Multicultural Counseling Midterm Exam

Multicultural Counseling

A counseling approach that recognizes and incorporates the diverse cultural backgrounds and identities of clients.

Identity

The complex interplay of factors beyond race, gender, and sexuality — such as how we exist in the world, how we relate to others, our experiences, etc.

Power

The influence and authority that counselors hold in the therapeutic relationship, which can affect interactions with clients.

Cultural Competence

The ability to understand and effectively interact with people from diverse cultures, often based on a fixed set of beliefs. aware of own values, biases, understand worldview of culturally diverse clients, considers factors outside client into client systems, etc.

Cultural Humility

An approach that emphasizes a willingness to learn from clients and acknowledges one's limitations in understanding their experiences. (the crucial importance of maintaining an interpersonally open and genuine respectful stance regarding clients’ cultural identities, backgrounds, and experiences — clients are the experts on their own cultural journey)— way of being vs way of doing and creates person-centered care

Emotional Self-Revelations

The importance of discussing emotions across cultures to enhance understanding and connection in counseling — counselor’s way of dealing with feelings can enhance or impede self-understanding

Cognitive Resistance

The denial or avoidance of uncomfortable topics related to race and discrimination, often seen in white students (using silence to conceal thoughts) during multicultural training.

Emotional Resistance

The feelings of anxiety, defensiveness, and guilt that can hinder participation in discussions about race and bias — blocks ability to acknowledge, understand, and make meaning

Behavioral Resistance

The tendency to avoid responsibility and inaction in addressing issues of privilege and bias in counseling.

Dimensions of Personal Identity Development

individual level: uniqueness, group level: similarities and differences, and universal level: homo sapiens

Cultural Competence Domains

The three major components of cultural competence:attitudes/beliefs, knowledge, and skills.

Social Justice

The pursuit of equity and fairness in counseling, which is enhanced by multicultural awareness and competence.

Therapeutic Alliance

The collaborative relationship between counselor and client, which is strengthened by cultural humility and understanding.

Implications for Clinical Practice (Multicultural training)

The need for counselors to be aware of their biases, engage in open dialogue, and continuously learn about cultural identities.

Why multicultural counseling?

Identity, power, cultural competence and cultural humility

what are the resistances to multicultural training

cognitive, emotional, and behavioral resistance

Etic

Culturally universal — disorders appear in all cultures/societies

Emic

Culturally specific — determining factors to behavior disorders (lifestyles, cultural values, and worldviews)

Individual Level: Uniqueness

no two individuals ever share the same genetic endowment, no two of us share the exact same experiences in our society

Group Level: Similarities and differences

forces that may define helping relationship: race, gender, culture, age, — each cultural group defines abnormalities differently

Universal Level: Homo Sapiens

universal to our commonalities include: biological and physical similarities, common life experiences, self-awareness, ability to use symbols (language)

what is MCT

recognizes individual, group, and universal identities, helping role uses clients experience/cultural values, consistent with life experiences and cultural values

two levels of cultural competence

personal/individual, organizational/system

MSJCC Framework

multiculturalism leads to social justice initiatives — proposes conceptual framework including: quadrants: privilege and oppressed statuses, domains: counselor self-awareness, client worldview, counseling relationships, counseling and advocacy interventions, competencies: attitudes, beliefs, knowledge, skills, action

dimensions of identity

counseling/psychotherapy tend to ignore group dimension, counseling and psychotherapy, inclusive of multiculturalism, to enhance multicultural understanding and sensitivity

Racial Awakening

just American to Puerto Rican.. Denial breakdown, the internal struggle for identity, locus of the problem

what is the importance of the REC Identity Attitude Model

Challenges beliefs all people of ethnicity are alike, acknowledges sociopolitical influences in shaping identity, led to breakthroughs in multicultural psychology, considers social identity, gender, sexual orientation, religion

Nigrescence Model

Pre-encounter stage, encounter stage, immersion-emersion stage, internalization stage, internalization-commitment stage

Pre-encounter stage

blackness is devalued: African Americans do this consciously and unconsciously, values White values and ways, strong desire to assimilate into White society, exhibit self-hate, low self-esteem, poor mental health

Three subtypes of Pre-encounter stage

Pre-encounter assimilation (want to integrate into White society), pre-encounter miseducation (internalization of negative messages about Black people but ability to separate one’s personal identity from group membership), pre-encounter Anti-Black (individuals who hate Black people and who hate being Black)

Encounter stage

a two-step process: profound crisis/event encountered, thinking/behaving are challenging, reinterprets world, shift in worldview occurs, a lot more recognition (beginning of the racial awakening status)

Immersion-Emersion Stage

withdraws from the dominant culture, immersed in African American culture, Black pride developed, internalization of a positive attitude towards Blackness is minimal, Emersion - guilt/anger dissipates, pride increases

Internalization Stage

inner security resolved, Anti-White feelings subside, individual becomes more flexible, tolerant, bicultural, and multicultural

Internalization-Commitment stage

commits toward social change, social justice, civil rights, expressed in words/actions

Stages of the General Model of REC Identity

5 stage model: conformity status, dissonance status, resistance and immersion status, introspection status, integrative awareness status

Conformity status

Victims of larger social-psychological forces, strong pressure to assimilate and acculturate, ethnocentric monoculturalism, internalized racism, see themselves as inadequate to Whites

Conformity status possess attitudes and beliefs toward

the self: self-depreciating, members of the same group: group-depreciating, members of different marginalized groups: discriminatory, members of dominant group: group appreciating

Dissonance status

in a conflict between experiences and self-concept

DIssonance status possess attitudes and beliefs toward

the self: personal awareness racism does not exist, sense of pride in self, the same group: dominant views of group strengths, weaknesses are questioned, marginalized groups: conflict between views and experiences, a growing sense of comradeship felt, the dominant group: aware cultural values are beneficial, distrust develops of some members

Resistant and Immersion Status

three most affective feelings: guilt, shame, anger

Resistant and Immersion status possess attitudes and beliefs toward

the self: oriented toward self-discovery, the same group: strong sense of commitment, feels connected with other cultural groups, marginalized groups: growing sense of comradeship, strong cultural centrism develops, dominant group: perceives dominant society as oppressors

Introspection Status possess attitudes and beliefs toward

the self: conflict between responsibility/allegiance, individual autonomy increases, the same group: group-usupred individuality issues increases, resentment increases, marginalized groups: understand differences in oppression, dominant group: conflict between distrust and trust and own and dominant culture

Integrative Awareness Status

strong commitment to eliminating oppression, conflicts resolved/greater sense of control

Integrative Awareness status possess attitudes and belief toward

the self: positive self-image developed, same group: strong sense of pride, marginalized groups: more understanding of other cultural values, dominant groups: selective trust and liking, White people are victims

Value of a General REC Identity Framework

Important to acknowledge clients of color, counselor needs to be aware of sociopolitical factors, and recognize that marginalized groups undergo the same identity process

Shaman

magical powers that go beyond the senses

Indigenous healing

helping beliefs and practices that originate within a culture/society

Universal shamanic tradition

recognition of healers (shamans) within a community, Ex: people often called witches, wizards, medicine men/women, etc. — believed to have the power to enter an altered state of consciousness and journey to other planes of existence beyond the physical world during their healing rituals

Three approaches to Indigenous Healing

heavy reliance on the use of communal, group, and family networks to shelter the individual in distress, to problem solve in a group contest, and to reconnect the individual with family, the use of spiritual and religious beliefs and traditions of the community, the use of shamans (keepers of timeless wisdom)

Holistic Outlook, Interconnectedness, and Harmony (Indigenous healing)

holistic outlook on well-being (believe in the unity of spirit, mind and matter), many Indigenous beliefs come from a metaphysical tradition (everything around us including our bodies and the world is connected by invisible energy or subtle forces that flow through and around us influencing physical/non-physical aspects of life

Belief in Metaphysical Levels of Existence (Indigenous Healing)

developmental levels of enlightenment that extend beyond that concepts of Western Psychology

Acceptance of spirituality in life and the cosmos

Indigenous helpers believe spirituality is an intimate aspect of the human condition, spirituality transcend time and space, mind and body, and behaviors, thoughts, and feelings

Radical healing among people of color

critical consciousness, cultural authenticity and self-knowledge, collectivism and support

examples of healing

music and dancing, nature-based activities, and storytelling

Social class stratification theory

being on the bottom-most rung in a hierarchical system of sociocultural power relations that goes beyond differences in income (challenges: social exclusion, educational inequities, lack of health coverage)

counseling and applied considerations for those living in poverty

classism can undermine the physical/emotional well-being of people: they face stressors: economic worries, discrimination, family conflict, etc — counselors should seek to develop a flexible schedule, address barriers that may affect attendance, and increase the outreach component

Culture-bound values

Culture: things that people learn to do, believe, value, and enjoy

Components of White culture: values and beliefs: Rugged Individualism

individual is primary unit, had primary responsibility, can control environment, and independence/autonomy are highly valued/rewarded

Components of White culture: values and beliefs: Competition

winning is everything, win/lose dichotomy

Components of White culture: values and beliefs: action-orientation

must master and control nature, and always do something about a situation: pragmatic/utilitarian view of life

Components of White culture: values and beliefs: Communication

standard English, written tradition, direct eye contact and limited physical contact

Components of White culture: values and beliefs: Time

Adherence to rigid notions of time, time is viewed as commodity

Components of White culture: values and beliefs: Holidays

Primarily based on the Christian Religion, on White history, and male leaders

Components of White culture: values and beliefs: History

Based on European immigrants’ experiences in the US

Pathology and persons of color: Culturally-deficit model

social science model: there culture is less than because: deviant performance since their community has less white families and don’t value individualism

Emotional expressiveness values

individuals in touch with feelings, verbalizing emotional reactions

Behavioral expressiveness values

who are assertive, who stand up for their rights, engage in activities that indicate they are not passive beings

Insight

assumes that it is mentally beneficial for individuals to obtain insight as an understanding into one’s own underlying psychological dynamics and motivations (clients will be better adjusted

Self-disclosure (openness and intimacy)

non self-disclosure is considered unhealthy

Paralanguage

vocal cues that individuals use to add meaning to their communications (ex: loudness of voice, silences, hesitations)

Proxemic

conversational distances vary with the radical and cultural backgrounds of the conversants (ex: how furniture is arranged, where seats are located)

Kinesics

bodily movements (facial expression, posture, gestures)

Nonverbals

often occur outside our level of awareness, yet they influence our evaluation of others and our behavior toward them

People-Nature relationship

problems are solvable and that both therapist and client must take an active part in solving problems via manipulation and control (Western culture attacks problem directly)

Time dimension

US society preoccupied with future/Black Americans value present-time, linked to stress on youth, controlling own destiny

Relational Dimension

US achievement oriented

Activity Dimension

US cultural values action (doing) - must master and control nature, do things about a situation —- Indians being in-becoming mode of activity

Nature of People Dimensions

Middle-class EuroAmericans: people are neutral (family upbringing, socialization), Asians (goodness of people central to their belief)

Language barriers

children as translators (creates stress/hurt relationship, lack of emotional maturity), not providing translator is discrimination

Therapeutic Class Bias

Perceive poverty clients less favorable, mental illness diagnosis more likely, unable to afford therapy

Sexism

unequal/unfair treatment of women

Aversive

subtle and unintentional racism

Subtle sexism

devalues women, dismisses accomplishments, limits effectiveness (don’t be such a girl)

Antigay Harassment

verbal and/or physical behavior, injures and/or interferes

Blatant heterosexism

calling lesbian dyke

Subtle heterosexism

calling something gay conveying it is stupid

Transphobia

disgust, do not follow society’s gender expectations

Microaggressions

Brief daily verbal/behavioral indignities, intentional/unintentional, communicates hostility, derogatory, negative slights/insults (saying “you are so articulate to an Asian American)

Macroaggressions

Systematic/institutional discrimination, impacts entire cultural group (corporations taking advantage of impoverished populations)

Microassault

Blatant attack, conveys discrimination and biased sentiments, verbal, nonverbal, or environmental (displaying a swastika, discouraging interracial interactions)

Microinsults

unintentional behaviors or verbal comments that demeans a person or conveys rudeness (saying to a Black man" “how did you get your job” implying the position was obtained through affirmative action or quota program)

Microinvalidation

dismisses experiential reality of target group, verbal comments or behaviors (Asian American individual who was born and raised in the US is complimented for speaking good English)

examples of microaggressions (themes)

color blindness (statements that don’t recognize a certain race ex: america is a melting pot), what is Myth of Meritocracy (not all groups have same opportunity), traditional gender role prejudicing and stereotyping (men provider women caretakers)

Dilemmas of microaggressions (4)

dilemma 1: The Clash of Sociodemographic realities (danger vs. isn’t, conflicting realities of White who deny being racist and minorities who believe that Whites are racist and enjoy their position of power/superiority) dilemma 2: The invisibility of unintentional expression bias dilemma (microaggressions can be dismissed away to other reasons - invalidation) 3: the perceived minimal harm of microaggressions (confronted with the microaggression and perpetrator trivializes the micro) dilemma 4: the catch-22 of responding (confront perpetrator can come with consequences, don’t confront can come with rumination, self loss)

Microinterventions

1. make the invisible visible

2. disarm microaggression

3. educate the perpetrator

4. seek external reinforcement of support

Sociohistorical Privilege and Oppression

Historical oppression in the lives of people of  color and reactions to counselors in therapy, Traditional counseling and therapy may be antagonistic to the lifestyles of marginalized clients

Mental health practice and social justice

racial gap in wealth is more consequential than the difference in take-home pay (wealth refers to all the assets that a family has acquired or inherited) — similar inequalities: incarceration rates, trash dumps, etc

Equality

equal treatment (equal requirements and treatment)

Equity

people can not be equal and pose the same results (providing early intervention, ieps)

Ethnocentric Monoculturalism

belief in the superiority of the dominant group, the inferiority of others, the power to impose standards (dominant group has power), manifestations in institutions (untouchable/unquestioned), and the invisible veil (universality) - operates outside unconscious awareness