What is a multicultural counselor/therapist?

Multicultural counselors/Therapists

What is the role of a counselor in multicultural counseling?

Multicultural counselors do not conduct therapy in a vacuum; they understand that patients' backgrounds influence how they view the world and that the counselor's role must change to accommodate these perspectives. Many factors can affect someone's personal experience and thus the therapeutic experience.

What type of therapy is multicultural therapy?

Multicultural therapy is not tied to any specific therapy; rather, it is an overarching approach to therapy that aims to acknowledge and address the influence that factors like race, gender identity, and cultural background can have on someone’s life. Multicultural approaches can be applied to CBT, psychodynamic therapy, and others, and can be practiced with individuals, couples, families, or groups.

What can I expect from multicultural therapy?

Multicultural counseling should be tailored to the client’s unique identity and cultural needs. Such approaches often prioritize the building of trust so that the client feels comfortable exploring various aspects of their identity and any challenges caused by mismatches between their identity and the dominant culture. Beyond that, the format and timeline of therapy will be heavily influenced by the therapist’s preferred therapy approach and the specific problems for which the client sought therapy.

Can multicultural therapy help treat trauma?

Yes. Cultural factors such as racial background, gender identity and or sexuality, and immigration or refugee status can influence both whether someone experiences trauma and how they cope afterward. Multicultural approaches to trauma-informed care will be aware of these influences, helping the client recognize how their response to trauma may be shaped by their cultural background and identify coping mechanisms that take their identity into account.

What are the benefits of seeing a multicultural therapist?

Members of minority groups who seek therapy are sometimes frustrated by providers who don’t understand their cultural background or dismiss the ways in which race, gender, or other facets of their identity influence their lived experience. Seeing a multicultural therapist can help these clients feel seen, understood, and able to develop solutions to life challenges that take their upbringing, beliefs, and past experiences into account.

What are the 3 practices of multicultural counseling?

Domains of Multicultural Counselling

Awareness: Understanding of personal beliefs and attitudes. Insight how counselors are the product of their cultural conditioning.
Knowledge: Understanding of the worldviews of culturally different clients.
Skills: Process of developing abilities.

What is multicultural therapy?

Multicultural Therapy

Multicultural Counseling

Reviewed by Psychology Today Staff

Multicultural therapy is a form of talk therapy that aims to address the concerns of clients whose race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, income, disability status, or other social factor(s) falls outside of the majority or outside the dominant social group. The approach centers on the idea that demographic factors such as race, ethnicity, and gender identity play a critical role in how someone experiences the world and relates to others, and attempts to factor those realities into their treatment. Multicultural therapy also acknowledges that negative issues that arise for minority groups—such as oppression, stereotyping, racism, and marginalization—are relevant for mental health and illness and should be afforded special recognition during therapy.

Members of minority groups, especially racial minority groups, are generally less likely to seek therapy than those from the majority, in part because many members of minority groups feel that therapists (many of whom identify with the majority, even today) would be unable to understand their lived experiences and fully address their needs. Multicultural therapy, therefore, aims to create a therapeutic environment where individuals from those groups will feel safe, respected, and able to articulate their challenges without feeling misunderstood.

Though therapist and client may not necessarily share the same race, ethnicity, or other relevant factors, a competent multicultural therapist will show significant awareness of the effects such factors may have on a client’s life. Multicultural counseling can take many forms, but in general, there may be more emphasis on the individual client’s unique background, experiences, and needs than in some traditional therapy settings that take a more universal approach. It may also address different cultural views of mental health treatment and help clients overcome internalized stigma or negative associations with seeking care. While the approach is primarily a form of talk therapy, it may be combined with therapies that involve other activities, such as art or music, if these interventions can help clients communicate better.

When It's Used

Members of any minority group—including racial or ethnic minorities, gender minorities, immigrants, and refugees—as well as others who feel marginalized by majority or dominant social groups, can benefit from multicultural therapy. Clients who seek multicultural therapy do so for a variety of concerns; while some are struggling with diagnosable mental health conditions such as anxiety or depression, others come to therapy for help with relationship or intimacy problems, occupational stress, poor body image or self-esteem, or cultural norms that may be interfering with psychological well-being. Sometimes, different facets of someone’s identity may lead to internal conflicts that can be resolved in multicultural therapy; for example, someone who identifies as a gender minority may struggle to reconcile their identity with the religious or cultural views of their family of origin.

The theory underlying multicultural therapy is not tied to a specific modality and can be applied to cognitive behavior therapy, couples counseling, family therapy, and other types of therapy appropriate for children, adults, individuals, or families, as long as the therapist understands the difficulties that affect the development of marginalized clients and the unique problems they face. When therapy is eclectic, the influence of the client’s culture must be weighed throughout every aspect of the therapeutic process.

What to Expect

How a multicultural therapy practice unfolds depends on the therapist’s preferred modality or modalities, as well as the client’s specific demographics and cultural needs. Typically, at first, time is spent developing trust and mutual respect as the client comes to understand the therapeutic process and the therapist comes to understand the client’s difficulties, needs, and expectations. The therapist can then begin to help the client understand which aspects of their problem(s) may be rooted in the relationship between their culture and the majority, dominant culture, and which may stem from something else. Together, the therapist and client work to find appropriate solutions.

In 2017, the American Psychological Association (APA) released updated guidelines for multicultural competency that may influence the course and practice of multicultural therapy. These include, among others:

The therapist should recognize and understand that a client’s identity is complex and may be shaped by multiple factors (race, gender, disability status, and others).
The therapist should recognize and acknowledge that they may hold beliefs that can influence their interactions with others of different cultures, including those of their clients. Therapists should thus make a concerted effort—through continued education, individual therapy, or the like—to move beyond ingrained biases. At times, the therapist and client may discuss these attitudes and beliefs and how they may be influencing the therapeutic alliance.
Therapists should be attuned to historical context and understand how different cultural factors have affected power and privilege over time, and how those influences may manifest in a client’s present-day life.
Therapists should take a strength-based approach to build resilience and minimize the effects of trauma in clients’ lives.

How It Works

Psychology, as a field, has been historically dominated by white men, and many of its early approaches did not extensively take into account race, ethnicity, gender identity, and other demographic factors that can influence someone’s experiences and relationships. Though minority groups are still underrepresented in the mental health professions, in recent years, there has been increasing awareness within the field that what works for the dominant social group may not work for others and that improved cultural competency could better ensure that all therapy clients receive care that is more aware of their lived reality and better tailored to their needs.

Multicultural therapy, therefore, recognizes that psychosocial development is not necessarily the same for people of different cultures and backgrounds and it is essential that counselors and therapists who work with varied populations are knowledgeable about, sensitive to, and comfortable with cultural differences. Otherwise, it is impossible to establish the trust necessary to work with clients of different races, religions, sexual orientations, geographic locations, ages, socioeconomic backgrounds, and family types.

Competent multicultural therapists take special care to reflect on their own biases, lack of awareness, or lack of understanding of the issues affecting specific groups of people. At times, there may be a need for the therapist to refer the client to a different therapist, perhaps even one who shares the same culture. In multicultural therapy, the quality of the relationship established between the therapist and the client is key to success.

What to Look for in a Multicultural Therapist

A multicultural therapist will be a licensed mental health professional, social worker, or therapist with additional training in cultural competency and multicultural counseling, generally through graduate work or continuing education. Developing cultural sensitivity and competency is an ongoing process, so it is important to look for a therapist who also has experience in multicultural therapy as well as one who seems attuned to your particular background and needs.

In addition to training and experience, it is important to find a therapist who communicates an awareness of your particular culture, beliefs, and practices, whose goals and expectations for treatment are in line with yours, and with whom you feel comfortable discussing personal issues. Though it isn’t required, many clients prefer to seek a therapist who shares their race, ethnicity, gender identity, and/or other relevant factors.

References

American Psychological Association. 2017. Multicultural Guidelines: An Ecological Approach to Context, Identity, and Intersectionality. Retrieved from: http://www.apa.org/about/policy/multicultural-guidelines.pdf

Fallahi, CR. Multicultural Therapy. Central Connecticut State University. [Powerpoint Presentation]

Fuertes JN, Brady-Amoon P, Thind N, Chang T. The therapy relationship in multicultural psychotherapy. The Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy. Psychotherapy Bulletin. 2015;51(1):41-45.

Zaker BS and Boostanipoor A. Multiculturalism in counseling and therapy: marital and family issues. International Journal of Psychology and Counseling. May 2016;8(5):53-57.

Hays PA. Integrating evidence-based practice, cognitive-behavior therapy, and multicultural therapy: Ten steps for culturally competent practice. APA Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. 2009.

Last updated: 08/09/2022

https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/therapy-types/multicultural-therapy#:~:text=Multicultural%20therapy%20is%20a%20form,outside%20the%20dominant%20social%20group.

What is a major obstacle to understanding multicultural counseling?

Challenges In Multicultural Counseling

Some of the most significant challenges include the following: Misunderstanding Cultural Norms And Beliefs: Misunderstanding cultural norms and beliefs is one of the most significant challenges that mental health professionals face in multicultural counseling.

Multicultural Counseling: Types, Strategies, and Techniques

December 31, 2019

For many years, white men dominated the counseling field in the U.S., along with most other professions during the first 200 years of the country’s existence. Most higher learning institutions did not admit women, and few admitted men of color.

This inequality still influences the counseling field today. In 2015, the American Psychological Association reported that 86% of psychologists in the U.S. were white, 5% were Asian, 5% were Hispanic, and 4% were African American. That distribution doesn’t reflect the country’s demographics: 60.4% white, 18.3% Hispanic/Latino, 13.4% African American, and 5.9% Asian, according to 2018 census data.

The racial and ethnic disparity between therapists and their patients often makes it difficult for minorities to find a therapist who understands specific issues related to their experience. Helping those in therapeutic settings to better connect with their patients and be more sensitive to issues related to experiences of culture and race is just one reason that multicultural counseling is so important. Continue reading to learn more about culturally competent counseling, why it is important, its impacts, and how you can pursue a career in therapy with a broader perspective and an ability to work with diverse clients.

What Is Multicultural Counseling?

The driving force behind multicultural counseling is that people from minority groups view the world through different lenses and that counselors, psychologists, and therapists of any race need to be sensitive to their unique difficulties and experiences. Multicultural counseling involves therapists demonstrating an understanding of their patients and their struggles with cultural issues, racism, and other related experiences. Always emphasizing caring and empathy, multicultural counseling enables therapists to better address unique challenges, considering how a patient’s experience may be different from their own.

What is multicultural counseling? This counseling style often has various approaches, but it essentially is a method of therapeutic counseling that considers the different factors that affect racial, ethnic, and other types of minorities, including historical oppression and its effects on society. Multicultural counselors do not conduct therapy in a vacuum; they understand that patients’ backgrounds influence the ways in which they view the world and that the counselor’s role must change to accommodate these perspectives.

Many factors can affect someone’s personal experience and thus the therapeutic experience. These include race, ethnicity, and geographic background. Religion and belief systems may also impact anything from a person’s values to how someone runs a household or raises children. There are also a range of socioeconomic backgrounds to consider, with people who grew up in extreme wealth as well as those who have survived life well below the poverty line. Multicultural counseling also takes into account disabilities, health conditions, gender, sexual orientation, living conditions, and more.

No one type of therapy or counseling most commonly uses multicultural counseling. Instead, it’s a mindset and style that therapists of all types can employ. These professionals may be school counselors working with elementary school students or psychologists working in private practice. They may also be social workers in all types of facilities.

Understanding Multicultural Counseling Theory

Multicultural counseling is a very recent development. It was not until 1972 that the American Personnel and Guidance Association (now the American Association of Counseling and Development) developed the Association for Non-White Concerns (now the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD)). AMCD’s mission is to “recognize the human diversity and multicultural nature of our society” and “identify and work to eliminate conditions that create barriers to the individual development of marginalized populations.”

Why was promoting a multicultural counseling theory so necessary? At the time, the vast majority of therapists were middle- and upper-class white men with homogeneous viewpoints, failing to take into consideration different experiences, perspectives, and emotional and psychological challenges. With more minorities and individuals from different backgrounds entering the middle class and going into therapy, it quickly became evident that many professionals were not able to understand their issues or respond meaningfully to their challenges.

Multicultural counseling developed out of a growing public awareness that the old ways of performing counseling work no longer applied and that they were in fact detrimental to those who were not in racial, cultural, and social majority groups. The 1970s was a time of social awakening and upheaval, including the countercultural movement against the Vietnam War and the continued growth of the post-World War II economy. AMCD’s development was another example of society revolting against the idea that everything was perfect and instead acknowledging that there was still a lot of progress to be made. Mass media, followed later by social media, made it easier for people to access different experiences and gain a greater understanding of life outside of their cities, socioeconomic groups, and races.

Multicultural counselors realize that when people come to therapy, their problems often stem from overlapping circumstances, such as their personal experiences and the state of society at large. A person with a disability who is also struggling with depression may need to address multiple issues, including resilience; hereditary traits; and societal impacts on self-image, opportunities, and more.

Developing Multicultural Counseling Competence

Becoming a therapist or counselor who is skilled in multicultural counseling is an ongoing process. It takes years of training, education, and on-the-job experience to become culturally competent, and multicultural counselors are always learning and adapting their methodologies to include new thinking and therapeutic strategies.

The best way to start down the road toward developing multicultural counseling competence is through an undergraduate program that exposes students to different ideas, therapeutic strategies, and multicultural counseling’s basic tenets. Such programs may include an internship at a facility that works with individuals of many different backgrounds. After receiving an undergraduate degree, the next step is typically graduate school, working toward a Master of Social Work, Master of Science in Psychology, or even a Doctor of Psychology or Doctor of Philosophy. When therapists and psychologists begin their careers, they can work in a multitude of environments, which offer opportunities to flex their skills with various clients.

Another challenging but essential part of developing multicultural counseling expertise is looking inward and examining one’s own biases and privileges. Multicultural therapists must be self-aware and examine how their upbringing and backgrounds influence the way they treat their clients. It is vital that therapists then learn how to balance those tendencies with greater awareness and perspective, approaching each client with sensitivity.

Exploring Multicultural Issues in Counseling

Culturally competent counselors and therapists must consider many different multicultural issues in counseling when working with their patients. Below are some of the most prevalent in American society.

Systemic Racism

The U.S. government evolved during an era in which wealthy white landowners enslaved Africans and their descendants in their homes and plantations, a practice that lasted for hundreds of years before being outlawed in all U.S. states and territories after the Civil War. Though eventually racial minorities won full rights via the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a long history of slavery and racial intolerance in the U.S. has led to deep-seated, systemic racism throughout the country.

Systemic racism may not be obvious, but it is very apparent when one looks at the statistics. For example, despite Caucasian people making up the majority of the American population, the majority of prisoners in the justice system are black, even though African Americans make up less than one-fifth of the population. Despite the justice system’s claim to treat everyone equally, the reality is that those without financial means –– who are twice as likely to be a minority according to an Economist report –– are at a disadvantage in the justice system. That’s just one example of systemic racism prevalent in the U.S. today; others include police profiling methods and stop-and-frisk policies.

Ableism

Another issue in multicultural counseling that frequently arises is ableism. Ableism is discrimination against people with disabilities. Society has come a long way in its treatment of people with disabilities, whether their disability arises as a result of a genetic condition or from a physical injury. People with disabilities face discrimination socially, in the workplace, and in the public sphere.

Consider a company that uses a monthly golf outing as a bonding exercise. An employee with a physical or mental condition may be unable to participate without assistance. If the company continued to hold these outings that excluded one employee, that would be an example of ableism in action. Essentially, ableism involves giving those without disabilities greater access and opportunities than those with disabilities.

Religious Differences

The U.S. has dozens of organized religions and subreligions, from Christianity to Zoroastrianism. They all have different dogmas, religious texts, and beliefs. Many people raised adhering to a specific religion believe theirs is “correct,” though it is often more nuanced than that. Multicultural counselors respect different religious beliefs and value systems, so long as they do not infringe on others’ rights and freedoms.

Why Is Cultural Competence Important?

Therapists should not reinforce socioeconomic norms during sessions with clients. Rather, they should mold their strategies to each client’s needs, using cultural competence and multicultural counseling concepts to drive their practice.

For example, a person who is struggling with money seeks help from a therapist who was born into privilege and never had to worry about affording rent the next month or buying enough food to feed their family. If the therapist tells the client that money struggles are easy to overcome and suggests borrowing some cash from their parents, the client will have few practical tactics to overcome the stress and other challenges associated with financial hardship. When therapists do not understand their patients’ backgrounds, it is difficult to offer a service that will benefit them.

Cultural competence is important because, without it, therapists and counselors will be unable to provide therapy to anybody whose background is different from their own. Therapists must be able to form connections to make progress with their clients, who might be struggling with family issues, depression, anxiety, or other mental health and social woes. Without a connection built upon understanding, the therapeutic process would be restricted.

Multicultural Counseling Skills

Gaining cultural competence and becoming a multicultural counselor involves developing the right skill set that enables therapists to meet the individual needs of their clients. Multicultural counseling involves several key factors that are often gained through education and work experience. Developing these skills starts with the right undergraduate degree, such as Maryville University’s Bachelor of Arts in Psychology online, which emphasizes courses relevant to multicultural counseling, such as social psychology, multicultural psychology, and critical thinking in the social sciences.

Interpersonal Abilities

A key skill for all counselors is the ability to connect with another person on a human level. The most important part of interpersonal skills are conversational skills, such as listening, responding, and asking thoughtful questions. Counselors and therapists must be curious and attentive to their clients, inquiring about their backgrounds, views, feelings, and emotions in a respectful, conscientious manner. They must be able to read body language and know when to continue with a line of questioning or return to it in a later session.

Cultural Awareness

Cultural awareness means understanding that culture is about more than just skin color or physical appearance. Culture is a way of life, often influenced by someone’s background, surroundings, social circles, interests, and experiences. Cultural awareness is a two-way street: Not only do counselors and therapists need to be aware of other people’s cultures, but they should be introspective and reflect on their own, considering how their personal experiences have shaped their worldview.

Sensitivity

Therapists and counselors must be careful when dealing with potentially upsetting topics. If their clients are unwilling to discuss certain matters, especially at first, therapists and counselors must respect their wishes and move in a different direction. Respecting others’ feelings is important to help them open up and become more receptive to therapeutic methods. A key skill that therapists and counselors possess is tact and sensitivity, approaching all potentially triggering issues with great care.

Understanding

Implicit in all of these skills is an understanding of why they are important. Multicultural counseling is about more than practicing these skills and being kind. It is also about understanding clients on a deep level –– not only being sensitive but also recognizing why that sensitivity is necessary in the counselor-client relationship, as well as outside of the office.

Empathy

Culturally competent therapists can put themselves in their client’s shoes and understand their points of view. Empathy means sharing others’ feelings, not just feeling sorry for them or being sensitive to their needs. Empathy is a high-level skill that takes years to develop in a healthy, professional way. Yet, empathy is often necessary for multicultural therapists and can result in a great connection between therapist and client, yielding more positive results.

Modern culture is about embracing the qualities that make us different and enable us to perceive the world in our own unique ways. Our backgrounds, cultures, religions, and other factors play a role in the way we see the world and the way certain circumstances and events affect our emotions and behaviors. Increasingly, more people acknowledge that no single viewpoint is any more or less valid than another. There is no “right way” to see and experience the world.

The best therapists, psychologists, social workers, and others who work in counseling services use multicultural counseling, informed by cultural awareness, to better assist their clients. By using empathy, sensitivity, and understanding, counselors can help their patients to feel heard and respected.