Multicultural awareness is an understanding, sensitivity, and appreciation of the history, values, experiences, and lifestyles of minority groups . ... These groups may include differences in race, culture, religion, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, disabilities, or age.
What are the characteristics of multicultural counseling?
In sum, multicultural counseling entails therapist competence in the following three domains: (1) empathic knowledge of the impact of societal oppression on the identity development and conflicts of clients who are ascribed a minority status by virtue of cultural characteristics, (2) recognition and confrontation of ...
Why is multicultural awareness important in counseling?
The need for multicultural counseling increases as populations grow more diverse . ... According to the American Counseling Association, multicultural counseling is an advantage for counselors ; counseling from a multicultural lens allows them to gain knowledge, sensitivity, disposition, and personal awareness.
What is the goal of multicultural therapy?
Twelve goals for multicultural counselling and therapy are presented and discussed: reconciliation, support, coping with post-traumatic stress, assisting acculturation and assimilation, avoiding further marginalization , addressing racial and cultural discrimination, assisting clients to manage close cross-cultural ...
Why is multicultural awareness important?
Not only does creating greater multicultural awareness and inclusion help students with different backgrounds and needs succeed, but it encourages acceptance and helps prepare students to thrive in an exponentially diverse world.
What are some multicultural issues?
Multicultural concerns cover a broad range of topics and identities including race, religion, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, and/or disability .
What is traditional counseling?
Traditional counseling involves a broad perspective that enhances learning for transformation and social integration of cultural values , customs and practices that are peculiar to each human society.
What are the theories of multicultural counseling?
Multicultural counseling theory is a body of assessment and philosophy that seeks to embrace the highly varied social context in which individuals act . It takes into account the variations and differing viewpoints that inform the worldview of those from other cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.
What is the importance of broaching?
Broaching has the power to help individuals to feel safer, more respected, better understood, and more empowered .
How does culture affect counseling?
Cultural sensitivity also allows a therapist to gain and maintain cultural competence, which is the ability to first recognize and understand one’s own culture and how it influences one’s relationship with a client, then understand and respond to the culture that is different from one’s own.
What is the multicultural approach?
Multicultural counseling occurs when a professional counselor works with a client from a different cultural group . It takes into consideration racial, spiritual, and ethnic diversity in addition to sexual preferences, disabilities, social class, and cultural bias.
What are the benefits of cultural awareness?
Cultural awareness helps us break down cultural barriers, build cultural bridges, and learn how to love, and appreciate those different from us . We can relate better to people with cultural differences as we begin to understand ourselves better. This results in more cultural connection and less cultural conflict.
How can multicultural awareness be improved?
- Celebrate a multicultural holiday.
- Visit an ethnic art gallery or museum.
- Volunteer at a school or agency with a diverse population.
- Attend a church or synagogue that has a diverse congregation.
- Visit MSPS (Multicultural Student Programs and Services)
What is an example of cultural awareness?
Understanding your own culture, and how it shapes your behavior, is also an important part of being culturally aware. For example, if you’re faced with a cultural behavior that’s very different from your own, think about how and why you behave the way you do .
What are examples of multiculturalism?
Multiculturalism is the practice of giving equal attention to many different backgrounds in a particular setting. An example of multiculturalism is an honors classroom with students from several different countries and who speak different languages .
What are two multicultural issues with professional counseling?
- Knowing What “Culture” Really Means. ...
- Understanding English as a Second Language. ...
- Making the Effort to Educate Yourself. ...
- Acknowledging Individual Differences. ...
- Setting Your Biases Aside.
