Cultural competency: How a counselor’s culture can influence the therapeutic relationship

Abstract

Culture is a single word that encompasses a plethora of categories, which have the ability to influence one’s thoughts, actions, beliefs, and morals. The encapsulation of a myriad of life’s experiences, lessons, and family values into one single word is a challenge, one only rivaled by the role that culture can play in the life of a counselor when involved in a therapeutic relationship with a client. By examining one’s own lens of which they view their surroundings, a clearer picture may emerge, expanding the horizons of perception, and bringing a new light to reality. However, it is imperative to remember that people are individuals first and foremost, and not necessarily their culture, and to treat them as such would be a disservice to society as a whole.

Personal Culture

Being the product of a variety of European cultures, in addition to growing up in a diverse area such as the San Francisco Bay Area, my personal culture is one that contains numerous influences. The maternal side of the family is primarily comprised of German and Irish descent, with small percentages of Swedish and Scandinavian. There is much unknown about the paternal side, other than the presence of Polish descent, as indicated by the last name of *****ski. Assimilation into the dominant culture upon immigrating is often challenging, with feelings of anxiety, confusion, loss of control, fatigue, and even depression can occur when one experiences culture shock (Murdoch & Kaciak, 2011). However, belonging to the majority culture does not necessarily mean that one will not experience culture shock, as indicated by the examination of suicide rates across multiple cultures in one location, specifically San Francisco. Researchers revealed that while Caucasian was the racial majority, they also were more likely to achieve successful suicide (Shiang, 1998) when compared to both racial differences and geographical areas.

Culture, specifically ethnic influence, was not a large part of growing up, since the maternal family had immigrated several generations ago. Hard work was encouraged more than ethnic traditions, which may have contributed to the lack of focus over the generations. The environment in which one lives may play a larger role on the cultural development, rather than the immediate or extended familial parties. The San Francisco Bay Area contains a vast array of ethnicities and cultures, which are evident by the variety of markets, languages, and religious establishments that can be found within the geographic region. When comparing the ethnic diversity among metropolitan Bay Area residents to that of a less diverse and rural locale, the influence of environment versus the biological role involved in the development of an individual’s cultural identity can become confusing. 

Traditions

Traditions, influenced by values, beliefs, and rituals, are passed down from one generation or family to another. They are a form of a living time capsule, as a way to remember the past and carry them into the future (Mohanadoss, 1997). Some traditions die out over the generations, and possibly replaced by new ones. Religious traditions were once a prominent aspect to the maternal side of my family, but have now dwindled as generations pass. My grandmother is a practicing Episcopal Christian who attends church every Sunday and on holy holidays. She is active in her faith and invites neighbors to join her in services, where she also often volunteers as an usher and has worked in their soup kitchen to assist in feeding the homeless. In contrast, my mother considers herself more “spiritual” than religious, and did not pressure me as a child to be active in faith practices, other than family dinners for Easter and Christmas. Her openness led to my not being baptized in any faith, but rather free to experience religion on my own personal terms and to develop my personal belief system.

A tradition that has been durable over the generations is environmental responsibility and conservation. My grandparents grew up during the Great Depression, in which resources were scarce and ingenuity was necessary, influenced such a tradition. Personal gardens and repurposing household items were common in my youth, with my mother making my baby food from produce grown in our own garden instead of store bought jars. While the need to scrimp and be resourceful is not as great due to modern advances and an improved economy, I have carried on the tradition of respecting the environment through implementing the three R’s (reduce, reuse, and recycle), buying local items, composting, and only what I need instead of the extravagances experienced by others.

Some of the cultural aspects within my family bring forth pride, whereas others elicit a sense of shame. While being a very open family, accepting various preferences both within and outside the family, there is some carryover prejudice that is still present within the older generation. An inclusion and acceptance of LGBT within my family is one of which I am proud to admit. Growing up in a family that included an uncle who happened to be gay, made it seem normal, and was a shock when I realized that society was not as accepting as my family, which was made clear when my uncle was the victim of a hate crime during the early 80s in San Francisco. Support by the family is essential for members of the LGBT community, as they face challenges in school, society, and are often targets for violence. Victimization of LGBT adolescents in school has been linked to mental health issues in later stages of development (Russel, Ryan, Toomey, Diaz & Sanchez, 2011), further emphasizing the need for support by family members.

While there is support for one group of individuals within my family, cultural stereotypes still exist among the older generation. As described by Sue and Sue (2013), the assumption of abnormality regarding the LGBT community is not present in my family, but the use of outdated and politically incorrect language that can be quite offending at times, is present. Identifying people as “Oriental” instead of by their nationality (Asian, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean) is one common occurrence among not only the older generation in my family, but their friends as well, suggesting a possible cohort effect.

Worldview

The definition of worldview varies greatly, ranging from “We are what we think” inspired by the Buddha, to the more current view as it being a set of assumptions that have a powerful effect on both cognition and in turn, behavior (Koltko-Rivera, 2004). In short, a worldview influences the way one views their lives, surroundings, and the people in their environment. Worldviews are often unique to an individual and can evolve over the course of time, influenced by experiences and shaped by lessons in life. My personal worldview varies greatly from those beliefs held by my family, which has at times created a rift between us. However, firmly held beliefs, desires, and goals, things praised in Western culture, would seem foreign and wrong to a more collectivist non-Western worldview. 

Keeping the differences in mind, both within my own family and society as a whole, can help in my personal and professional lives. My worldview as it pertains to counseling is indeed influenced by my experiences, but also through learning about different approaches and techniques, in addition to developing a multicultural competency. 

Worldview and counseling

Within the scope of practice, counselors are bound to interact with clients who have a different worldview as their own. Learning about the unique differences, both within a culture and on the individual level, is imperative to effective therapeutic intervention methods. My personal view and approach to counseling is a rather straightforward method, similar to solution-focused brief therapy, which highlights personal accountability and responsibility for one’s actions. In addition to accepting responsibility for their role in the counseling relationship, it would be helpful to make the transition from the “victim” mentality to a survivor, thus regaining control and personal power. Such an approach has been found to be beneficial when working with clients who have experienced trauma (Danzer, 2011), which comprise my target demographic and counseling population within the military.

While my personal worldview and counseling application may work for some clients, it would not be an effective method for all, thus the need for a more client-focused therapeutic approach would be useful, especially when working with a varying population. However, some of my personal experiences that have contributed to my worldview would be useful in the military, especially as it pertains to the LGBT population after the change of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. However, barriers may arise during counseling sessions, including the fact that some clients may be happy in their “role” and not desire to make a change, the “Good ole boys club” mentality within the military culture, and I have very little experience with individuals who are considered high-SES.

Addressing barriers

Being aware of possible barriers in counseling it the first step in addressing the challenges that may arise in sessions, but one must proceed past the awareness stage, into the learning phase if change is to occur. While culture may not play a large role in a client’s life, ignoring the differences may become detrimental to the counseling relationship. Learning about the way roles differ within cultures can provide insight into human behavior. One tool that can assist in evaluating the level of importance a client places in their culture occurs during the intake interview. Sue and Sue (2013) suggest special consideration be paid to questions that probe deeper than the standard regarding ethnic background, age, gender, and medication history, a departure from the medical model approach of treatment.

Conclusion

While counselor culture can influence the way they view their clients, the culture of the client can also influence the way they view their counselor. Learning, experience, and having a broad spectrum of cultural competence can help to bridge the disparity that may occur between two conflicting worldviews. It is apparent that culture does play a role in society, it is also important to remember that people are individuals, and not all will adhere to the cultural norms; to assume would be akin to racism and/or prejudice.

**References available upon request**