As the demographics of the United States continue to become quite diverse, especially in regard to race, culture, gender, and ethnicity, incorporating the significance of these variables in the professional development of psychologists becomes even more imperative than ever before (Eklund, Aros-O’Malley, & Murrieta, 2014; Tummala-Nara, 2004). As such, although cultural differences may be emphasized in supervision sessions regarding client care and case conceptualization, oftentimes the significance of cultural difference between supervisor and supervisee is glossed and minimized (Ancis & Marshall, 2010). According to Ancis and Marshall (2010), despite the importance of how open dialogue around cultural differences can strengthen and deepen
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Additionally, the supervisor carries on various roles, including that of a teacher, a therapist and a consultant (Falender & Shafranske, 2010). For the purpose of this paper, the definition of culture includes a group’s shared beliefs, values and languages. Additionally, culture also incorporates individual differences including a person’s “self-identity and experiences” (Estrada, Frame, & Williams, p.311, 2004). Although a specific definition does not exist to define the construct of cultural difference between supervisor and supervisee, multicultural supervision is most commonly referred in the literature as describing this phenomenon. Multicultural supervision refers to how cultural differences impact the supervisor and supervisee relationship in the context of clinical practice and training (Estrada et al., 2004; Bernard & Goodyear, 2013). Additionally, multicultural supervision embraces frameworks of training that encourages understanding of how culture fits into various theoretical models, and how culture can impact psychological functioning and presentation of symptoms (Ancis & Marshall, …show more content…
Due to the population becoming more diverse every day, mental health clinicians are meeting and providing treatment to individuals of diverse backgrounds, more often different than their own background. As such, the supervisor and supervisee relationship is critical to ensuring that those important cultural variables are being discussed and incorporated into the treatment of the client, and the training of the student (Falender et al., 2014). The supervisor is then expected to be willing to take initiative to learn about the supervisee’s cultural values in order to mirror how the supervisee should then be curious about their client’s cultural background (Bernard & Goodyear, 2013). However, literature indicates that there is a lack of training and education of supervisors with expertise in multicultural supervision, as such, this misfortune illustrates how supervisors at times lack in their ability to navigate important conversations regarding power differential and cultural differences with their supervisees (Estrada et al., 2004; Bernard & Goodyear, 2013). According to Tummala-Nara (2004), a unique challenge presents itself in the fact that multicultural training is not necessarily a part of every curriculum in many university and educational settings.
Additionally, the supervisor carries on various roles, including that of a teacher, a therapist and a consultant (Falender & Shafranske, 2010). For the purpose of this paper, the definition of culture includes a group’s shared beliefs, values and languages. Additionally, culture also incorporates individual differences including a person’s “self-identity and experiences” (Estrada, Frame, & Williams, p.311, 2004). Although a specific definition does not exist to define the construct of cultural difference between supervisor and supervisee, multicultural supervision is most commonly referred in the literature as describing this phenomenon. Multicultural supervision refers to how cultural differences impact the supervisor and supervisee relationship in the context of clinical practice and training (Estrada et al., 2004; Bernard & Goodyear, 2013). Additionally, multicultural supervision embraces frameworks of training that encourages understanding of how culture fits into various theoretical models, and how culture can impact psychological functioning and presentation of symptoms (Ancis & Marshall, …show more content…
Due to the population becoming more diverse every day, mental health clinicians are meeting and providing treatment to individuals of diverse backgrounds, more often different than their own background. As such, the supervisor and supervisee relationship is critical to ensuring that those important cultural variables are being discussed and incorporated into the treatment of the client, and the training of the student (Falender et al., 2014). The supervisor is then expected to be willing to take initiative to learn about the supervisee’s cultural values in order to mirror how the supervisee should then be curious about their client’s cultural background (Bernard & Goodyear, 2013). However, literature indicates that there is a lack of training and education of supervisors with expertise in multicultural supervision, as such, this misfortune illustrates how supervisors at times lack in their ability to navigate important conversations regarding power differential and cultural differences with their supervisees (Estrada et al., 2004; Bernard & Goodyear, 2013). According to Tummala-Nara (2004), a unique challenge presents itself in the fact that multicultural training is not necessarily a part of every curriculum in many university and educational settings.