Chapter 2 – Culturally Effective Helping 1

4 ATTRIBUTES FOR CRISIS WORKERS Self knowledge and awareness of biases Knowledge about the status and cultures of different groups Culturally appropriate skills and interventions Multicultural experience 2

NON-WESTERN PERSPECTIVE Majority of the world population Historical field of counseling (western) May impact our interpretations, judgments and conclusions Can cause harm 3

10 BIASED ASSUMPTIONS 1. “Normal” is the same for everyone. 2. Individualism is basic for all. 3. “Counseling” is well defined and separate. 4. Abstract words are understood 5. Independence is valued more than dependence 4

10 BIASED ASSUMPTIONS (CONT.) 6. Formal counseling is valued over natural support systems 7. Everyone depends on linear thinking (cause and effect), good/bad, right/wrong 8. Change individual to fit the system 9. Crisis is here and now (downplaying value of the past) 10. Counselors are aware of assumptions 5

FOCUSED VIEW Visible and racial ethnic minorities “may be asking for trouble” 6

UNIVERSAL VIEW Not only racial and ethnic minorities Also other minority or special populations All factors that make clients ‘different’ “Cultural Influences” Multiculturalism does not always ‘stand out’ 7

WHAT WE ‘DO’ KNOW Beliefs and ways of coping surface when in crisis Minorities access counseling less than Caucasians when in crisis (although impacted with disaster more often) 8

COUNSELOR DANGEROUS ASSUMPTIONS BASED ON 5 CORE BELIEF DOMAINS (THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND) Superiority Injustice Vulnerability Distrust Helplessness 9

DEEPLY ENTRENCHED PATTERNS Impact emotions and behaviors Can lead to conflicts and crisis 10

PAST HISTORY AND EXPERIENCE Can impact client view of crisis intervention services 11

EFFECTIVE MULTICULTURAL COUNSELOR “Humans are more alike than different” World view should not be overlooked Other helping roles may be needed Indigenous support system may be needed Proper use of translators 12

INEFFECTIVE MULTICULTURAL COUNSELOR Imposes own values and expectations Stereotype or labeling Force unimodal counseling approaches Ex: verbalizing feelings, speaking up, status related flow of communication 13

IMPORTANT TERMS Individualism Collectivism High Context Low Context 14

ECOLOGICAL FACTORS Family Race Religion Locale Physical ability Sex/gender Economic class Vocation Physical needs Social affiliations Etc. Impacts the counselor Impacts the client 15

LOCUS OF CONTROL Internal External Powerful Others Especially in Crisis 16

OTHER ISSUES Turf Generational differences Confidentiality/green cards Loss of face Too much help Occupational cultures Seeking community representatives 17

YAVIS Young Attractive Verbal Intelligent Socially well-connected 18