Recording-2025-02-26T02_59_24.372Z

Introduction

• Meeting between Carrie, a counselor at a newcomer health clinic, and Marcella, a recent immigrant struggling to settle in the city.

• Focus on Carrie's culturally connected approach to establish a respectful therapeutic relationship.

Initial Interaction

• Carrie's Introduction:

  • "Hi, Marcella. My name is Carrie. What brings you here today?"

• Marcella's Response:

  • Expresses reluctance to talk; feels counseling is for those with time and money.

  • Concerns about the impact of counseling on immigration status and employment opportunities.

Addressing Concerns

• Carrie's Acknowledgment:

  • Recognizes Marcella's concerns and communicates intentions for a respectful relationship.

  • Emphasizes confidentiality in their discussions.

• Consent Form Explanation:

  • Carrie proposes to read through the consent form together to ensure understanding of risks and benefits.

  • Uses a teach-back approach to confirm Marcella's understanding:

    • "Can you please tell me what you heard in your own words?"

Exploration of Issues

• Marcella's Struggles:

  • Shares that her daughters encouraged her to seek help for what they label as stress.

  • Expresses feelings of inadequacy due to unemployment; relates to her identity as a provider from her home country, Colombia.

• Carrie's Curiosity:

  • Aims to understand Marcella's perspective using Kleinman's theory of explanatory models to explore health, illness, and care concerns.

• Dialogue on Stress:

  • Carrie prompts Marcella to elaborate on her feelings and what stress means to her.

Marcella's Perspective

• Identity and Employment:

  • Highlights pride in her previous job and the struggle of dependence on her daughters.

  • Feels like a failure for bringing stress to her family and expresses a desire to contribute:

    • "If I had a job, I'd be doing my part. Can you help me find a job?"

Reflection and Improvement

• Carrie's Reflection:

  • Post-meeting, Carrie reflects on their interaction to enhance her understanding and future counseling sessions.

• Self-Reflection's Role:

  • Helps Carrie to recognize her own biases and improve the counselor-client relationship by being more culturally aware and responsive.