CHAPTER 2

THE SUPERORDINATE NATURE OF

MULTICULTURAL COUNSELING AND

THERAPY

Themes from the Difficult Dialogue

Cultural Universality (etic) vs. Cultural Relativism (emic)

Emotional Consequences of Race Inclusive vs. Exclusive nature of Multiculturalism Sociopolitical Nature of Counseling/Therapy The Nature of Multicultural Counseling

Competence

Tripartite Framework

Individual Level Group Level Universal Level

Tripartite Framework Model

What is MCT?

1. MCT broadens the perspective of the helping relationship. The individualistic approach is balanced with a collectivistic reality that we are embedded in our families, significant others, our communities and culture.

Working with a client is not perceived as solely an individual matter, but as an individual who is a product of his or her social and cultural context. As a result, systemic influences are seen as equally important as individual ones.

What is MCT?

2. MCT expands the repertoire of helping responses. Traditional therapeutic taboos are questioned.

Five taboos derived from monocultural code of ethics/standards of practice are especially important as examples:

Therapeutic Taboos

1. Therapists do not give advice and suggestion (it fosters dependency).

2. Therapists do not self disclose their thoughts and feelings (it is unprofessional).

3. Therapists do not barter with clients (it changes the nature of the therapeutic relationship).

4. Therapists do not serve dual role relationships with clients (there is a potential loss of objectivity).

5. Therapists do not accept gifts from clients (it unduly obligates them).

BECOMING CULTURALLY COMPETENT

“Cultural competence is the ability to engage in actions or create conditions that maximize the optimal development of client and client systems. It is the acquisition of awareness, knowledge, and skills needed to function effectively in a pluralistic democratic society (ability to communicate, interact, negotiate, and intervene on behalf of clients from diverse backgrounds), and on an organizational/societal level, advocating effectively to develop new theories, practices, policies and organizational structures that are more responsive to all groups.”

BECOMING CULTURALLY COMPETENT

l. Having all of us become culturally aware of our own values, biases and assumptions about human behavior.

What stereotypes, perceptions, and beliefs do we hold about culturally diverse groups that may hinder our ability to form a helpful and effective relationship?

What are the worldviews they bring to the interpersonal encounter? What value systems are inherent in the professional’s theory of helping, educating, administrating, and what values underlie the strategies and techniques used in these situations?

Without such an awareness and understanding, we may inadvertently assume that everyone shares our world view. When this happens, we may become guilty of cultural oppression, imposing values on our culturally diverse clients.

BECOMING CULTURALLY COMPETENT

2. Having all of us acquire knowledge and understanding of the worldview of culturally diverse groups and individuals.

What biases, values and assumptions about human behavior do these groups hold?

Is there such a thing as an African American, Asian American, Latino(a)/Hispanic American or American Indian worldview? Do other culturally different groups (women, the physically challenged, gays/lesbians, etc.) also have different world views?

BECOMING CULTURALLY COMPETENT

3. Having each of us begin the process of developing appropriate and effective helping, teaching, communication and intervention strategies in working with culturally diverse groups and individuals.

This means prevention as well as remediation approaches, and systems intervention as well as traditional one-to-one relationships.

Equally important is the ability to make use of existing indigenous-helping/healing approaches and structures which may already exist in the minority community.

BECOMING CULTURALLY COMPETENT

4. Understanding how organizational and institutional forces may either enhance or negate the development of multicultural competence.

It does little good for any of us to be culturally competent when the very organization that employs us are filled with monocultural policies and practices.

In many cases, organizational customs do not value or allow the use of cultural knowledge or skills. Some organizations may even actively discourage, negate, or punish multicultural expressions. Thus, it is imperative to view multicultural competence for organizations as well.

Developing new rules, regulations, policies, practices, and structures within organizations which enhance multiculturalism are important.

Implications for Counseling

Realize that you are a product of cultural conditioning and that you are not immune from inheriting biases associated with culturally diverse groups in our society

Be aware that persons of color, gays/lesbians, women, and other groups may perceive mental illness/health and the healing process differently than do Euro-Americans

Be aware that Euro-American healing standards originate from a cultural context and represent only one form of helping that exists on an equal plane with others

Realize that the concept of cultural competence is more inclusive and superordinate than is the traditional definition of “clinical competence”.

Implications for Counseling

Realize that organizational/societal policies, practices, and structures may represent oppressive obstacles that prevent equal access and opportunity. If that is the case, systems intervention is most appropriate

Use modalities that are consistent with the lifestyles and cultural systems of clients