ABSTRACT
Dignity, it could be maintained, is a foundational value of humanistic and existential–humanistic psychology (Robbins, 2016). An essential part of embracing human potential entails recognizing the dignity of all people in their wholeness. The wherewithal to recognize the totality of human dignity to the extent of unconditionally embracing the human potential in any person regardless of status or marginalized groups is more often than not assuaged as a result of microaggressions. Operating within the mental health field should be predicated on multicultural awareness and approached from a phenomenological mindset so as not to ascribe the worldviews of the clinician upon the client. No one, however, is free from the impact of microaggressions. All are victims in one way or another through a social conditioning process that has imbued all humans with biases, fears, and stereotypes about others. One must be self-aware, and make a concerted attempt to see the world through the lenses of the individuals with whom contact is made. While a current trend is seeking to accept and objectionably “tolerate” others despite observable differences, an honest critique of existential–humanistic psychology through the perspective of multiculturalism and human dignity would prove that there are yet shortfalls to overcome. This chapter examines the insidious challenges and/or problems associated with microaggressions with an existential–humanistic lens, including their infringement on multiculturalism and human dignity.
