I had every intention today of going to a cute cafe on the medical campus after work, or even a Borders or Panera closer to home, to sit down, read paperwork, sign up for benefits, and write a thoughtful blog. At the end of the day today I was so exhausted (as immersion into brand new experiences will tend to do to you) that I just went home. And ate sushi with some friends.
By the way, 895 really is the way to go to miss traffic.
After my first two days of training at Hopkins HR department, with my badge and my title and my benefits, I felt so accomplished, big-headed and proud. I am a Johns Hopkins therapist. I am only 25 years old. I was the youngest in my class of professionals in my training. I must have done some things right. I must be good at what I do. Some of that may have been deserved. Some of it was benign and naive happiness. All of it was naive.
Today was my first day on my unit. At the end of the day I felt inadequate, underexperienced, unprepared, adolescent (in my field/ability), and overwhelmed. My new unit is medical unit extended from the main hospital. Complete with doctors, psychiatrists, clinics, labs and an inpatient wing, one of the other wings is labeled "mental health" and is where the therapist offices are. Where my office is. All of the sections of the floors, as in many hospitals, are accessible only by keys and keycards, which we carry with our badges around our necks at all times.
I don't know what the point of this blog entry is about other than to give you a taste of my new work environment and my accompanying fears and uneasiness. The pride and excitement have taken a temporary backseat. I am worried now that I am in this position with so much trust, so much responsiblity, so much influence, if I am too young, too inexperienced and naive to do it well. There is such an overwhelming amount of things to learn and know. There is such an overwhelming amount of things to do and challenges to overcome. I am just realizing the size of the task and high demands of the career I worked so hard to get. I now have to prove to myself that this is where I belong and that I can measure up!
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
Multiculturalism and Counseling
The article I promised:
An important concern in the contemporary field of psychology is multicultural diversity. This is defined as cultural/racial/ethnical general belief systems; a given set of beliefs attributed to a given society (Sue and Sue, 1999)1. Currently the field of psychology is seen as very Westernized or based on Western cultural values. This presents a problem to practicing counselors as they attempt to apply Western cultural values to a variety of belief systems. The issue is also an important topic in current research. This article reflects upon the recognized characteristics of culture as seen in contemporary psychology and defined by research. It includes my suggestion for a small but important alteration to the concept of culture to better apply the principles discussed in these articles to culturally diverse approaches to treatment in mental health.
Sue and Sue (1999) use clinical examples to divide cultural barriers into three main categories: culturally-bound values, class bound values, and language barriers. Each category represents a group of differences between Westernized cultural beliefs and those of other cultural groups. Cardemill and Battle (2003)2 highlight six main steps to effective multicultural counseling. The six steps include suspending preconceptions about race, ethnicity, and beliefs, acknowledging power dynamics, and continued education about cultural diversity. They suggest that knowledge about cultural issues is not necessarily adequate, and counselors need to understand tactful and appropriate ways to address culture in therapy. Cardemill and Battle emphasize the need for counselors to overcome limitations of their own culture in order to successfully help diverse clientele.
In an article entitled, “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” by Peggy McIntosh (1989)3, the predominance of Western culture in daily society is examined in a very different way. Instead of looking at the therapeutic process and how it has been shaped by Western cultural values, McIntosh reveals an alarming list of privileges intrinsic to the cultural majority. She compares the implicit system of white privilege to the operation of the current gender system: males, just like whites, reinforce their unearned power through ignorance of its source. In other words, McIntosh feels it is necessary to fully recognize benefits based on skin color and race in society, before one can change the differential power dynamic.
Psychology can be ineffective for large populations simply due to ignorance of varying viewpoints. It is my opinion that though simple to address through education and application of knowledge of multicultural issues in a therapeutic setting, the basic definition of culture is subsumed in this approach. Given this definition of the problem, I believe a pattern of beliefs and behaviors emerges (see Figure 1). The process is relatively simple. A person has their individual knowledge and beliefs based on their life experiences. This in turn affects the way this person views other people. The way that this person views other people is attributed to racial/ethnical attributes, and generalized to form stereotypes. These stereotypes become widespread and distorted. Due to these stereotypes, the next individual’s viewpoint is altered to include specific expectations based on race and ethnicity. These beliefs reflect ignorance and incorrect information, and need to be changed through an understanding of cultural diversity. Learning about cultural diversity may remove old beliefs, but instates new beliefs which are still tied to race and ethnicity. Therefore, I believe the tendency for this individual to incorrectly assume information about a person based on race and ethnicity is reinforced.
In this way, I conclude that cultural understanding perpetuates the survival of stereotypes based on race and ethnicity (Figure 1). Ethnicity refers to a cultural group to which one is bound by location and/or birth. It is determined by popular practices within a certain region, and the spread of those cultural practices within groups around the world through immigration and emigration. Cultural beliefs based on ethnicity are often related to history and tradition. Race, on the other hand, refers to physical attributes common to a group of people. It is determined by genetics, especially as dominant or recessive traits are expressed repeatedly within certain groups. Cultural beliefs have nothing to do with race, but are often attributed to race by society. It is clear then that when discussing cultural beliefs intrinsically neither ethnicity nor race predetermines systems of belief. Therefore, it is my opinion that it is not logical to include ethnicity and/or race as a basis on which to pin cultural belief systems.
More simply put, though many beliefs have a history and are rooted in traditions, this does not necessarily affect those who chose to adopt a given belief system. Furthermore, the physical appearance of a person has no bearing on what belief system they choose to adopt, other than those projected onto them by society. I feel that it makes sense to separate cultural belief systems from any type of ethnical or racial interpretation.
If cultural assumptions come about due to ignorance, yet they cannot be interpreted racially or ethnically, how are cultural misconceptions and understandings resolved? Just as suggested by Sue and Sue (1999) and Cardemill and Battle (2003): education and exploration. Only a slight modification is needed in each of these processes to avoid the recapitulation of false assumptions (see Figure 2).
Essentially, the beginning of the process of enculturation cannot be changed. What I think can be changed is the approach taken to identify individual cultural beliefs and how they relate to the belief systems of others. My revision is simple: instead of learning about cultural beliefs in relation to specific populations of people based on ethnicity and race, learn about cultural beliefs as extant, general groupings of belief systems. In this way ignorance of cultural variety can be decreased without reinforcing any type of assumptions (Figure 2).
Remember, it is not just that inappropriate stereotypes need to be unlearned, but also that it is necessary to eliminate cultural assumptions completely. Here is an example of a stereotype as it relates to incorrect cultural assumptions:
Ryan grew up in Chicago’s inner city. He lived with his mother, and has never met his father. His mother has struggled to hold down several different jobs simultaneously to provide for both her drug habit and her son’s needs. As a means of coping, Ryan joined a gang and dropped out of school. He dresses in gang-related clothing and paraphernalia. Despite this, he greatly respects his mother, and occasionally attends church with her. What race and/or ethinicity would you assume Ryan is? What are his cultural beliefs?
Ryan is in fact a Caucasian American citizen born in New York City to an upper-middle class family. It is fairly obvious that the example above is an exaggerated stereotype of many minority classes, when in fact this is not necessarily the case. However, after knowing that Ryan is white, does it seem less odd that he goes to church on Sundays? This is because it is assumed he is Christian since he is Caucasian.
The reason this is assumed is for reasons very similar to those pointed out by McIntosh (1989). It is not recognized that certain features and belief systems commonly associated with race/ethnicity can be an incorrect or even detrimental assumption. Cardemill and Battle point out the importance of using cultural assumptions as guidelines only, and that not everyone from a given ethnic or racial group fits within these boundaries. However, I argue that ethnicity and race are completely independent from belief systems, and should therefore be separated in definition.
The second part of resolving cultural misconceptions in counseling is in application. As explained by Cardemill and Battle (2003), knowing correct cultural information is only half the battle. There is another important piece: incorporating that information into the counseling session, to benefit the treatment of the client. Cardemill and Battle (2003) and Sue and Sue (1999) agree that this incorporation step is generally exploration.
I believe exploration involves listening to the client and guiding them in an understanding of their own belief systems. Just as we may not necessarily be aware of our own enculturation, so the client may benefit from becoming aware of theirs. As the client explores and understands their own cultural beliefs, we, as culturally educated therapists can reference the body of information we have acquired about common cultural practices to guide the exploration process. In this way we can be objective, tactful, and more aware of the nuances of belief affecting the behaviors and experiencing of the client. To a certain extent, regardless of cultural values, all experience is unique to each individual’s perception of that event (Figures 1 and 2) and the therapeutic process can only be helped by a better understanding of these perceptions.
Footnotes
1Sue, D.W. & Sue, D. (1999). Barriers to effective multicultural counseling and therapy.
In Sue, D.W. & Sue, D (Eds.), Counseling the culturally different: Theory and
practice (pp. 53-73).
2 Cardemil, E. V. & Battle, C. L. (2003). Guess who’s coming to therapy? Getting
comfortable with conversations about race and ethnicity in psychotherapy.
Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 24, 278-286.
3McIntosh, Peggy (1989). White privileges: Unpacking the invisible knapsack. Peace and
Freedom, 10-12.
An important concern in the contemporary field of psychology is multicultural diversity. This is defined as cultural/racial/ethnical general belief systems; a given set of beliefs attributed to a given society (Sue and Sue, 1999)1. Currently the field of psychology is seen as very Westernized or based on Western cultural values. This presents a problem to practicing counselors as they attempt to apply Western cultural values to a variety of belief systems. The issue is also an important topic in current research. This article reflects upon the recognized characteristics of culture as seen in contemporary psychology and defined by research. It includes my suggestion for a small but important alteration to the concept of culture to better apply the principles discussed in these articles to culturally diverse approaches to treatment in mental health.
Sue and Sue (1999) use clinical examples to divide cultural barriers into three main categories: culturally-bound values, class bound values, and language barriers. Each category represents a group of differences between Westernized cultural beliefs and those of other cultural groups. Cardemill and Battle (2003)2 highlight six main steps to effective multicultural counseling. The six steps include suspending preconceptions about race, ethnicity, and beliefs, acknowledging power dynamics, and continued education about cultural diversity. They suggest that knowledge about cultural issues is not necessarily adequate, and counselors need to understand tactful and appropriate ways to address culture in therapy. Cardemill and Battle emphasize the need for counselors to overcome limitations of their own culture in order to successfully help diverse clientele.
In an article entitled, “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” by Peggy McIntosh (1989)3, the predominance of Western culture in daily society is examined in a very different way. Instead of looking at the therapeutic process and how it has been shaped by Western cultural values, McIntosh reveals an alarming list of privileges intrinsic to the cultural majority. She compares the implicit system of white privilege to the operation of the current gender system: males, just like whites, reinforce their unearned power through ignorance of its source. In other words, McIntosh feels it is necessary to fully recognize benefits based on skin color and race in society, before one can change the differential power dynamic.
Psychology can be ineffective for large populations simply due to ignorance of varying viewpoints. It is my opinion that though simple to address through education and application of knowledge of multicultural issues in a therapeutic setting, the basic definition of culture is subsumed in this approach. Given this definition of the problem, I believe a pattern of beliefs and behaviors emerges (see Figure 1). The process is relatively simple. A person has their individual knowledge and beliefs based on their life experiences. This in turn affects the way this person views other people. The way that this person views other people is attributed to racial/ethnical attributes, and generalized to form stereotypes. These stereotypes become widespread and distorted. Due to these stereotypes, the next individual’s viewpoint is altered to include specific expectations based on race and ethnicity. These beliefs reflect ignorance and incorrect information, and need to be changed through an understanding of cultural diversity. Learning about cultural diversity may remove old beliefs, but instates new beliefs which are still tied to race and ethnicity. Therefore, I believe the tendency for this individual to incorrectly assume information about a person based on race and ethnicity is reinforced.
In this way, I conclude that cultural understanding perpetuates the survival of stereotypes based on race and ethnicity (Figure 1). Ethnicity refers to a cultural group to which one is bound by location and/or birth. It is determined by popular practices within a certain region, and the spread of those cultural practices within groups around the world through immigration and emigration. Cultural beliefs based on ethnicity are often related to history and tradition. Race, on the other hand, refers to physical attributes common to a group of people. It is determined by genetics, especially as dominant or recessive traits are expressed repeatedly within certain groups. Cultural beliefs have nothing to do with race, but are often attributed to race by society. It is clear then that when discussing cultural beliefs intrinsically neither ethnicity nor race predetermines systems of belief. Therefore, it is my opinion that it is not logical to include ethnicity and/or race as a basis on which to pin cultural belief systems.
More simply put, though many beliefs have a history and are rooted in traditions, this does not necessarily affect those who chose to adopt a given belief system. Furthermore, the physical appearance of a person has no bearing on what belief system they choose to adopt, other than those projected onto them by society. I feel that it makes sense to separate cultural belief systems from any type of ethnical or racial interpretation.
If cultural assumptions come about due to ignorance, yet they cannot be interpreted racially or ethnically, how are cultural misconceptions and understandings resolved? Just as suggested by Sue and Sue (1999) and Cardemill and Battle (2003): education and exploration. Only a slight modification is needed in each of these processes to avoid the recapitulation of false assumptions (see Figure 2).
Essentially, the beginning of the process of enculturation cannot be changed. What I think can be changed is the approach taken to identify individual cultural beliefs and how they relate to the belief systems of others. My revision is simple: instead of learning about cultural beliefs in relation to specific populations of people based on ethnicity and race, learn about cultural beliefs as extant, general groupings of belief systems. In this way ignorance of cultural variety can be decreased without reinforcing any type of assumptions (Figure 2).
Remember, it is not just that inappropriate stereotypes need to be unlearned, but also that it is necessary to eliminate cultural assumptions completely. Here is an example of a stereotype as it relates to incorrect cultural assumptions:
Ryan grew up in Chicago’s inner city. He lived with his mother, and has never met his father. His mother has struggled to hold down several different jobs simultaneously to provide for both her drug habit and her son’s needs. As a means of coping, Ryan joined a gang and dropped out of school. He dresses in gang-related clothing and paraphernalia. Despite this, he greatly respects his mother, and occasionally attends church with her. What race and/or ethinicity would you assume Ryan is? What are his cultural beliefs?
Ryan is in fact a Caucasian American citizen born in New York City to an upper-middle class family. It is fairly obvious that the example above is an exaggerated stereotype of many minority classes, when in fact this is not necessarily the case. However, after knowing that Ryan is white, does it seem less odd that he goes to church on Sundays? This is because it is assumed he is Christian since he is Caucasian.
The reason this is assumed is for reasons very similar to those pointed out by McIntosh (1989). It is not recognized that certain features and belief systems commonly associated with race/ethnicity can be an incorrect or even detrimental assumption. Cardemill and Battle point out the importance of using cultural assumptions as guidelines only, and that not everyone from a given ethnic or racial group fits within these boundaries. However, I argue that ethnicity and race are completely independent from belief systems, and should therefore be separated in definition.
The second part of resolving cultural misconceptions in counseling is in application. As explained by Cardemill and Battle (2003), knowing correct cultural information is only half the battle. There is another important piece: incorporating that information into the counseling session, to benefit the treatment of the client. Cardemill and Battle (2003) and Sue and Sue (1999) agree that this incorporation step is generally exploration.
I believe exploration involves listening to the client and guiding them in an understanding of their own belief systems. Just as we may not necessarily be aware of our own enculturation, so the client may benefit from becoming aware of theirs. As the client explores and understands their own cultural beliefs, we, as culturally educated therapists can reference the body of information we have acquired about common cultural practices to guide the exploration process. In this way we can be objective, tactful, and more aware of the nuances of belief affecting the behaviors and experiencing of the client. To a certain extent, regardless of cultural values, all experience is unique to each individual’s perception of that event (Figures 1 and 2) and the therapeutic process can only be helped by a better understanding of these perceptions.
Footnotes
1Sue, D.W. & Sue, D. (1999). Barriers to effective multicultural counseling and therapy.
In Sue, D.W. & Sue, D (Eds.), Counseling the culturally different: Theory and
practice (pp. 53-73).
2 Cardemil, E. V. & Battle, C. L. (2003). Guess who’s coming to therapy? Getting
comfortable with conversations about race and ethnicity in psychotherapy.
Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 24, 278-286.
3McIntosh, Peggy (1989). White privileges: Unpacking the invisible knapsack. Peace and
Freedom, 10-12.
Recant
So my last post was a bit bitter and I realized I probably worried some people that I hadn't been successful in my job search. Luckily the rant has a happy turnaround. Let me take a moment to set the record straight. Finding a full time job is a full time job, but if you put in that much effort, it will pay off. Hopefully my professional experiences at my new place of employment with Johns Hopkins will inspire some new insightful things to say and a revival of my dying blog.
I know I also told some of you I signed a contract to be published in a monthly psychology publication. I submitted my first piece last month, but it may be that the funding for the publication fizzled before the publication got started. We'll see. Either way, I'll try and remember to post the article I submitted in the near future on multiculturalism in counseling.
Until then...
I know I also told some of you I signed a contract to be published in a monthly psychology publication. I submitted my first piece last month, but it may be that the funding for the publication fizzled before the publication got started. We'll see. Either way, I'll try and remember to post the article I submitted in the near future on multiculturalism in counseling.
Until then...
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