First, while psychotherapy influences the society in a pervasive way, cultural diversity may change how professionals interact with their clients. Secondly, the effectiveness of counseling takes on both a cultural and social perspective, and counselors must be able to understand the difference between the interactions. Often times, members will bring into the session their own cultural backgrounds, which may change the communication among the group.
As psychotherapy attempt to change to help and influence society as a whole, it must be sensitive to the ethnic minorities as it relates to ethical issues. The contemplation to provide or not provide psychotherapy to certain cultures should not be contingent upon the ethnicity, but based on the individual. Hall (2001) states, “Psychotherapy for ethnic minorities is not simply an issue for the ethnic minority persons, but it is important for all persons who live in an increasingly multicultural society” (p. 508).
Decision-Making …show more content…
When providing treatment to a client, the therapists must decide which counseling technique to use. The counselor must decide on the best therapeutic method to meet the needs of their client. Although there are benefits to both individual and group therapy, each form of treatment has its pros and cons. According to Lakin (1991), “the ethical problem stems from a persistent assumption that the group’s processes are inherently benign and curative and beneficial to individual participants” (p.199). Group therapy allows the client to interact with other members with similar conditions and may provide a different perspective on their situation. This determination is contingent upon the condition of the client and if group therapy would be beneficial or not. Some are able to adjust, while others are unable to relate to those in the session. According to research by Burlingame & Krogel (2005), “patients in group condition tend to make rapid gains during treatment with minor setbacks, while patients in the individual condition made slower but steadier progress” (p. 607). Both group and individual therapy helps the client to be treated by their