the multicultural journey (lecture 1)

Question 1

what are emotional roadblocks to the path of cultural competence

Answer 1

Strong emotions such as anger, sadness, and defensiveness are displayed when discussing experiences of race, culture, gender, and other sociodemographic variables.

• These feelings can enhance or negate a deeper understanding of the worldviews of culturally diverse clients.
• Defensive feelings serve to protect us from having to examine our own prejudices and biases (Winter, 1977).

Question 2

what is implicit bias

Answer 2

• The implicit biases are unconscious, often unexplored, and foster feelings and attitudes towards others based on group membership
• Gradual and develop through direct and indirect messages
• Implicit biases arepervasive and universal
• The implicit biases we possess do not have to align with our overt beliefs

Question 3

what is the invisible veil

Answer 3

• Operates outside of the level of conscious awareness
• Assumption that everyone has the same experience
• Underlying and Unconscious racist, sexist, and other views exist
• Lack of exploring underlying emotions and worldviews actually perpetuate bias and discrimination

Question 4

what is shifting standards

Answer 4

“When judging individuals [from different social groups], one may implicitly refer to his or her conception of the group mean or standard on the dimension of interest as an important reference criterion.”

Question 5

what is color blindness

Answer 5

-Color-blind racial attitudes are defined as “the belief that race should not and does not matter”

Individuals who hold color- blind racial:

• Tend to deny the individual and institutional impact of racism
• Race is of little importance

Question 6

what are some tips for challenging oppression and bias during dialogue

Answer 6

• Acknowledge that intent does not always equal impact (Microaggressions)
• Challenge personal assumptions and behavior. Be aware of your own stereotypes, prejudice, and discriminatory behaviors
• Safe versus Brave space
• Ongoing Dialogue
• Learn how to give and receive feedback especially around different topics.

Question 7

what are the kinds of racial microaggressions

Answer 7

microinsult, microassault, microinvalidation

Question 8

what is a microinsult and examples

Answer 8

often unconscious behavioral or verbal remarks that convey a person’s insensitivity and demean a person

ex. ascription of intelligence, second class citizen, pathologizing cultural values

Question 9

what is a microassault

Answer 9

explicit racial derogations characterized primarily by a violent verbal or nonverbal attack meant to hurt the intended victim

Question 10

what is microinvalidation and examples

Answer 10

verbal comments or behaviors that exclude, negate, or nullify the psychological thoughts feelings or experiential reality of a person of color

ex. Allen in own land, color blindness, myth of meritocracy, denial of racism

Question 11

what is a racial microaggression

Answer 11

commonplace verbal or behavioral indignities, whether intention or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial slights and insults

Question 12

what is an environmental microaggression

Answer 12

racial assaults, insults and invalidations that are manifested on systemic and environmental levels (macro level

Question 13

etic vs. emic

Answer 13

Cultural universality (etic) versus cultural relativism (emic)
-General idea of what might happen when someone is experiencing psychosis, but there is also individual and specific responses to that

Question 14

why is there a need for multicultural classes/competence

Answer 14

• Eurocentric male basis of techniques and theories
• Worldviews
• Standards to judge normality
• Mistrust in mental health system
• Disparities in service delivery
• Biased diagnoses and treatment
• Biased indicators of dangerousness and severity of illness

Question 15

what is cultural competence

Answer 15

“Cultural competence is the ability to engage in actions or create conditions that maximize the optimal development of client and client systems. It is the acquisition of awareness, knowledge, and skills needed to function effectively in a pluralistic society, and on an organizational/societal level, advocating effectively to develop new theories, practices, policies, and organizational structures that are more responsive to all groups.”

-Integrating cultural data into counseling, conceptualization, and interventions

Question 16

what is cultural humility

Answer 16

• Cultural humility is a lifelong process of self-reflection, self-critique and commitment to understanding and respecting different points of view, and engaging with others humbly, authentically and from a place of learning
• Addresses the role of power and privilege
• Cultural humility upholds each individual or community group as the experts

Question 17

what is social justice

Answer 17

full and equal participation of all groups in a society that is mutually shaped to meet their needs. Social justice includes a vision of society in which the distribution of resources is equitable and all members are physically and psychologically safe and secure.

Question 18

challenges with counseling clients

Answer 18

1. Seeing Culture as Separate or Superficial
2. Overidentification With the Client
3. Encountering Clashes in Cultural Values
4. Encountering Clashes in Communication and Therapeutic Styles
5. Receiving and Expressing Racial Animosity
6. Having the Competency of the Therapist Challenged
7. Needing to Prove Competence
8. Transferring Animosity to Clients
9. Unrealistically Viewing the Therapist as a Super Minority Therapist
   - Oh this microaggression doesn’t apply to you, tell me about that. What if I was? How would you view me?
10. Dealing with the Stage of Identity of Counselors and Clients
11. Not seeing the bias in one’s own group.

Question 19

implications for counseling

Answer 19

• Realize that you are a product of cultural conditioning and that you are not immune from inheriting biases associated with culturally diverse groups in our society.
• Be aware that persons of color, LGBT individuals, women, and other groups may perceive mental illness/health and the healing process differently than those from a privileged group.
• Be aware that Euro-American healing standards originate from a cultural context and represent only one form of helping that exists on an equal plane with others.

Question 20

what is culture

Answer 20

the thoughts, beliefs, practices and behaviors of a person(s) in the areas of history, religion, social organization, economic organization, political organization, and collective production.

Question 21

what are some examples of embedded subcultures

Answer 21

• Corporate
• Human Services
• White collar/Blue Collar
• “Rich”/”Poor”
• Immigrant(Documented/ Undocumented)
• Sports
• Creative Arts
• Farming
• Medical
• Regional
• “Southern”
• “Northern”
• Military
• Sexual Orientation
• Academic

Question 22

what are the three parts of the tripartite model of personal identity

Answer 22

individual, group, and universal

Question 23

explain individual part of the tripartite model

Answer 23

• each person is unique in genetic makeup, personality, and personal experience (individual differences set us apart from other human beings)
• Examples: hair color, introvert/extravert, etc.

Question 24

explain group part of the tripartite model

Answer 24

-focuses on the basic similarities and differences among individuals (society divides us up into groups based on various demographic characteristics, therefore a part of our identities is based on our membership in these groups)

Examples: Culture, neighborhood, psychology

Question 25

explain the universal part of the tripartite model

Answer 25

there are characteristics that we share with all other human beings such as biological needs (food/water), common life experiences (birth/death), and common practices or behaviors (i.e.-the use of language for communication)

Question 26

ethical responsibilities for counselor

Answer 26

• acknowledge and recognize ethnic, racial, and cultural factors as significant to the counseling relationship;
• respect and be aware of the many ethnic, cultural, and racial factors that might contribute to the orientation and values of the client;
• consider the impact, importance, and potential support of community and social agencies that the client might be involved with
• recognize and attend to the social, economic, and political acts of racism, sexism, discrimination, and prejudice; and
• consider within-group differences for clients of all ethnic, racial, cultural, gender, and class groups..