Diversity As A Multicultural Counseling Class

“Diversity in the world is a basic characteristic of human society, and also the key condition for a lively and dynamic world as we see today” (Jintao Hu, 2014). With a growing number of people immigrating to America from different countries, society is exposed to various cultures and beliefs. Through engaging and interactive discussions and assignments in Multicultural Counseling class, I had an opportunity to become more culturally aware and increase my self-awareness of my prejudices and biases of other cultures. Also, I was able to reflect on my own culture and how it can serve as a possible barrier to counseling people from various backgrounds. Furthermore, through my experiences I understand that I need to continually grow as a multicultural …show more content…
Because of my religious background and ignorance, my views of LGBTQ had become so tainted that I was no longer viewing the members of this group as people. From the cultural immersion experience, I realized that they are just as human as I am, who face similar, if not more, issues than heterosexuals. Also, I have become more empathetic toward the discrimination they face on a daily basis, such as using gender-only restrooms. It is unfortunate that society has painted this group in such a negative light, which has caused a number of acts of discrimination and hate crimes. Therefore, as a future culturally competent counselor, I need to work on my own prejudices and treat the members of the LGBTQ with the same respect I treat other groups of people. I must also be knowledgeable of the various issues that the LGBTQ face in order to guide them through life challenges. Attending LGBTQ events and being more involved within this community could prove to be beneficial in overcoming by prejudices, while also learning about issues that are important to …show more content…
Many minorities come from a collectivistic culture, therefore, many decisions must be acceptable for the whole family. It would be unwise to push my individualist beliefs on clients who come from a collectivist background. Because some clients value their family’s wellbeing and opinions, as a culturally competent counselor, I need to utilize ways in which I can include family members within the sessions. In addition to including family members within counseling, learning about my clients’ values and beliefs, through my own research or even asking questions can allow me to form an alliance with them. When clients notice that I have conducted research on their culture and am willing to incorporate their beliefs and values within sessions, the clients may be more willing to trust and open up to me as a