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Understanding Cultural Differences in Counseling |
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Cultural differences play a significant role in shaping the way individuals
communicate and behave. Counselors need to understand this fact to avoid
cultural universalization in their counseling sessions. By studying
cross-cultural perspectives of counseling and psychotherapeutic interaction,
counselors can be more successful in building relations with their clients and
understanding the problems that cause disturbances in their clients' lives.
It is essential to minimize cultural errors and biases of understanding the
client, especially when dealing with clients from diverse cultures. For example,
African Americans may believe that counselors cannot grasp their psychology due
to a lack of understanding of their unique cultural heritage.
A competent multicultural observance and assessment should consider the
psychosocial and environmental conditions of the client. Behavioral impairments
of African-American people are not always the consequence of intrapsychological
deficits, but rather the result of the ecosystem's impact, including social
prejudices, institutional latent racism, and economic disparities. African
Americans often suffer from depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety,
and other psychological issues due to such ecosystems of their immediate
environment.
The counselor should be cautioned that failure will be the result of both
over-emphasizing cultural differences and over-focusing on cultural
similarities. Instead, success lies in considering both perspectives
simultaneously. Underestimation of the specificity of culture or focusing only
on "universal" laws in counseling African Americans leads to a "new type of
racism."
To overcome cultural limitations, counselors need to find ways to accurately
comprehend the experience of people specific to each culture. An optimal
approach should be aimed at actualizing the problems of ethnocultural
understanding in the minds and activities of specialists and utilizing the
developing potential of cross-cultural contacts. By understanding cultural
differences, counselors can help their clients effectively and appropriately. |
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