Transcript Multicultural Counseling - Fellowship of Christian Counselors

Multicultural Counseling
Assistant Professor Michele Mallett
Fellowship of Christian Counselors
February 9, 2007
Objectives
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Define multiculturalism
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Theory related to multicultural counseling
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Multicultural counseling as a professional
discipline
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Cultural competence
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Tasks of the multicultural counselor
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Barriers to multicultural counseling
Defining Multiculturalism
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Multiculturalism—the professional disposition
to acknowledge and appreciate cultural
diversity.
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People vary by gender, race, ethnicity, religion, ability,
sexual orientation, social class, age, national origin,
and unique experiences over the course of life.
Putting Culture in Context
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Encompasses a collective reality of a group of
people that results in attitudes, behaviors, and
formed.
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Counseling has traditionally be a professional
discipline representative of European and European
American culture.
Culture as Ethnicity
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Dynamics considered in culturally responsive counseling
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Relationship between ethnic identity and
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Degree of acculturation
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Strong sense of ethnic identity/high degree of
acculturation
Weak sense of ethnic identity/high degree of acculturation
Strong sense of ethnic identity/low degree of
acculturation
Weak sense of ethnic identity/low degree of acculturation
Culture as Ethnicity
• Language
• Mastery of language implies mastery of culture
• Kinship influences
• Immediate and extended family, friends, or
community cultural resources
• Sex role socialization
• Awareness of how gender based differences
play into decision making and problem
resolution
Culture as Ethnicity
• Religious/spiritual influence
• Immigration experience
• Forced separation from homeland and family;
stress to conform to the dominant culture
• Historical hostility
• Long term pattern of exploitation and
oppression; can manifest in hostility to helper
and helping process
Theory related to
multicultural counseling
Cultural Identity Development
Theory
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Members of a particular
cultural group go through
different stages or
statuses marked by
different attitudes toward
their own and other
cultural groups
Attitudes and behaviors
are the result of a
cognitive and emotional
process surrounding
relationship to their own
cultural group
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The relationship one has
with those in their own
cultural group determines
their relationship to other
cultural groups
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Racial identity is a group
collective identity based
on common heritage with
that group
Adapting to Dominant Culture
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Individuals choose to deal with living in the
dominant culture that is different from their own
by:
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Moving toward
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Moving against
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Moving away
Adapting to Dominant Culture
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Lack of identification with the dominant culture
may result in:
• Isolation
• Passivity
• Increased stress
• Anxiety
• Depression
Constructivism vs. Social
Construction
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Constructivism—understanding of another
must access the meaning associated with a
particular action and the meaning being
understood within context.
•
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Counselor must interpret within context within culture
in which client functions
Social construction focus is on mutually-agreed
upon meaning of a particular group and their
role in shaping individual constructions.
Constructivism vs. Social
Construction
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Constructivism
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Access the meaning clients give to experiences within
their culture
There are multiple truths, meanings, and constructions
and one story is not considered truth over another.
Counseling is an effort to construct meanings that can
provide for more cultural harmony.
Constructivism vs. Social
Construction
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Social construction
• Society has constructed the concept of race, has
•
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created a finite number of racial categories based on
certain physical characteristics, and has agreed that
these socially constructed categories are biologically
rather than culturally determined.
Social differences may change over time because
they are socially constructed and inaccurate therefore
subject to change.
Meaning and values given to physical attributes of skin
color
Multicultural Counseling as a
Professional Discipline
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Traditional counseling theory enriched by
notion that cultural differences are real and
must be actively considered in mental health
intervention.
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International perspective on counseling as a
force in human development
Multicultural Counseling as a
Professional Discipline
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Social responsibility of counselors and the
need to consider negative effects of
oppression on culturally diverse groups.
• Problems may lie in intolerant or restrictive
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environments
Counselors are called upon to be agents of
systemic change
Multicultural Counseling as a
Professional Discipline
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Emergence of a new type of counselor. One
who has the awareness, knowledge, and skill
to intervene successfully in diverse clients
lives.
• Considers the client’s experiences as well as
his/her own personal experiences.
Multicultural Counseling as a
Professional Discipline
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Multiculturalism can contribute to counseling
by clarifying
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How culture shapes the behavior of all human beings
How cultural norms, values, and expectations
contribute to the problems for which people seek
counseling
How each culture develops institutions and
mechanisms to help individuals deal with such
problems
How special problems arise in a multicultural society
How these problems can be addressed
Cultural Competence—Self
Awareness
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How do you define
problems?
What is your style of
problem solving?
Which characteristics
do you view as
strengths and which
as weaknesses?
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Attitudes and beliefs about
others values and
behaviors
Spirituality and the role
religion plays in your life
Value place on
individualism, family, and
community
Comfort with certain topics
How is respect
demonstrated and who and
what is entitled to respect?
Own internalized social
constructs
Cultural Competence
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Understanding cultural differences
• Learning more about the reality of client’s lives
• Understand that values vary among individuals
and variations may be influenced by a person’s
identity or membership in a group experience.
• Becoming knowledgeable about different groups
Cultural Competence
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Don’t assume that ethnic identity tells you anything
about the person
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Question what you “know” about a client from a
different culture and test it with each person
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Sensitivity to the intracultural experience as opposed
to intercultural overcomes the danger of
categorization.
Barriers
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Questioning competence in working with culturally
diverse clients
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Focusing on cultural dissimilarities may accentuate
human differences and have the potential for
fostering renewed forms of intolerance.
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Assumptions that all people from a specific cultural
group are the same and one approach is applicable
in all situations
Barriers
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Lack of ethical guidelines in working with culturally
diverse clients.
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Being unaware of cultural dynamics and their impact
on psychosocial development.
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Counseling profession not highly valued or seen as a
valid helping resource among certain groups of
people.
Barriers
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Moving beyond awareness and knowledge to actual
practice.
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Perception of counseling as a tool of oppression and
social control (forced rather than a voluntary
experience)
Tasks of the multicultural
counselor
Build a Relationship
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Why Build a Relationship?
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To discover the issues related to the person’s area of
diversity and how they deal with those issues.
To increase awareness of their own prejudice,
stereotypes and bias.
Build a Relationship
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Achieving a Balanced Relationship
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Factors that affect the process
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Preconceived perceptions of roles
Values and beliefs concerning power and status
The ability of both parties to identify and appreciate
each other’s strengths
The ability of both parties to accept and respect
diversity
Build a Relationship
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Achieving a Balanced Relationship
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Factors that affect the process (cont’d)
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The ability to overcome judgmental interpretations
regarding weaknesses perceived in each other.
The ability to demonstrate an understanding of the
dynamics of powerlessness and its consequences.
Counseling Relationships
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Gather information from a variety of sources to gain
an understanding about the culture
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Teach how to cope effectively with feeling isolated in
mainstream America or rejected by their own culture
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Support by providing an avenue to express feelings
and handle emotional responses to assimilating to
new culture
Counseling Relationships
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Build a trusting relationship
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Facilitate mentoring relationship particularly
with children
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Group counseling may be effective because of
sense of community
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Family counseling may be effective due to
family being a major part of psychosocial
development
References
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Segal, Elizabeth. Gerdes, Karen. Steiner, Sue. 2004. Social
Work an Introduction to the Profession. Belmont, CA.
Brooks/Cole-Thomson Learning.
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Das, Ajit K. Rethinking Multicultural Counseling: Implication for
Counselor Education. Journal of Counseling and Development,
07489633, Sept/Oct 95, Vol. 74 Issue 1 retrieved from
Academic Search Premier June 29, 2005.
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Lee, C.C. (1997). Multicultural Issues in Counseling: New
Approaches to Diversity. 2nd ed. Alexandria. Va. American
Counseling Association.
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Sciarra, Daniel T. (1999). Multiculturalism in Counseling.
Itasaca, Illinois. F. E. Peacock Publishers, Inc.
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