent Child Educational Research Project, which evolved into the UCF Young Knights Mentoring Project, supporting students at Hungerford Elementary School in Eatonville, FL.

Dr. Butler continues to inspire and guide future counselors and thought leaders as the faculty advisor for Chi Sigma Iota International Honor Society, the Counselor Education Doctoral Student Organization, Project for Haiti Knights, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He remains steadfast in his belief that “all that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing,” a sentiment that drives his commitment to social justice and community empowerment.

Dr. Butler’s distinguished career is marked by his dedication to fostering a more inclusive and equitable society. His leadership, scholarship, and mentorship have left an indelible impact on the field of counseling, setting a high standard for future generations of mental health professionals and extending its influence to our global society at large.