Chapter 10: Understanding Difference And Diversity To Develop Empathic Understanding Flashcards
Describe the importance of recognizing difference and diversity in relationships and how to accomplish this understanding
Counsellors need to understand what draws them towards certain people and what keeps them distant. Counsellors have to work with a diverse range of clients and enter each clients unique world. Clients will present with many different values, ideals, and beliefs. A good counsellor will be able to set aside their own preferences and enter the clients frame of reference and subjective view of the world.
First, the counsellor needs to understand themselves – what are your viewpoints and where have they come from. We need to understand ourselves in order to understand how we relate to the world around us.
The BACP ethical framework highlights _______ as a personal moral quality for counsellors on the basis that a sense of self and relationship forms the basis of responsibility, resilience, and motivation
Identity
When a counsellor’s own experiences, background, or beliefs are very similar to those of the client and can get in the way of seeing things from the clients perspective
Identification
Identifying with the client presents as much risk of making assumptions about them as not being able to identify with them at all, because no two people‘s experiences are the same
Counsellors need to be continually aware of what is happening and check if this is preventing them from developing an empathic understanding of the client. This commitment to exploring what blocks a counsellor from fully entering the clients world becomes in itself a rich source of ____-________ and growth. The more a counsellor understands themselves, the more they are able to set aside or ______ their own stuff and be with their client.
Self-awareness; bracket
What sort of things does a counsellor need to consider when looking at different and diversity within a wider social context?
Some things there are common to individuals in a group that we have a responsibility to know about, including being aware of how certain groups experience prejudice and oppression on a social level. Counselling may become part of the problem if we do not recognize how unequally people are treated outside the counselling room. Counsellor has a duty to acknowledge the clients reality and to ensure that what is going on in the counselling room does not become part of the clients problem.
Includes thinking about your own history and social location
Understanding that there are different views of mental health – for example western models which have developed a tradition of valuing talking therapies as a way of relieving the distress of mental health problems, whereas eastern cultures may consider mental health in a more spiritual way
How does a counsellor work with difference and diversity?
A good counsellor will “pick up“ on anything that seems to be blocking the therapeutic process and invite the client to comment on, feedback on, and explore the issue. The clients ability to open up and be honest about who they are in therapy is key, therefore, the client needs to feel that they will not be judged or experience a repeat of the prejudice and discrimination that may be familiar to them outside the counselling room. Exploring any difficulties with the client and their experience of oppression or discrimination may be a valuable part of the work
In summary, how does a counsellor work with diversity and difference?
Understanding yourself is part of being able to work with difference
Working with difference requires a counsellor to enter the clients frame of reference
Inequality in society has an impact on how clients experience and access counselling
Counsellors have a duty to proactively widen their understanding of difference
Counsellors have to actively address issues of difference
