Question: Analyze pros and cons of (a) Multicultural Counseling b) Crisis

counseling (c) Group Counseling.

Counseling is the process that occurs when a client and counselor set aside time to
explore difficulties which may include the stressful or emotional feelings of the client.
It also involves the act of helping the client to see things more clearly, possibly from
a different viewpoint, (Kottler, 2001). In the process, this can enable the client to
focus on feelings, experiences, or behavior, with the goal of facilitating positive
change. It is imperative to note that a relationship of trust and confidentiality is
paramount to successful counseling. Professional counselors will usually explain
their policy on confidentiality. They may, however, be required by law to disclose the
information if they believe that there is a risk to life. In light of this counseling in
general, is not, giving advice, being judgmental, attempting to sort out the problems
of the client, expecting or encouraging a client to behave as the counselor would
behave if confronted with a similar problem in their own life, getting emotionally
involved with the client and looking at a client’s problems from your own perspective,
based on your own value system. From another angle, The American Counseling
Association (ACA), the world’s largest association of professional counselors,
defines counseling as “a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals,
families, and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career
goals.” The prerogative of this assessment is to interrogate multicultural, crisis, and
group counseling, whilst, respectively addressing the advantages and disadvantages
of each counseling model.

Multicultural Counseling

Counseling provided by trained professionals can make a profound impact on the

lives of individuals, families, and communities. This service helps people navigate
difficult life situations, such as the death of a loved one, divorce, natural disasters,
school stress, and the loss of a job. It provides the tools and insights to manage
mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression, (Dingman & Weaver, 2009).
Ultimately, counseling empowers people to lead healthy and fulfilling lives.

Against this viewpoint, multicultural counseling is a term used to describe a specific

type of counseling practice that acknowledges how various aspects of a patient’s
cultural identity might influence their mental health, (Belkin, 1984). Relevant factors
can include issues of race, ethnicity, immigration status, religion, socioeconomic
background, and gender identity. According to Susan Bradley, (2005), multicultural
counseling is largely about appreciating that individuals are not all the same and that
their personal background—their ethnicity, their race, and their cultural context—is
an important component of who they are. In light of this, counselors and
psychologists who embrace the tenets of multicultural counseling acknowledge how
these factors might influence the individual. They also seek to understand how
different cultures and groups approach mental health and counseling issues to tailor
treatment plans to these realities more effectively. In this regard, multicultural
counseling is vital because we live in a diverse society that is only projected to
become more so over the coming decades. As more and more people from different
backgrounds seek therapeutic treatment, mental health counselors and
psychologists need to be able to take a holistic approach in understanding,
acknowledging, and addressing their needs. People from different cultural
backgrounds often have very different lived realities. These differences influence not
only the types of mental health issues that a person experiences but also their
perception of and relationship to counseling.

Building from the above, people of different cultures and ethnic groups or
socioeconomic backgrounds often approach counseling and mental health through
the lens of their cultural background. When a culture has assigned a negative
connotation to the idea of mental health counseling, that belief can lead to a
reluctance to seek help, which can ultimately inhibit effective treatment, (Vacc,
2000). For example, in many Latin American cultures, there is a strong emphasis
placed on gender roles. In men, this is often characterized by the term machismo,
which refers to a form of strong, often aggressive masculinity. Belief in this concept
can cause someone from that background to avoid or forego counseling, even when
it is necessary, due to the implication that doing so would be a form of weakness.
Additionally, this mindset could very well be the cause of relationship troubles,
intimacy issues, and even depression.

Many studies have also demonstrated that African Americans are less likely than
white Americans to seek mental health services, even when they believe that such
services are effective. Further research has found that low-income Americans have
less access to mental health services than those who live in high-income
households. There are many potential reasons that these disparities may exist, and
affordability and access receive much of the discourse around the subjects.
Counseling professionals should seek to understand the cultural issues which also
play a role in making someone more or less likely to seek counseling.

Nevertheless, there are some challenges associated with multicultural counseling.

Multicultural counseling is demanding. This is against the backdrop that, to
effectively work with individuals from various cultural and socioeconomic
backgrounds, mental health professionals must develop a deep sense of cultural
awareness that empowers them to understand the different cultural factors
contributing to a patient’s wellbeing. As a counselor, this understanding will
empower one to connect with patients more effectively, empathize with them, and
tailor his treatment plans to their lived reality (Bradley, 2005). It will also allow one to
recognize the various cultural factors which might cause an individual to be more or
less open to mental health services, which you can use to your advantage during
treatment. There is a need to have extensive knowledge that acknowledges the role
that race, ethnicity, and identity play in mental health.

Crisis counseling

A crisis refers not just to a traumatic event or experience, but to an individual's

response to the situation, (Mcfarlane AC, 2018). The events that trigger this crisis
can run the gamut of life experience, from developmental hurdles (such as going
through puberty) to natural disasters to the death of a loved one. In this regard, crisis
counseling is an intervention that can help individuals deal with the crisis by offering
assistance and support. Crisis counseling is intended to be quite brief, generally
lasting for a period of no longer than a few weeks and is focused on minimizing the
stress of the event, providing emotional support, and improving the individual’s
coping strategies in the here and now, (Al-sulaiman, et al, 2018). One of the
limitations of crisis counseling is that, it does not resolve underlying issues, for
example: deep seated personality issues or relationship problems. Nor does it
resolve broader social issues, for example: discrimination, prejudice, unemployment,
poverty, violence, among many. By design, crisis intervention will not address long-
term psychological problems. It has also been observed that under crisis counseling,
respondent seems to have some difficulty in building trusted relationships between
the victims and the helpers. Some of the victims having trust issues towards the
counsellors and this poses challenges with the crisis counselling.

Group Counseling.

Group therapy is a type of therapy that involves therapist(s) working with several
people at a time, often 6 to 12 people who experience similar problems. (Dubuque,
1998). Group counseling is often the most beneficial option for many student
concerns. Therapy groups meet every week at the same time for ninety minutes.
During that time, the members of the group discuss the issues that are concerning
them and offer each other support and feedback. Interpersonal interaction is highly
valued and encouraged. Group counseling may be particularly useful for students
who are having difficulties in their relationships or who want to learn about
themselves and their connections to other people. Carlson, (2008), submits that,
throughout the session a group of individuals come together with either one or
multiple therapists depending on the size of the group. This offers participants the
opportunity to socialize with others who may have some of the same issues. They
may be asked to try out new behaviour and engage with others by giving and
receiving positive feedback. While in the group it is likely that the clients will be
satisfied with the way that they can speak openly about their insecurities or worries.
The individual is in control of how much they expose to the group. A group setting is
not aggressive in making clients speak about issues that they aren't comfortable
with.

Moreover, a group counseling may be more enriching for some than individual
counseling in that, one can benefit from the group even during sessions when he or
she say little but listen carefully to others. In group counseling, many people discover
that they have some important things in common with other group members, and as
others work on their concerns, and they usually learn much about themselves. In the
group environment, others serve as “mirrors” who reflect aspects of yourself which
you can recognize, and then choose to change or accept as they are. Group
members will bring up issues that strike a chord in you, issues of which you may not
have been aware. A natural process of enhanced acceptance of self and others
occurs as one learns to relate on deeper, more personal levels with others in the
group. The group provides an opportunity for personal experimentation. It is a safe
place to risk learning more about yourself and new ways of interacting.

However, there are some challenges associated with group counseling, and these
include the fact that many people can feel intimidated by the idea of group therapy
and feel nervous about being around and sharing intimate thoughts and details with
others. Many individuals may find it difficult to share their thoughts on a one-to-one
basis with a Counsellor or therapist never mind an entire group of people that they
may previously have never met. The fear and stress of contemplating this can be
overwhelming for some. There is higher demands for trust in group counseling.

In conclusion, having deliberated on the scope of crisis counseling, group counseling

and multicultural counseling, the writer has observed that, these counseling models
have one thing in common. They seek to explore difficulties which may include the
stressful or emotional feelings of the client and usually helping the client to see
things more clearly, possibly from a different viewpoint. In the process, enabling the
client to focus on feelings, experiences, or behavior, with the goal of facilitating
positive change.
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