Counseling Case Study: If Catherine Was Latina

If Catherine was Latina, I would certainly approach our counseling session different. First and foremost, it is important to remember that minority groups are heterogeneous. For example, Latinos can be Mexican, Salvadoran or Puerto Rican. Therefore, it is crucial to avoid making assumptions or labeling individuals from a certain country because they look similar. It is part of becoming culturally competent as a counselor. Being Latino myself, I can honestly say that family is something we value greatly. We tend to rely on each other for support and strength. So, I have to take that into consideration when working with Catherine. Her career decision can be highly influenced by her immediate family. Catherine might even would to bring in her family into a counseling session, however, I would have to address that in the first session. If she believes that by bringing in one of her family members, she is going to have a more productive session, then …show more content…
First, I would ask Catherine to define what her dream occupation is because too often, people's idea of a dream job is based on a fantasy instead of a realistic look at what they would love to get paid to do all day. After we figure that out, I would recommend for her to look into doing a couple of internships as well as doing volunteer work. Internships will come in handy because she would have the freedom to explore occupations without any long-term commitment. More importantly, internships will provide Catherine with the hands one experience, which she can really benefit from as she decides what major to pursue in grad school. Also, suggesting for Catherine to probably take a couple of classes in a community college to make the decision process easier. As a result of taking community college classes’, Catherine can seek advice from professors, maybe they can even provide useful