oopapers Examining the Current State of the Profession Paper
Examining the Current State of the Profession Paper
CCMH/510
July 9, 14
Examining the Current State of the Profession Paper
Derald (2013) stated, “The adage “counselor or therapist, know thyself” is the basic building block to cultural competence in the helping professions.” (P.6) Part of connecting with clients includes the separation and awareness of the helping professional versus the other person. The helping profession has not always embraced the awareness of self in regards to culture. To be culturally competent the helping professional should conceptualize the issue with the understanding of the cultural background of their client. In this paper I will summarize significant historical changes in society that influenced cultural counseling, discuss the changes in worldview, culture, ethnicity, prejudice, and privilege. Furthermore, I will examine contemporary issues, such as the implications of a more diverse society, the effects of discrimination, and the availability of services. With this in mind I will explain why cultural and linguistic standards for services are important in organizations today. Over the past century society has had many revelations about social justice and integration of multicultural model in counseling. There are numerous events that have impacted the multicultural change in counseling including, civil rights movements, immigration policy, and child labor laws. These policies suggest equal treatment for all cultures. The laws created a divide between different races and this influenced the effectiveness of helping profession. Examining the past from a social learning perspective, I can imagine how society played a huge impact on people’s attitudes. The segregation that existed between African Americans and Caucasian Americans is just one of many influential examples of how social norms impacted interpersonal relations. This carries over to the helping profession because even therapists experienced social learning and the
CCMH/510
July 9, 14
Examining the Current State of the Profession Paper
Derald (2013) stated, “The adage “counselor or therapist, know thyself” is the basic building block to cultural competence in the helping professions.” (P.6) Part of connecting with clients includes the separation and awareness of the helping professional versus the other person. The helping profession has not always embraced the awareness of self in regards to culture. To be culturally competent the helping professional should conceptualize the issue with the understanding of the cultural background of their client. In this paper I will summarize significant historical changes in society that influenced cultural counseling, discuss the changes in worldview, culture, ethnicity, prejudice, and privilege. Furthermore, I will examine contemporary issues, such as the implications of a more diverse society, the effects of discrimination, and the availability of services. With this in mind I will explain why cultural and linguistic standards for services are important in organizations today. Over the past century society has had many revelations about social justice and integration of multicultural model in counseling. There are numerous events that have impacted the multicultural change in counseling including, civil rights movements, immigration policy, and child labor laws. These policies suggest equal treatment for all cultures. The laws created a divide between different races and this influenced the effectiveness of helping profession. Examining the past from a social learning perspective, I can imagine how society played a huge impact on people’s attitudes. The segregation that existed between African Americans and Caucasian Americans is just one of many influential examples of how social norms impacted interpersonal relations. This carries over to the helping profession because even therapists experienced social learning and the
References: Derald, S. (2013). Counseling the Culturally Diverse: Theory and Practice (6th ed.). : John Wiley & Sons Inc.